|
|
|
Toward a More Just and Brotherly World
Pastoral Letter
of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference
to the Faithful
and all Men of Good Will
on the State of the Hungarian Society
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the pastoral letter and its recipients
1. The mission of the Church
is to proclaim the Gospel in every historical setting,
to show the way toward eternity and to give us pointers
with this knowledge in mind in the forming of our terrestrial
life. On the millecentenary of Hungary's existence
and the millenium of Hungarian Christianity, this
vocation imposes on us Catholic Hungarians the duty
to review the current state of our homeland, the life
of those who live here and those hope-filled prospects
and possibilities which the political changes of 1989-1990
revealed to us, but also to consider the worries
which oppress society on the threshold of a new millenium.
2. Europe, and within it Hungary,
has undergone profound changes in the past years.
Several countries of this continent, including ours,
have regained their freedom and independence. They
were able to regain control over their fate and initiate
the building of a more humane and happier future. Seeing
these changes, we render thanks to God and thank with
gratitude of all those who - accepting
all fatigue and risk - prepared and executed this process.
3. A new era has started in the
history of Hungary. In 1989-1990 many of us were filled
with the hope that, after the cessation of the decades-long
dependence on foreigners, the dictatorial one-party
system and the creation of a democratic and constitutional
state, our country would enjoy prosperity. Soon, however,
we realized that the Promised Land is still distant.
Many were filled with the illusion that political freedom
automatically meant progress. It took years before
the ruin caused by the past decades was assessed not
only in the political, social and economic life but
also on the morals and values of the population. Naturally,
neither can we forget those values which were and are
still being upheld by many among us. Despite this,
it will take more time to clarify on which path the
country has to progress, which steps it has to take
to create the conditions necessary for a
free and happy life for every citizen and strata of our society.
4. Of course, in this radically-altered,
socio-political situation, many differing concepts
surfaced as to how the emerging Hungarian democracy
should be shaped. It is therefore very regrettable
that even after several years it has not been possible
to reach an agreement regarding numerous basic questions.
No real social consensus, which takes into consideration
the long-range interests of the country, has arisen.
Even more painful is that - taking advantage of the
uncertainties which accompany these changes - more
than once the interests of individuals and different
social groups clashed. Many merely asserted their own
advantage; others attempted to garner the largest possible
amount of political power or share of society's wealth,
or even both. With these symptoms it is impossible
not to discern as a results the policies of the past
decades. Individuals and groups were isolated from
each other on purpose, the majority of social organizations
- among them the ecclesiastical ones - were disbanded;
those left in existence were prevented from functioning;
the contacts of public life were subjected to central
guidance. All these steps
led to the atomization of society and country-wide distrust.
5. The factors listed above forced
us in the past years to confront increasingly serious
symptoms of a crisis despite positive changes and heartening
developments in many areas. From the beginning, the
Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference - prompted by
its sense of responsibility for the country which is
inspired by the mission of Christ - attentively observed
the events taking place. It considers that the duty
to raise its voice at this historic junction can no
longer be postponed in order to evaluate the economic,
social and cultural condition of the country in the
light of the Gospel. Hence, it now turns to the Catholic
faithful and to every Hungarian of good will with this
pastoral letter. It does this in order to follow the
will of Christ in the spirit of the Second Vatican
Council and by associating itself with the worries
and joys of every individual: "There is no real human
emotion which finds no echo in the disciples of Christ".
(GS 1) It wishes to partake in the uncovering of our
common worries, in the search of the means leading
to their solution, offering those values and views
which the teachings of the Church contain: "I most
especially desire that the social teaching be made
known and applied in those countries in which uncertainties
loom large after the fall of the socialism" (CCA 56),
writes Pope John Paul II. His words
gain even more potency his approaching second visit to Hungary.
6. Our words are primarily meant
for the faithful. However, we also wish to address
all citizens of our country, believers and nonbelievers
alike, who care for the welfare of their homeland and
who struggle for the building of a more free and more
humane world. We trust that our words of appeal will
be heard by as many as possible and that they will
accept the proffered dialogue, the possibility for cooperation.
We address the intelligentsia
with particular emphasis. We simultaneously turn to
all Christian intellectuals, reminding them of their
special responsibility, and to those not committed
to Christianity, so
that we may work toward our common goals in even greater unity.
Evangelization and the building of society
7. There will be those who
will ask why our episcopal conference expresses its
opinion in social and economic matters since the mission
of the Church is evangelization. The proclamation
of the Gospel, however, does not exclude but rather
includes the duty of the Christian community to strive
in unison for the improvement of each individual's
life, the building of a more just and brotherly society.
"The announcement of the social teachings and its promulgation
is truly part of the Church's mission to evangelize,
of the Christian message, since it reveals its concrete
requirements in societal life and makes daily work
and the struggle for justice a part of the witness
laid down about the Redeeming Christ. At the same time,
it is the font of unity and peace in those conflicts,
which unavoidably occur in economic and social areas." (CA 5)
8. The Gospel is the
Good News not only for the individual but also for society:
a) Making the world more
beautiful and better is part of the Christian vocation.
