“(…) Politics ennobles and expresses the feeling of citizenship.” (Father Juvenal Arduini, sociologist and professor)

A wonderful being, endowed with extraordinary wisdom, he knew how to put the talents of the spirit at the service of the world, public affairs, rejected in the division of earthly goods, bestowed by nature or produced by human labor. His name was Juvenal Arduini. Priest, writer, sociologist, professor, incendiary tribune. I enjoyed the privilege of a long coexistence, very fruitful for me in terms of benefits, with this wonderful master. Once, while paying my respects to him, I told him that I consider him the Brazilian father of Lebre. Refresh the concept. Today I am fully convinced – looking at the parts of his apostolic work and the writings that came out from his brilliant pen, and the teachings conveyed in his civilly impartial speech – that it is quite reasonable to also proclaim that the aforementioned Father Lebret, the famous thinker, was the French Juvenal Arduino.

Remembering a character who occupied such an important place in intellectual life, endowed with enviable humanistic and spiritual gifts, a very dear friend, my comrade, I allow myself to replace, with noticeable benefit for the reader, during these periods of tense articulation aimed at holding presidential elections, which have a great meaning for all of us, my commentary in words taken from the vast and valuable work left by the master. These are energetic, timely, and relevant thoughts, as we shall see later.

Let’s. Here is what Juvenal said: “During elections (…) it is appropriate to think about politics. The word “politics” comes from the Greek “poleteia”. “Polis” means a city, a locality. And “polites” is a citizen. It turns out that initially politics ennobles and expresses a sense of citizenship.

Politics is a highly social phenomenon and contributes to the development of society as a whole. Politics means unification, coexistence and union. Politics exists to bring people together, to integrate groups and nations to respond to social challenges. True politics encourages essential socialization and eliminates bitter feuds between people, organizations and parties.

Politics is organically connected with the people. He is called to serve the people, and not to subordinate them to petty interests. The Brazilian constitution was bold and clear when it came to the relationship between the government and the people. Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Constitution proclaims: “All power proceeds from the people, who exercise it through elected representatives or directly in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.” There is a lapidary constitutional declaration that elevates the modern nation. Power comes from the people. And this is also carried out by the people through voters or directly. Power is in the people, it remains in the people. The people can give functions to politicians, but do not transfer power to them. Strictly speaking, power belongs to the people, not to the rulers. There are politicians who act as if they hold the power that belongs to the people. This is the usurpation of the people’s power.

There are many types of policies. Humanized, social, ethical and purposeful policy towards the population. Prostituted, corrupt and perverted politics. Authoritarian, tyrannical politics and submissive, slave politics. There is a serious policy that meets the needs of the population, and a corrupt policy that appropriates the resources that belong to the poor. (…) “Political reality itself is a human, social, cultural and historical value. A sound policy is necessary for society. This is not about canceling the policy, but about cleaning it up. It is necessary to save the political potential of the people. There is an urgent need to establish (…) a policy of justice, not poverty. (…) The politics of ethics (…) The politics of life, not death. Politics must be devoted to the cry of suffering humanity and historical responsibility.”