III

TOWARDS AN ECONOMY BASED ON GREATER SOLIDARITY

To better serve humanity and all human beings

38. Increased wealth is necessary for development. However, major macroeconomic reforms—which always hold down incomes—can fail when the structural reforms are not undertaken with the necessary political courage and energy. This is true particularly in the public sector when reforming the role of the state, as well as political and social obstacles. These reforms cause suffering which is to no avail, and precipitate yet another reversal. These stringent and sometimes excessively harsh reforms are always accompanied by aid from the international community. But the international community also brings pressure to bear in the political sphere, often at the request of politicians, in order to force the country to face its choices and help the politicians take decisions which the developed countries adopted at the time of post-war reconstruction.

Part of the duty of international institutions is, after consultations with governments, to incorporate into the plans drawn up by governments targeted provisions to relieve the suffering of those who will be most seriously impacted by these necessary measures. It is the duty of the International Institutions to foster trust and confidence in the national leaders so as to enable the country to qualify for financial support from public and private lenders. International institutions must also bring pressure to bear on the government so that every sector of society can play a part in the joint effort. Otherwise, the government will not be able to move in the direction of the common good and social justice, which are so difficult to safeguard even to a minor degree, under these circumstances.

In order to achieve this, the personnel of international institutions need to work, as they are fortunately accustomed to doing, with technical rigour. But they must also show concern for the people. This concern is something that cannot be inculcated by bureaucratic instructions or by a purely economicsoriented background. This is precisely where giving preference to listening to those living in poverty must be particularly carefully practised. Specific provisions must be envisaged for this, by joint agreement with the NGOs and Catholic Associations, both of which are in contact with and at the service of the most vulnerable people. One can never emphasise enough the importance of this point. It is essential. Yet national and international leaders easily neglect it because the technical work already gives rise to considerable difficulties.

Generally speaking, all international and national organisations having permanent and on-going contacts with each mis-developing country, must establish personal and unofficial lines of communication between the people in the field serving the population and the technical personnel defining the reform plans. This has to be done in a spirit of mutual trust between people sharing a common service to all humanity and each man and woman, so as to avoid falling prey to economism and ideology.