The redeeming work of Christ, oriented toward the salvation
of man, also includes the renewal of this world. The
mission of the Church therefore is not only to bring
Christ's message and grace to mankind but also to penetrate
and perfect
the affairs of this world with the spirit of the Gospel (AA 5).
b) In the interest of this,
the Church - particularly during the past century -
strove to show the way in concrete social questions
on the basis of evangelical values, or rather to raise
its prophetic voice repeatedly. "The Church, in defined
human situations, whether of the individual or the
community, on national or international levels, has
to raise its voice and therefore develops real instruction
and norms of instruction, which make it possible for
her to analyze social realities, to express an opinion
and to offer guiding
principles for the solution of emerging problems." (CA 5)
c) Participation in social
activity is a universal human and Christian duty. "The
intention to participate in common initiatives has
to be awakened in everyone." (GS 31). "All followers
of Christ should realize that they
have a special vocation in political communities." (GS 75)
- It is the responsibility of
Christian communities to analyze the condition of their
countries truthfully; to illuminate it by the light
of the Gospel; to determine the principles of the analysis
using the Church's social teaching; the approach for
the evaluation of the conditions and the direction
of their activity. Pope Paul VI called attention to
this duty in his encyclical entitled "Octogesima adveniens",
emphasizing the responsibility of the local church
in the solution of concrete local problems. "It is
the duty of the [local] Christian community, with the
help of the Holy Spirit, together with the responsible
bishop, as well as with our other Christian brothers
and all men of good will, after having undertaken a
dialogue, to determine which path should be chosen,
and which duties it has to assume in getting those
social, political and economic changes started which
seem
necessary and often do not tolerate delay." (OA 4).
The purpose of the pastoral letter and its topics
9. By now it has become clear
that not only political and economic changes were and
are taking place in this country. We are the participants
in much more complex - partly constructive, partly
destructive - events. Without examining, defining,
exploring the causes and outlining the possibilities
we can scarcely lay the foundations for the future.
In order to transform the country effectively we have
to take stock as to what we have inherited from the
past decades. This has partly been done - especially
in the economic sphere - but in many respects it has
not yet been researched. It is not our purpose to find
scapegoats, to pillory certain groups for damage caused,
but to join forces in working for the transformation
of not only the economic, social and political life
but also its system of values (including moral ones)
so that we may help everyone in creating a better,
more humane life for all those who live in this country,
without
forgetting those Hungarians who live outside our frontiers.
10. Believers and nonbelievers
alike have to cooperate for the benefit of the individual
and for all of us. This common effort may not be appropriated
by party-affiliated interests. When the Hungarian
Catholic Episcopal Conference raises its voice it does
not wish to increase the power of the Church, it does
not wish to force its views on society but rather,
aware of its responsibility, it wishes to participate
in the building of the country and searches for approaches
useful to all society, without interfering in party
politics under the pretext of a public role. "Due to
its duty and propriety, the Church does not mingle
with the political
community and is not tied to any political system..." (GS 76)
11. In this pastoral letter we
naturally give an outline of the current situation
in Hungary in the light of Catholic social teaching.
Among the numerous and apparent problems we direct
our attention to the economic, political and social
life, but especially to the social life, but especially
to the social conditions; finally, we raise certain
questions concerning culture and education. These topics
more or less are connected; for this reason it is unavoidable
that some - depending on the focus - occur in several
chapters. For each topic the reader will find a short
description of present Hungarian conditions. After
this - without aiming for completeness - a few deductions
deriving from the Christian view of humanity and the
Church's social teaching will follow. It is obviously
not the Church's mission to work out a complete plan
of action for the solution of the social, economic
and cultural problems of our age. The perspectives
mentioned nevertheless may help professionals
and all engaged members of society in finding solutions.
We were careful in formulating
our ideas in such a way as to be intelligible to both
believers and the secular segment of our society. We
speak of this life, in every-day language. Our topics
were based on professional reasoning, but for
the sake of being understood we tried to avoid technical terms.
12. It is our hope that our words
will awaken the interest of the faithful and that of
all men of good will. We also trust that, having read
this text, they will pursue these thoughts, and, if
they consider it necessary, more precise formulations
will arise so that we may consider further the way
to real solutions. Then, while looking for solutions,
we may use those Christian teachings of the Church
which are applicable to our Hungarian conditions, and
also identify those which can be considered the proper
task of the Church. We trust that the common work,
prompted by this pastoral letter, to analyze today's
Hungarian society will encourage Christians to shoulder
responsibility for themselves and for their fellow
men, thus initiating a more widely-spread social cooperation,
so that after reflection - within the Church as well
- action will follow, and Hungary - profiting by this
unique historical
opportunity - will progress on the road to a happier future.
1. Social Conditions and Health
A. Conditions
Social tensions and poverty
13. Radical social, political
and economic changes are taking place in Hungary today.
These profound changes are accompanied by great difficulties
and by crises which undermine the life of our society.
The burden of this is borne by a significant part of
society, which is victimized by great losses and not
rarely by agonizing sacrifice. The victims of this
change-over are numerous individuals suffering from
illness, loneliness, existential uncertainty, living-standard
problems, not rarely from deprivation of civil rights,
homelessness, unemployment and ostracism. The disintegration
of the social security system, which was upheld until
the end of the 1980's, is worrisome even if there are
economic and other reasons for its justification since
its financing was largely made possible
by [foreign - trl.] loans and it was illusory in many respects.
