SUBSIDIARITY AS A PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNANCE IN CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING: ESSENCE AND MAIN FEATURES

Abstract

Summary. Introduction. Providing of public equilibrium, establishment of mutual relations of collaboration and solidarity envisages the using of principles, that  take  into account the specific of mutual relations of individual and association, person and religious organization, and realization of that provides the redistribution of plenary powers between local associations and associations of the higher, centralized level. One of such principles there is a principle of subsidiarity.

Purpose.  The aim of the article is research of maintenance and practical measuring of principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching.

Methods. In order to examine the sense of subsidiarity, to trace consistently its conceptual evolution the author used coherent analytical tools.

Results. Important for understanding the essence of principle of subsidiarity is a thesis on intercommunication and mutual responsibility of person and society, man and church organization. The realization of principle of subsidiarity envisages establishing the order, at what association of local level get all necessary functions, and the associations of higher level are allotted auxiliary and coordinating plenary powers. In accordance with principle of subsidiarity, central power must execute exactly auxiliary, but not leading role, deciding those tasks that can not be effectively executed at local level only.

Originality. The principle of subsidiarity, from the point of view of Catholic social teaching, is based on a grant to the people a possibility to decide the questions, that they are touched and are urgent, without influence from the side of more centralized, social or private, religious or state institutes. Correct use of the principle of subsidiarity creates the counterbalance of omnipotence of external in relation to a man power, to the tendencies of centralization and depersonalization of human personality in the modern world, strengthens a democratic line-up, carrying out the proper distribution of tasks and delegation of plenary powers, and also distribution of power and control above her.

Conclusion. The principle of subsidiarity finds his ground in the Catholic social teaching as democratic social principle of organization of free and humane society. As normative principle of governing, subsidiarity called to assist strengthening of dialogue, search of methods of mutual acceptance of decisions in a church.