II

ETHICAL CHALLENGES TO BE TAKEN UP BY ALL

Ethical dimension of the problem

22. In order to make progress with solving the problem of hunger and malnutrition throughout the world, it is indispensable to grasp the ethical nature of the whole issue.

If the cause of hunger is a moral evil, above and beyond all the physical, structural and cultural causes, the challenges are also of a moral nature. This is capable of motivating all men and women of goodwill who believe in the universal values of every culture, particularly Christians who experience the preferential relationship which the Almighty Lord wishes to establish with all men and women without distinction.

This challenge involves: acquiring a better understanding of phenomena; of people's capacity for mutual service—which may be done merely through the interplay of well-understood economic forces: and even doing away with corruption of every kind. Apart from all this, the challenge lies above all at the level of freedom for every person to cooperate in the advancement of all human beings and the integral human being in their daily work, namely, by working together to foster the development of the common good(³⁴). This kind of development involves social justice and the universal destination of the goods of the earth, the practice of solidarity and subsidiarity, peace, and respect for the physical environment. This is the direction that must be taken in order to restore hope and build up a world that is more welcoming to future generations.

In order to make this progress possible, the organic pursuit of the common good must be protected, promoted, and where necessary, reactivated as a central component of the basic motivations in the thinking and work of everyone engaged in politics and the economy, at all levels and in every country.

Personal and institutional motivations are necessary to ensure the sound operation of society, which includes families. But all people must accept this conversion personally and all together, so that striving for the common good is not sacrificed to serving their own strictly personal interests, or the interests of their kinsmen, employers, clans or countries, however legitimate all these may be.

The principles which the Church has gradually emphasised in her social teaching therefore provide valuable guidance for combating hunger. The pursuit of the common good combines the following:

— the quest for greater efficiency in the management of earthly goods;

— greater respect for social justice, which is possible through the universal destination of goods;

— the skilful and constant practice of subsidiarity, which assures those in power against having the power taken from them, which in reality is a power to serve others;

— the practice of solidarity, which prevents the appropriation of financial resources by the affluent and protects all people from being excluded from social and economic life, and deprived of their fundamental dignity.

It is therefore the whole of the social teaching of the Church which must imbue the thinking of our leaders in all that is done, whether consciously or otherwise.

This statement might well be greeted with scepticism or even cynicism. Many leaders operate in a harsh, sometimes cruel environment, which gives rise to distress and causes them to proudly seek power for the sake of power and to retain it. Such individuals might perhaps be inclined to consider ethical considerations as handicaps. Yet, our frequent daily experience, in a wide variety of different environments, shows this not to be the case. Only balanced development for the common good will prove authentic and contribute in the long term to social stability. At every level and in every country, many people are working constantly and discreetly, respectful of the legitimate interests of their fellow beings.

The huge task facing Christians everywhere is to foster conduct of this kind. Like a small amount of yeast in very hard dough, they are called by a close adhesion to the love which Our Lord has for all people. A love which one experiences in the very depths of their being.

This exciting task is to set an example at every level: technical, organisational, moral and spiritual. It involves mutual assistance at every level of responsibility, which includes all those who are not "excluded" by their own social conditions.