14. Among the gravest ills of
our country is the growing poverty, characterized by
the alarming growth of those deprived. More and more
individuals lack proper housing, clothing, nutrition
and other requisites for dignified human existence.
The process of impoverishment is increasing rapidly:
Even the World Bank determined that in 1989 the proportion
of the poor was 5% of the total population; by 1993
this figure has risen fivefold. Taking the KSH's (Central
Statistical Office?) calculations of minimum subsistence
as the basis, in the 1980's one million, in 1992 two
million and in 1995 almost 3,5
million persons were living under the minimum subsistence level.
15. The social tensions created
during the one-party regime have not decreased but
have rather increased. It has not been possible to
arrest the processes which resulted in grave social
inequalities; rather, during the switch to a market
economy they have been intensified and have assumed
new forms, thus significantly increasing the rift between
a suddenly and disproportionately thin upper layer
and the general population whose struggle with its
living conditions is ever increasing. This worldwide
trend is now appearing in our country: the rich are
richer, the poor are even poorer. The difference between
the living standards of rich and poor was greater on
the average in 1995 than in Western European countries
although Hungary is among the smallest in Eastern Europe.
16. A particularly critical situation
is arising in our society, now undergoing this change,
because the reorganization of those entities providing
social services and health insurance coincides with
the economic relapse and the drastic decrease of funds
available for distribution. The effectiveness of the
social safety-net provided during the one-party regime
has been lost. New and adequate provisions for the
altered social-economic conditions function only
partially and in many respects have not even been formulated.
A conspicuous problem among
those listed above is the fact that the provision of
those services which are necessary for those who are
permanently unemployed, require living subsidies or
are no longer
entitled to welfare payments is only fractionally resolved.
17. The reform of the state budget,
as also experienced in richer Western European countries,
is unavoidable. In our case, the decrease of public
spending and the structural adjustments co-mingle.
The former are not accompanied by well-considered structural
reforms, or they are protracted for too long a period.
However, the effect of the restrictions are felt immediately,
living conditions are
aggravated, while the purpose of these sacrifices is not clear.
18. During the change, some social
groups have
been put in a particularly perilous situation on several counts.
The main cause of the impoverishment
lies in growing unemployment. Estimates of its size
diverge, but the number of those who are unemployed
among the labor-age population is about 10% which approximates
Western European averages. Conversion to market economy
goes in hand with the elimination of the early practice
of "within-the-gates" unemployment, the more rational
organization of the working place and production. An
unavoidable accompanying symptom of modernization is
that many jobs are lost or are altered, thereby requiring
better training of which many are incapable of achieving.
It is unacceptable,
however, that this be considered a mere economic question.
Children are in the most defenseless
position. In 1994, 45% of those under 19 years of age
lived in households in which the per-capita income
was less than the subsistence level. In the case of
foster children, the risk of sinking to poverty level
is even greater. In the past years, with the worsening
economic and social conditions, the impoverishing impact
of taking foster children has increased and is mainly
due to government regulations which affect families
with foster children. It is not acceptable that the
taking in of several children should require exceptional
heroism and mandatory poverty. The worth of family
subsidies has sunk significantly in recent
years and many child-related allowances have been terminated.
One of the most substantial
foundations of the nation's future are those families,
which not only bear children but also rear them: a
healthy family environment not only guarantees a happy
childhood - the greatest gift to children - but is
the most effective background
for the education of useful and valuable citizens for society.
Induced abortions are requested
in large measure due to social reasons. The grave -
for many desperate - social conditions are also responsible
for the number of induced abortions which was around
77,000 in 1995. Most often it was mothers between 20-29
years of age with three or more children who interrupted
their pregnancies, a direct result of the regulations
put into effect in the spring of 1995, which terminated
numerous earlier socio-political allowances, in such
a way that the population was not able to prepare itself
for the new conditions. Parents accepting a child are
justified in demanding increased social subsidies -
material and moral support - so that every child, either
born or about to be born, is assured of equal opportunities.
In recent years, the situation
of those elderly living on retirement income has deteriorated
significantly. The purchasing value of pensions has
shrunk even more than that of salaries. The real worth
of retirement income per person has decreased by 23%.
Inflation, and particularly the rapid rise of the cost
of medicines, hits the sick and the elderly hardest.
We cannot shut our eyes to the painful sight that those
generations, which survived the war and the sufferings
of the years which followed it, those who spent years
in honest work, now, in the last segment of their life,
should confront ever growing financial worries. Beside
their advanced age, loneliness bears down upon them,
lack of expectations, the knowledge of being superfluous:
they feel - prompted by not infrequent public opinion
and media innuendoes - that they are only a burden
to others. The life of many is not only embittered
but also shortened since they are unable to take care
of their own survival. The number of retirees approaches
3 million, and this number will continually increase
in future years. The general aging of the population
adds to this
problem and puts an ever-growing financial burden on society.
Minority policies compare well
with international practice, but we cannot ignore that
for the People of Rome the chances for humane living
standards are substantially lower than those for other
societal groups. As an illustration, we mention a
single data from 1995: unemployment among working-age
non-Romans is 10.6%, while among Romans of the same
age group the figure is 45.5%. In the coming era more
attention will have to be given to the problems of
minorities. Today, we do not attach importance to the
presence of refugees and exiles in our country, whereas
we will have
to face the probable increase in their numbers sooner or later.
