Why Tradition, Family, Property?

Why is it important to defend tradition, the family and the right to private property? At first sight these values might seem to be an arbitrary mix. But, in fact, they are three pillars supporting every sound civilisation, and especially Christian civilisation. Abolish any one of them and the other two will wither and die. They are values rooted in both Natural Law and Divine Revelation. Today they are under attack as never before. To restore Christian civilisation we must foster and defend tradition, the family and the principle of private property.

Tradition is the sum of a people's accomplishments in the religious, moral, cultural and material fields. It is a gift handed down from generation to generation by virtue of which youth moves forward with a surer step, enlightened and guided by the experience of elders. Tradition is not merely an historic value, nor simply a romantic yearning for bygone days. It is an indispensable factor for contemporary life. Through tradition societies avoid stagnation, as well as chaos and revolt.

Family is tradition's most dynamic element. If the family did not exist, neither would tradition, for families are the bearers of natural and supernatural moral values that are passed on from one generation to the next. A family must develop this rich patrimony into a school of being, living, progressing and serving one's country and Christendom. Otherwise it risks producing maladjusted individuals who don't know who they are and who cannot stably and logically fit into any social group.

Property is a human right based on the nature of man as a free individual entitled to the fruits of his labour. Private property is indispensable for the well-being of the family. In accordance with their God-given instincts, all parents worthy of the name work, struggle and save to provide a secure future for their children. Thus, families accumulate patrimonies which are passed on from generation to generation as inheritance. Inheritance is the rendezvous of family and property. Although even more important than material possessions are intangible goods like education and cultural and moral values. To deny the legitimacy of this is to make parents strangers to their own children. The seventh and ninth Commandments explicitly state the sacredness of private property.

The destruction of tradition, the family, and private property has been sought by all the totalitarian movements of the modern age, especially Socialism, National Socialism (Nazism), Fascism and Communism. These movements are natural enemies of Christian civilisation.