Society And its Purpose
Book 2 - The End of Society
CHAPTER 1
The end of every society must be a true, human good
173. If society were simply an aggregation of bodies, we would have to seek its end in some good relative to bodies. But the union of mere bodies does not form society; we need a union of intelligent souls. It is clear, therefore, that the social end has to be sought in intelligent souls rather than in bodies. As we have seen, the corporeal, external part of society must be considered the means for perfecting the internal, spiritual part, where, properly speaking, the human being exists, and where the delight and perfection of which he is susceptible resides. The final end of every society must therefore be found in this internal part.
174. We begin our discussion with some universal, certain truths so that the consequences we draw derive directly from clear principles admitted by human common sense. No one can possibly doubt that human beings act only for good, or that they turn to evil because in their search for good they are deceived by appearances. Thus society cannot be formed even by human beings without their aiming at some good through united effort. The contrary would be absurd; to say that human beings associate to obtain what they see as evil would be meaningless.
175. It is also clear that if human beings err about the good they seek, and find real evil instead of real good, their action is wasted and valueless, or has only a negative value. Let us apply this concept to society. If society does not lead us to good, to some real, true good, but deceives us under the appearance of good so that we obtain what is truly evil, it becomes useless and harmful to us by betraying its natural, necessary end; it no longer has any value, or at most a negative value.
176. Finally, there is another evident principle as important for the scientific study of society as the previous principles. It states that the true good of any human society, must be human good, good which is definitely good for human nature and in harmony with all its needs, so that human nature entirely approves and desires it. Anything agreeable to a lesser faculty of human nature but rejected by human nature as a whole could not be called human good, good for human nature. Rather, judged as rejected by the totality of human nature, it would have to be classed as evil.
177. We must not make the mistake of determining true good solely by considering the relationship between an object and one or other of our human faculties, nor by conforming to opinion; the solid judgment of the whole of our nature must be accepted. Cicero’s teaching is particularly relevant: `The whim of opinion evaporates with time; the judgment of nature is confirmed’(53)
178. The foundation of all sound teaching, therefore, must be the following simple principle: `Every society, whatever its nature and form, must ultimately tend to true human good.’ This is required by the very essence of society; without it the essential end of any association is lacking. Such an association would have no de jure nor de facto existence.
Notes
(53) De N. D., 2, 2.