The number of homeless is increasing
rapidly, therefore, the tasks associated with them
are also growing: presently 30-40,000 individuals live
without
a suitable home, but we do not possess accurate data.
Population numbers and general health
19. The decrease in population,
first noticed in 1981, has continued until today: in
the past 15 years, at an accelerated rate, half a million
citizens have been lost. Since 1990, the figure has
reached 160,000. The birth rate in 1995 was scarcely
above 1.1% while mortality barely decreased. The increase
in life expectancy stopped abruptly in 1982 and has
sunk since then progressively. Life expectancy at birth
has also dropped, especially among men (currently it
is 64.8 years, whereas in Austria it is 72.9 years);
compared to the rest of Europe, here too we occupy
the last place. Mortality among men has risen to rates
experienced approximately 60 years ago. Due to its
mortality rates Hungary is one of the lowest placed
in Europe; only Russia, and
other former Soviet successor-states and Romania are behind it.
This distressing situation is
further worsened by the chronic disruption of the health
insurance, the raising of the retirement age almost
to the equivalent of the sinking average life expectancy
and the worsening of the health services. The further
sinking of the already low number of live births, the
high death rate among older age groups as well as that
among the middle-aged play a main role in the overall
decrease of the population. The deterioration of the
demographic conditions truly
threatens our national existence to catastrophic proportions.
20. The health of our population
is deteriorating dangerously, partly because of exterior
factors, partly because of an unhealthy life style,
which is often self-exploiting or even self-destructive.
In the 90's the number of those suffering from depression
among the psychologically ill grew most dramatically.
The number of heart, vascular and cancerous illnesses
is extremely high in Hungary. Worldwide tuberculosis
has reappeared again, but especially so in Hungary.
Its causes are commonly known: unhealthy, lack of
proper nutrition, poor hygienic conditions, total lack
of or insufficient exercise. Many ruin their health
with drink and smoking. The number of alcoholics has
doubled in the 90's: 10-12% of the adult population,
about 800,000 individuals, can be classified as alcoholics.
The consumption of drugs is steadily spreading, most
of all among the youth. Suicide is an enduring and
very alarming phenomenon, indicating grave damages
in mental health. At the beginning of the 80's Hungary
stood by far in the worst place worldwide (4.5%/).
From the middle 80's the number of suicides decreased
(in 1995 it was
only 3.43%/), but even so it is still the highest in the world.
No policies, supported by suitable
financial resources, concerning the population growth
have emerged; there is no circumspect, conceptual,
family-centered projection, coordinated on the economic
or social
level; in fact, the basic vision for the future is missing.
The worsening of public safety
21. The most visible and
regrettable indicator of public morals is the worsening
of public safety on a large scale; this fact is aggravated
by the seriousness and violent nature of the crimes
committed, particularly in the past six years, and
their accelerating rate of growth. The number of crimes
made public in 1985 was 166,000, in 1989 225,000, in
1995 already 502,000; i.e. in the past ten years they
have tripled, and in the past five years it has doubled.
The consumption of drugs assumes ever greater proportions
and with it, the associated criminality. More provocatively
and ostentatiously, mass prostitution has appeared,
threatening the reputation of the nation. The forces
responsible for the maintenance of public order are,
despite all their efforts, inadequate for this task,
especially because the corrupt social morals and the
re-establishment
of disintegrated values is not simply an administrative task.
The law-abiding citizens who
make up the larger part of the population thus have
to endure ever greater danger since neither they nor
their relatives are secure in body or possessions.
The atmosphere of fear damages our very environment.
Under the influence of fear generated by this criminality
we hide behind locks and grills and try to accustom
ourselves to the fact that only by overcoming our ingrained
fear can we step into the street. This, however, brings
no solution
and leads only to the further disintegration of the community.
In their present state. the
prisons are incapable of suitably preparing the prisoners
for normal living conditions after their release, either
from the convicts' or from society's point of view.
If we fence our fellow men out of society
we deprive them even of a chance to lead a more worthy life.
22. A serious obstacle to slowing
criminality, decreasing social inequality and launching
enterprise is corruption, which threads its way through
the various areas of economic, political, even social
life. The abuses in many cases are not even visible
since they occur under multiple, hidden layers. Nevertheless,
on the middle and upper levels, one can frequently
witness abuses during the awarding of contracts, loans
or the distribution of public funds, by influencing
the decision-makers either financially or by other
means without punishment. Until sufficient and effective
steps are taken to put an end
to this practice just, social conditions can scarcely develop.
B. Views and Recommendations
The commitment to the poor
23. The Church, following
the example and the commandment of its Founder, has
to care with exceptional charity for the poor, the
deprived and the oppressed. This is one of the most
important precepts of Catholic social teaching and
which has appeared as an ever more decisive and urgent
command for the past century. "In the defense of individual
liberty, the fate of the lower classes and the poor
have to be considered first. The rich are surrounded
by their bastions and thus need the protection of the
state less, while the masses of the poor, with no means
for the defense of their interests at their disposal,
can rely on the state alone" - declared Pope Leo III
(RN 29). The Church therefore raises its voice primarily
for those
who are unable to express and defend their interests or needs.
