My Reading of Best Politics by Jose Rafael Nascimento

“Politics is very dirty, but I ask:“ Why are you dirty? “. Why didn’t Christians come into this business with an evangelical spirit? This is the question I am asking. It is easy to say that it is the fault of others … But I, what can I do? It is necessary! Working for the common good is the Christian’s duty. ”
– Pope Francisco

In the encyclical All brothersreleased near the tomb of San Francisco de Assis on October 3, 2020, Pope Francis speaks of brotherhood and social friendship “regardless of their physical proximity, from the point of the earth where each of them was born or inhabited.” In eight chapters of profound wisdom, Francis tells us about the “shadows of a closed world” and the need to “think and create an open world”, “dialogue and social friendship” and “better politics.” Best Policy it was this chapter that interested me the most, based on personal preference, for the entire papal letter is unusually deep and rich.

In this chapter, from which I will quote those that are the main passages and ideas for me, the Pope addresses the great and burning issues of the day, such as populism and (neo) liberalism, international power and social and political philanthropy, clarification of concepts, analysis of practice and recommending new approaches that, in addition to producing results, should be “able to trigger processes that others will reap the benefits of, with the hope of the secret power of the good sown”.

Defending “a genuine political life based on the law and loyal dialogue between subjects,” the Supreme Pontiff is convinced that “every woman, every man and every generation holds a promise that can radiate new relationships, intellectual energy, and cultural environment. and spiritual ”. And he recommends channeling some of that energy towards “political charity” that occurs when a person “joins with others to create social processes of brotherhood and justice for all.”

In this sense, the Pope proposes to value politics as “an exalted vocation, one of the most precious forms of charity because it strives for the common good,” remembering that love is expressed “not only in intimate and intimate relationships, but also in relationships. macro-relations as social, economic and political relations ”. This “political love” can and should take two main forms for the Holy Father: explicit, which “flows directly from the virtue of mercy, addressed to people and nations,” and imperial, which “translates acts of mercy that encourage us to create healthier institutions, more just rules, more supportive structures ”.

Incidentally, Francisco says, illustrating with very simple examples, that “charity is to accompany a person who is suffering, but also charity – whatever happens – even without direct contact with that person – to change the social conditions that provoke his suffering. Someone is helping an elderly person to cross the river, and that is exquisite charity; but the politician builds a bridge for him, and this is also charity. It is charity if someone helps another person by providing him with food, but the politician creates work for him, showing a sublime form of charity that ennobles his political activities. “

After explaining the importance of citizen participation and political intervention and encouraging believers (and other citizens) to participate in this dimension of public life – with inevitable consequences in private life – the Pope speaks of the deviant behavior of some politicians who not only spoil the good name of politics and those who pursue it how they discourage and deter many citizens from political activities, including those related to the exercise of fundamental rights of citizenship (such as voting).

Thus, Francisco points the finger at “more individualism, less integration, more freedom for those who are truly powerful and always find a way to escape unharmed” and criticizes the “media makeup”, advising politicians to look in the mirror and ask questions. not “how many approved me, how many voted for me, how many had a positive view of me?” but “how much love did I put into my work? How have I made progress with people? What traces have I left in the life of society? What real bonds have I built? What positive forces have I released? How much social peace have I sown? What did I produce at the place entrusted to me? “.

Emphasizing that “no person or group of people can consider themselves to be omnipotent, authorized to trample on the dignity and rights of other people or social groups,” the Pope calls on every politician to remain human and “love the most insignificant people in relation to a brother, as if there were only is he “. In politics, he says (contrary to the well-established myth), “there is a place where you can love with tenderness, the path followed by the most courageous and strong men and women.”

In the midst of political activity, he adds, “the smallest, the most fragile and the poorest must touch us: they have the ‘right’ to take our soul, our heart. Yes, they are our brothers, and therefore we must love and relate to them. Regardless of their appearance, each of them is immensely sacred and deserves our affection and devotion. So if I can help one person to live better, it justifies the gift of my life. “

In this sense, the Supreme Pontiff emphasizes that “political charity is also expressed in openness to all. First of all, the minister is called for his resignation, which makes the meeting possible, seeks rapprochement at least on some topics. He knows how to listen to the point of view of another, creating space for everyone. […] While bigotry, closed logic, and social and cultural fragmentation are pervasive in modern society, a good politician takes the first step to hear different voices. It is true that differences create conflicts, but uniformity creates suffocation and neutralizes us culturally. Let’s not put up with the life of a reality closed in a fragment. “

The Supreme Pontiff demands from politicians “healthy politics” and “adherence to truth”, saying that “when the good of others is at stake, good intentions are not enough, it is necessary to effectively achieve what they need to realize themselves. “. According to him, the poor perception of politics by many citizens “is associated with mistakes, corruption and ineffectiveness of some politicians, as well as with strategies aimed at weakening it, replacing the economy or dominating it with the help of some kind of ideology.” …

The Pope denounces “the temptation to appeal more to the law of force than to the force of law,” arguing that “the undeniable rule of law and ruthless recourse to negotiation, mediation and arbitration” are guaranteed. And he criticizes “so many small forms of vested interest-oriented politics,” arguing that we are working “on the basis of great principles and with the common good in mind in the long run,” thinking about those that will come, even if it is not suitable for electoral goals. Today, he said, “it is designed to reduce people to individuals who are easily manipulated by forces pursuing illegal interests.”

Recognizing “human fragility, a persistent human tendency towards selfishness, which is part of what the Christian tradition calls” lust “: the human tendency to close oneself in the immanence of his own self, his group, his petty interests” – which can be learned from God help ”- the Holy Father points to“ the educational task, the development of solidarity habits, the ability to think more holistically about human life, spiritual depth ”as the realities necessary to give quality to human relationships.

But the Pope goes further by encouraging “to think of social, political and economic participation in accordance with modalities that involve popular movements and revitalize local, national and international government structures with the moral energy that comes from integrating the excluded into construction. a common destiny and, in turn, to encourage these movements, this experience of solidarity that grows from below, from the depths of the planet, so that they unite, be more coordinated and meet. “

However, Francisco warns about the need to “do this without changing the characteristic style, because they are sowers of change, facilitating a process in which millions of small and large actions are creatively combined, as in poetry. In this sense, they are “social poets” who work in their own way, suggest, promote and liberate. With them, holistic human development will become possible; without them, democracy atrophies, becomes nominalism, a formality, loses its representativeness, reincarnates, because it leaves people out of their daily struggle for dignity, in building their own destiny. “

It is worth reading this chapter in its entirety, as well as the entire encyclical. All brothers… As well as If praised, about caring for a common home, our blue-green planet. These are soulful readings that make us better people. Could I not write more chronicles that, when I wrote this (based on quotes from Pope Francis), I would have written everything. Thanks for reading and thinking.

* The author does not follow the rules of the new spelling agreement.