VINCENZO OMAGGIO 

Jacques Maritain e la democrazia.

Riflessioni su un itinerario filosofico

N. 163

Summary — The tradition of the social doctrine of the Church (beginning from Rerum novarum) pivoting on the Thomist synthesis between gratia and natura seems to exhaust the question of the form of government and, consequently, that of the legitimacy of power, in the sphere of the notion of "common good" supported by principles of solidarity. In this way there is a substantial alienation from the subject of democracy; indeed, it is feared (Graves de communi re) that the formula "Christian democracy" can give credit to a choice liable to be ambiguous and dangerous for a form of popular government. On the other hand, nowadays, the principle of democracy has strengthened to a point in which not only does it inspire a form of government but represents a real value free from binding ontological structures. The problem that Maritain faces is therefore the following; is it possible, based upon a corpus of christian doctrines, to legitimize an autonomous option for democracy, or a real reason for preference apart from the reassuring links to the principle of "common good"? The concept of freedom to which the philosopher will devote a long and deep meditation aiming at a restaging of the traditional scenery of the relations between freedom of conscience and natural law will be of great importance. Maritain’s thought on democracy culminates in "Man and the State" where the ‘carta democratica’ represent the most suitable expression of a peaceful human society between believers and non believers.