John Paul II emphasizes the
necessity of "the commitment to the poor and particular
charity toward them". "Because of the particular charity
toward the poor and the considerations arising out
of this, we cannot ignore the hungry, the beggars,
the homeless, those needing medical help, but most
of all the immeasurable masses of all those who live
without expectations... If we do not acknowledge this,
we resemble the rich man, who pretended not
to know the beggar Lazarus, who lay at his door." (SRS 42)
"The Church is aware that its
social message gains credibility more by the testimonial
of deeds than by its structural unity or interior logic.
This conviction inspires it when it embraces the poor,
an act which is not exclusive and does not close out
any other group. .... It is generally known that in
modern society there are numerous varieties of poverty:
not only material but also cultural and religious poverty
are known to us. Love toward the poor, a basic characteristic
and a lasting element of its inheritance, inspires
the Church to turn toward the world in which, despite
technical and economic developments, the danger
exists that poverty will assume gigantic proportions." (CA 57)
The three pillars of the Church's social teaching
24. We quote three points
of the Church's teaching especially: these have to
be considered in every social and economic reform if
it is to achieve its purpose, namely the common good.
These are: the primary dignity
of a person, and the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity.
The starting point of Christian
social teaching is the person, who is at the same time
an individual and a social being. For the personality,
both components are indispensable. "The dignity of
the human person is rooted in his being created in
the image and likeness of God, and he gains his fulfillment
in his invitation to divine happiness." (KEK 1700).
"The person is the basis, subject and purpose of every
social institution." (GS 25). No one has the right
to sacrifice the person for the supposed good of society,
but conversely: the person is also mutilated
when he separates his own interest from his communal existence.
The respect of the person -
human dignity - is the right of every human creature,
no matter to what unfortunate group he may belong,
whether the source of his misfortune is the decrease
of physical strength, or economic or political impotence,
homelessness, even moral shortcomings or sins. The
Church stands up for social outcasts, for those who
do not belong anywhere and opposes every discrimination
in the interest of furthering equal opportunity. It
considers differentiating between the so-called "worthy"
and "unworthy" poor and those pushed to the perimeters
of society "through their own fault" or "through no
fault of their own" as senseless and damaging. Naturally,
living off others as parasites has to be prevented,
primarily by teaching honesty and responsibility to all.
25. The second basic principle
of the Church's social teaching is solidarity: man
can unfold [his talents - transl.] with the help of
the community, that is, he depends on others; at the
same time, he too has to contribute to the development
of the community and has to help the life of others.
The principle of solidarity presupposes an orderly
society, orderly institutions, mandates for mutual
help, the drawing up of a framework for communal living
and the continuous improvement of all of the above.
Solidarity is building community, developing the functions
of society, rendering its institutions more effective;
it is accepting responsibility for persons, affairs
and processes. At the same time, the principle of solidarity
contains more general social and ethical
norms: service of the common good and the display of justice.
The requirement for solidarity
in Christian social teaching originates in love. Concrete
application of this duty in our day requires that all
those who were pushed to the edge - for whatever
reason - be given the necessary help toward a more humane life.
26. The third pillar of Christian
social teaching is the principle of subsidiarity: "What
single individuals are capable of achieving on their
own may not be entrusted to the community; similarly,
it is illegal to transfer to a bigger and better organized
association all that which a smaller community, organized
on a lower level, is capable of achieving and providing.
At the same time, it is a serious sin to upturn the
order of things since every social activity by its
nature and inherent strength is obliged to help - to
subsidize - certain sections of society but may never
dismantle or absorb them. (QA 79). And this
goes together with the statement that "the purpose
to do their
share is the common enterprise be awakened in everyone". (GS 31).
27. The principles of solidarity
and subsidiarity have to be realized in every healthy
society. Much effort is needed in Hungary for these
principles to develop. Their realization cannot be
expected merely by the structural reorganization of
either economic or even political life. Basic changes
in our way of thinking and way of life have to take
place. A new philosophy of life has to be introduced,
one which is enterprising, diligent and
frugal, which respects other persons and accepts communality.
In the past decades, the party-state
which possessed overdimensional power, paternized its
subjects as one would those under-aged, depriving them
of independent thought, personal initiative or free
and responsible action. From the principle of subsidiary
it follows that those in a difficult situation should
not expect help from others only but should attempt
everything in the interest of their own improvement.
But this does not imply that the state should leave
to their own devices those who - for whatever reason
- are incapable of caring for themselves. In case of
need and taking note of social standpoints, the state
has to insert itself into economic processes, especially
when private initiatives cannot establish the institutions
to effectively serve the common and individual good.
Laws are needed which will prevent the loss of ground
of such individuals (the local minorities, handicapped,
injured and
maimed) in any area, whether economic, cultural or political.
The values of social justice
and worthiness have to be considered with the expansion
of the market mechanism so that they are in harmony
with the requirements of the market economy and the
long-range interests of society as a whole. This is
the way to realize a social market economy: the transformation
is difficult and slow, but the process
can and must be initiated and accelerated by suitable measures.
Taking responsibility and initiative
28. "[the Church - transl.] cannot
refuse the duties entrusted to it by God: not to judge
in technical questions for which it neither disposes
of the proper means nor has a mission, but rather to
put its power into the scale in all such things which
are related to moral law." (QA 41).
Keeping this statement in mind, we outline a few suggestions.
29. The state government, local
governments, civilian organizations and unions representing
the interests of the workers and employers alike have
to develop a coordinated and consistent program
against impoverishment and illegal acquisition of wealth.
