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O_navegador's avatar

Very nice summary. De Maistre was one author who emphasized the organicity of political order, he stated that no constitution was a result of simple deliberation, but rather the result of commonly held beliefs and principles. No form of government can naturally persist if it is the result of a mere contract. Unfortunately, modern politics are so far from any concept of common good and the wholeness of man that many people prefer to ignore it altogether. But men is incomplete if he does not move towards his telos individually (morality and spirituality) and collectively (family, community, politics). That's why I strongly believe in a return to local forms of political order, since they allow true participation, and therefore, true completeness.

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John Wright's avatar

Thank you for this piece and your clarity and work! It would be nice if I could cross reference this with my upcoming piece on Leo XIII,Immortale Dei.

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Benjamin L Smith's avatar

Thank John. I really appreciate your support. Please feel free to reference this essay in your forthcoming article.

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Benjamin L Smith's avatar

Thank you John. I really appreciate your support. And you are more than welcome to cross reference this essay. I look forward to reading your article on Immortale Dei --- one of the really great Encyclicals.

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Silesianus's avatar

Great article. I would consider the argument made as the starting point for refutation of liberal claims. Fulfilment of the human beings rests in interactions with others, not in undisturbed solitude, and political structures provide the foundation for that fulfilment. One could go as far as to argue that human nature is political, not solitary, so assumptions that try to grant liberty by necessity limit the scope of communal activities, that appear to be more neccesary than at first sight.

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Benjamin L Smith's avatar

Thank you my friend. If you liked this essay, you will probably like this one as well: https://logosletter2022.substack.com/p/after-liberalism-the-common-good

One of the features of Logos Letter is the systematic development of Thomist-Corporatism. In the near future, I will be releasing essays on the primacy of the common good and the meaning of the common good. Again, I appreciate your support.

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