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The Political Order
327
state. There is implicit both in biblical and in democratic faith recog
nition of the demand that the genuine humanity of all of the people
—their absolute worth and true dignity as individuals—be safe
guarded. This demand implies, in turn, the duty to provide those
conditions under which it is possible for each person to be genuinely
human in the fullest sense of that word. Thus, through its emphasis
upon the responsibilities of man before God and in relationship to the
neighbor, Christianity indirectly provides the strongest possible sup
port for the democratic conception of the rights of man which exist
prior to and independent of the positive laws of particular states.
Moreover, through the emphasis which it places upon the obligation
of each citizen to use his “rights” in the service of the neighbor
under God, biblical faith undergirds the democratic notion that the
purpose of the state is to promote the welfare of the people as a whole.
The vitality of democracy depends upon a genuine sense of oneness
among the citizens of a country. Unless there is recognition of the
responsibility of each for the people as a whole and of all for each
there is little possibility that conflicting interests will be resolved
in terms of the common welfare. Effective pursuit of the common good
presupposes recognition of the fact that each person is by birth a mem
ber of society and shares in the responsibility for it. The individual
does not incur responsibilities for his fellows simply by wilfully enter
ing into a “contract” with them. Individuals do not intentionally
create society; they are born into it and participate in it of necessity.
Recognition of this unity of the community and free commitment to
the common good as over against the special interests of the individual
or of less inclusive groups is indispensable in a democracy. Without
such loyalty to the common good, one will not seek liberty and
equality for all. Though it is frequently supposed that enlightened
self-interest provides a sufficient basis for community in a democracy,
enlightened self-interest is inadequate, for it cannot cause men to
respect and defend the rights of others when it is not to their advan
tage to do so, neither will it lead them to devote themselves to the
service of their country in government and civic causes in time of
peace or risk their lives for it in time of war.
Christian faith, as we have seen (Chapter 7, pp. 174-186), goes far
beyond the norm of enlightened self-interest in its conception of each
person’s obligations both to his individual and to his collective neigh
bors. Biblical faith as a whole supports the democratic sense of unity
and commitment to the common good in many ways—e.g., through