30. The establishment of a contemporary
social market economy, mingling the principles of welfare
and reasonable economic requirements is necessary.
The requisite for this is that the economic policies
and social policies be interconnected, and that the
economic policies never become pre-eminent. The development
of the economy and wealth cannot be an end unto itself
but must serve the person and the whole of society.
The entire population has to be considered the 'common
property' of society, and its greatest treasure. The
child, the family, the very old and severely handicapped
are also a part of the common good: for their protection
and care - and the associated expenses - every member
of society has to accept his proportionate responsibility.
The progression, which makes is impossible for these
groups to overcome their own economic and social disadvantages,
has to be arrested as best possible so that by
starting a more humane life these individuals may join society.
31. The effectiveness of certain
social institutions is seriously influenced by numerous
other factors, especially the various aid-program systems.
Some urgent tasks among many are the management of
living conditions, the development of public education
and employment, the coordination of [state] health
insurance, voluntary self-insurance as well as social
welfare and the activities of social movements. The
activities of the voluntary aid societies have to be
supported. The system of state welfare has to be examined
so that it will not be humiliating and offensive to
human dignity, and that beyond direct help, it will
provide for the personal and financial independence
of those in need. The poorest have to be helped to
obtain the minimum income (national minimum) needed
for their survival, and without being an unfair burden
on the other members of society. During the period
of transformation, the state has to pay particular
attention in order to prevent the lowering
of living standards among those who are honestly self-supporting.
32. The Church has repeatedly
stated that it is not only the duty of all to work
honestly, but also "that everyone has the right to
work". (GS 67) It is the task of society and the state
"to oppose unemployment, which is evil in every case,
and if it reaches a certain size, becomes a real social
plight". (LE 81) The responsibility for the decrease
of unemployment "rests on the shoulders of the state
but cannot be limited one-sidedly to the activities
of public power." (LE 82) This struggle for the creation
of jobs has to be continued even if the social institutions
of the state and society face numerous difficulties:
further, the employers have to be urged to create new positions.
33. The reform of state health
insurance is unavoidable but has to be carried out
in such a way that during its transformation not even
one social group suffer unfair treatment. A multi-layered
health and pension system has to be developed for the
future in such a way as to guarantee the financial
safety of the middle classes while the functioning
of the social safety-net for the poor is also guaranteed.
34. The Church considers the
family as the most important basic cell of society.
The family has significant influence on society, as
the base cell is not only an economic unit but also
the most important site of transculturation and development
of the human soul. This is where the child acquires
those values with the help of which it may become a
useful member of society. "The family has to live in
such a way that its members may learn to care for the
young, the old, the sick and the deprived, as well
as the poor. ....Families have to be helped and protected
by suitable social regulations. ....Public authority
should consider it a serious duty to recognize, protect
and strengthen the real nature of marriage and family,
to protect public morals
and to advance the prospering of families." (KEK 2208-2209)
35. Ready to help but also to
critique, the Church - as throughout the world so in
Hungary - aims to observe the social and economic events
while keeping in mind the truths of the Gospel; to
object to contradictions in political and economic
life, and, in case of need, to raise its voice against
any form of injustice or discrimination, most of all
to protect the poorest, the ostracized and the unfortunate.
All the while, she will undertake everything - within
her strength - to participate in the amelioration of
difficulties and the moderation of the suffering of the needy.
36. The love of our neighbor
demands sacrifice, whether institutional or individual,
and participation in the difficulties of others. We
exhort our faithful, our priests, our parishes and
communities, together with all men of good will, to
assume their share in combatting misery, affliction,
failure and impoverishment, to develop and realize
social programs at those levels on which they live
and work. Especially responsible in this respect are
those Christians
who participate in public life at national or local level.
The model of self-sacrificing,
neighborly charity is the Good Samaritan, who lifts
up the single, prostrated traveler. Such personal attention,
however, is sufficient only for the saving of one or
two persons. Today there are such masses in need of
aid and next to them the small group of helpers dwindles
into such insignificance. that we must find the institutional,
organized version of brotherly love also, shouldering
the advocacy of their interest in
society and in the conception and realization of social programs.
2. The Economy
37. The enumerated difficulties
and worries are closely tied to the economic life of
Hungary; therefore, we have to mention it also since
it delineates our possibilities for action in many
other areas. Of course, it is not our intention to
render here a comprehensive economic analysis. We merely
wish to direct attention
to symptoms which directly or indirectly affect our basic values.
A. The situation
The
inheritance of the past and the economy worldwide
38. As we were able to note
in the previous chapter, the most damaging and dangerous
results of the economic changes of the past years were
the growth of social inequalities. Large sections of
the population sank near the threshold of poverty or
even just below it. It is to be feared that during
this progression such a rift between various social
groups will appear as to make it permanently impossible
to create a market economy.
The spiraling social injustice can also hinder economic growth.
Dramatic also are the heightened
geographical inequalities, especially between the country's
western and eastern parts, between large cities, first
of all Budapest, and the little villages. In the eastern
part of the country for example, unemployment is three
times as prevalent as in the western counties. In
these detached areas
it was not possible to utilize the modest reserve or resources.
