VITTORIO POSSENTI 

Bene comune

N. 163

Summary — In the idea of common good, however marginal in many expressions of contemporary political philosophy, a complex and surprisingly lasting story is expressed and this, in some ways, testifies its irreplaceable role if one wants to understand the task of policy. This survey synthetically reconstructs the most significant turning points of the idea of common good in its historical course, starting from Greek political science (Aristotle), medieval (St. Thomas Aquinus) up to modern contemporary one (Hegel, Rosmini, Maritain etc.). The notion of common good that has fulfilled a remarkable theoretical and practical task up to the XVIIIth century, despite the breaking off by Machiavelli as regards the classical perspective, has been less used since then as the purpose of society is today based on freedom rather than on common good (see Spinoza and Kant). The worst moment of crisis in its notion may be found in the XIXth century when it becomes the target of criticism from Liberalism, social Darwinism, Anarchism and Materialism A remarkable element of the tradition of common good is established by Christian philosophy and by the social doctrine of the Church that have worked it out in connection with the new conditions of politics. In the end, the essential features of the philosophy of common good are summed up to demonstrate that this doctrine is still necessary to the needs of social life at all levels.