The Common Good
I am concerned when I hear Christians saying that the state should do anything that will promote "the common good". They speak about the common good as if it was something knowable. Only God can know know what is good for everyone, but even for him the concept of a common good is illogical, because some things will benefit some and harm others. How can you add up these benefits and harms and arrive at a measure of the common good.
The "common good" is not a helpful concept. It usually becomes a slogan used to justify the social progamme of the person using the term.
What is the common good? Who determines that? Furthermore, what actions actually really accomplish the common good? There are not answers to these questions, so we should drop the concept because it really just a justification for state power.
2 comments:
A short history of socialism in the 20th century will show "the common good" only led to a stifling of individual responsibility within many countries.
I agree that "common good" is catch phrase used to justify the increase in state power.
Yes. It probably goes back to Rousseaus "general will".
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