39. Many forget today how weighty
were the burdens which we inherited and only remember
from the one-party past the secure living conditions
and guaranteed jobs, although the central and eastern
European "socialist" countries lost much in the past
decades of their relatively favorable world economic
standing after temporary and modest gains. For example,
the Mediterranean nations' gross national production
(GDP) in 1973 exceeded that of the socialist countries
only by 25%; today this figure is 200%. The difference
in income levels between developed, western countries
has grown from a 1:2 ratio to 1:4. We notice a similar
downward trend when we
compare Hungarian experiences with those of Austria or Finland.
The international comparison
mirrors well the fact that there were basic problems
in the Hungarian economy. Firms working within the
planned socialist economy underwent a distorted growth
process. The socialist countries, ignoring quality
and efficiency and concentrating on quantity alone,
sold products which they could not dispose of elsewhere
in each other's markets. Because of the permanent
shortages, these markets bought everything; thus, nothing
forced the enterprises to update and operate in a thrifty
fashion. In this "collective irresponsibility" the
equipment of these enterprises and their intellectual
capital lost their value. Not only was the economic
structure distorted but the market forms also; thus
they found their place in the second and in the black
economy when the one-party state decided in 1968 on reform.
The basic intention of the Hungarian
state dictatorship was that the population did not
interfere with politics in exchange for relative ease
in living standards, and that it suffer in silence
the rule of the Hungarian Socialist Workers Party.
After the explosion of oil prices in 1973 the then-leadership
of the country missed the chance to carry out the necessary
structural reorganization; thus the economy, in a more
and more hopeless situation, was unable to achieve
relatively good living conditions. To solidify their
political power, the socialist rulers took out foreign
loans, which they applied not to the development of
the economy, but to maintain an ineffective economic
structure and to keep up the standard
of living. The debt and its interest we have to repay today.
40. Along with the burden of
the past, a serious problem is caused by the fact that
the change-over is taking place in a substantially-altered
world economy. Economic growth has slowed down in Western
Europe as well; society has aged and cannot uphold
the customary level of service for living standards.
Thus Hungary is joining a slowly growing geographical
area, from which it can expect much less assistance
but at the same time considerably more competition
than those
countries which entered the European Community in the 1980's.
Of these relationships very
little is known publicly. We do not even know today
what joining [the European Community] will mean to
every layer of Hungarian society and what the accompanying
symptoms will be. There is no real alternative to
our joining the European Union. However, sharper competition,
an overfilled agrarian market and the onerous mandatory
compliance
with legal requirements will all mean a serious challenge.
The current economic situation
41. The purpose of the change-over
was the development of a socially-oriented market economy.
This means that the damaging effects of the market
economy would be adjusted for those groups which are
not capable of participating in economic competition
(children, the aged, handicapped, unemployed, large
families). Indeed, during the last years, the important
foundations of the market economy were established.
The change-over has been much more protracted than
anticipated
and has been accomplished with many more painful side-effects.
The professional evaluation
of current economic conditions is also contradictory.
However, all of us experience that the change-over
- probably very consequently - is accompanied by an
enormous economic slide backwards. The gross Hungarian
production in 1993 was only 82% of that reported in
1989; since then it has risen slightly. In the past
years the standard of living has declined for most
of the population. Since 1978, real salaries have
never again reached the purchasing-power of that year;
in 1993 it was merely 77% of the 1978 figure. Real
income in 1993 was a mere 89% of that
in 1989; in 1994 it rose somewhat, but by 1995 is sank again.
42. The tremendous burden on
the economy is the national debt. By the end of 1995
the gross foreign debt exceeded US$31 billion, the
net debt US$16.8 billion. The roots of the problem
run deep. The money which was borrowed was not used
effectively, loan upon loan was assumed, with dramatically
increasing interest burdens. In 1993 the internal national
debt also increased distressingly. (From 1,412 billion
forints in 1990, it grew to 3,755 billion
forints by the end of 1994 and amounts to 30% of the budget.)
43. For several years Inflation
has been over 20%, which is damaging not only from
the economic standpoint but also progressively impoverishes
those living on salaries, the retired, families
with children and increases inequalities among the population.
44. A favorable sign is that
according to convincing facts, the structural changes
have begun on the enterprise level and production has
grown. An important part of this is foreign capital
flowing in from abroad, but this has been prompted
by motives which noticeably do not coincide with the
long-range goals of Hungarian society. The importance
of foreign capital in Hungary has become significant
in this area: of the 200 largest Hungarian
companies, 110 operate under foreign supervision.
Privatization
45. The process of privatization
is full of contradictory moves. From the outset it
was not possible to find satisfactory, unambiguous
principles for the process of privatization since property
rights changed so turbulently during the storms of
history that the re-establishment of former conditions
was not feasible even though some - including political
parties - entertained such illusions. Those receiving
compensation received little real value due to the
peculiarities of the process. A good part of the compensation
coupons did not end up with the original owner who
was entitled to such compensation. Whether it was
the directors of an enterprise who gained ownership
of the stock or whether a state office directed privatization,
the population merely discerned during this transaction
that tremendous, uncontrollable fortunes were created.
The economic and political elite showed little solidarity
with the poor in its behavior or consumption The engine
of the market economy should be the entrepreneur who
manages with reason, who strives for investment and
growth, but who is also mindful of the consumers, the
workers and the environment. However, we do not find
many indications of this behavior in Hungary. The most
powerful positions in the economy are partly in the
hands of directors running the mostly state-owned or
mixed-ownership stock companies and partly in those
of businessmen involved in the illegal black-economy.
