Zachodnia demokracja: szanse i zagrożenia
The Western Democracy: Promises and Threats

Summary/Abstract: The present democracy is based on a controversial liberal vision of man the egoist who is primarily good and uncontaminated with the original sin. In this way there are negated both social and spiritual dimensions of human nature, with regard for which man advances his potentiality in social context. This leads – when reinforced with a defective form of government – to the deficiency or permanent deformation of human moral and intellectual conduct. When the false assumption is accepted that of his nature man is perfect, then he needs no society (in a positive sense) and other people are treated as means to an end, or challengers, or threatening agents. Any relation between individual and society is exclusively considered in respect of individual profits. Consequently, the politics is deprived of any higher spiritual life that unites people (common good) beyond material (economic) differences. The social teaching of the Catholic Church underlines that healthy democracy has to be based on freedom combined with responsibility. Relations between people are not to be reduced to ruthless competition, but based on the idea of solidarity (love and brotherhood). Eventually, people have to make – within different associations – one family (combined with a common good), which permits everybody – with cementing human relationship – to pursue complete personal advancement.

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