Confronting them is the mass of small entrepreneurs
who struggle against high taxes to survive. The middle
layer
of stable, well-to-do entrepreneurs is extremely thin.
The black and the grey economies
46. One dangerous accompanying
symptom of the economic change-over is the rapid expansion
of the black economy, in which, according to conservative
estimates, 25-30% of the national total production
is created today. The black economy represents an extremely
grave damage to society. Those working without paying
taxes and contributions progressively exclude from
the market honest entrepreneurs, who in this competition
are in a hopeless situation. As a result, the latter
try to find work in the overfilled
job market or they themselves become part of the black market.
Many avoid paying the common
dues, and thus the burden of the respectable tax payers
grows to unbearable proportions. "A devilish circle"
follows: more and more citizens avoid paying their
common dues which leads to ever greater taxation to
the diminishing circle of honest citizens. This on
the other hand significantly decreases the chances
of economic growth and indirectly contributes to the
further growth of the black market. As everywhere in
the world, the black economy has close ties with organized
crime and corruption. Beyond the immediate
financial loss, it also represents another damage to society.
The grey economy further seriously
jeopardizes honest market contacts. The inadequacies
of legal regulation and the "little gates" make certain
economic activities, which are not strictly illegal,
possible but which nevertheless
inflict damage on others and thus reduce budgetary income.
Agriculture
47. Hungary - considering
its natural attributes - is a first-class agricultural
region. The change in regime has brought both hope
and disillusionment to the farmers tilling the soil.
The partial solution achieved by compensation programs
has caused enough uncertainty for years which persist
up until today. After privatization, the structure
of landownership was fragmented. The necessary restructuring
of the large cooperative farms which had been established
by force, their privatization, the large-scale foreign
ownership of the food industry and food merchandising,
lack of capital, high interest on agricultural loans,
decreases in subsidies and absence of market protection
have all reduced our agriculture to rock-bottom levels.
Investments have dropped, livestock levels do not reach
those of 1938 and agricultural production has decreased
significantly. The difficulties of the transformation
- unemployment and the lack of development resources
- punish the small settlements.
particularly those in stagnating regions in many ways.
48. As far as the future is concerned,
it is the agricultural sector which can anticipate
the greatest difficulties, as our joining the European
Community would surely curtail agricultural production
since we would be serious competition for [West-trl.]
European producers. We have to reckon with the fact
that the number of those engaged in certain branches
of agriculture will sharply drop. Agricultural unemployment
is already serious today. Foresight and positive strategies
are needed for agriculture (and for the whole economy)
to handle the
new situation evolving out of our entering [the union].
The natural environment
49. Economic growth throughout
the world changed the environment and is more and more
damaging to nature. The spread of consumerism has brought
the world close to exhausting its natural resources
and is seriously threatening the vital natural order.
The totalitarian political regimes of Middle and Eastern
Europe paid even less attention to the preservation
of nature than the Western democracies did. As a result,
the environmental dangers are much more grave in Hungary
than in the West. Although conditions have improved
in certain areas since 1990 and pollution has slowed
down in the most affected regions - mainly due to the
shutting down of certain plants in the heavy industry
which were not only damaging but also uneconomical
- tremendous tasks for the saving of the environment
and the protection of nature's treasures need to be
faced. The problems above are made worse by the fact
that the larger part of the population is unaware of
the importance of environmental protection. It is a
regrettable fact that the attention and energy of public
figures in the economic and political arena are tied
down by the short-term solution of economic problems.
However, their public pronouncements, showing that
they are aware of the importance of this problem, are
encouraging. Long-range plans are missing nevertheless,
even in the case of basic questions of vital interest.
50. The situation of the natural
environment in our country is contradictory. In numerous
locations pollution gravely threatening to health can
be found (areas of industrial plants, illegal refuse
deposits, big cities, agricultural regions overburdened
with chemicals applied without proper supervision,
military barracks, etc.). Especially significant damage
can be observed in the vicinity of gigantic industrial
enterprises. It is therefore a great pleasure that
certain areas were able to keep their ancient aspect.
Where industrialized agriculture could not be imported
due to lack of money, there nature-friendly communities
survived. In these regions in a relatively short time,
five National Parks were established
and numerous areas were placed under nature protection programs.
An essential problem of natural
environment protection is that little money is allotted
for the remedying of existing ills and even less for
the introduction of preventive processes. Here attention
has to be called to the dangerous practice of developed
countries exporting their obsolete technologies and
trash into our homeland. The exploitation of nature
in many localities after privatization is an additional factor.
B. Standpoints and recommendations
The place of the economy in society
51. The traditional indicators
of economic growth (such as gross national production,
the rate of yearly growth, etc.) neither show true
economic development nor the exhaustion of natural
sources of energy. Efforts to improve these indicators
led worldwide to the defiling of the environment and
the quality of life. The creation of conditions for
real, "upholdable" development and the unfolding of
its direction, it is necessary to generate a system
of priorities for
the national economy and for the use of new result indicators.
52. On the one hand, Catholic
social teaching recognizes the independence of the
economy as one sphere of society with its own, particular
laws of momentum; on the other hand, it most decidedly
rejects the concept which, arising out of this relative
independence, acknowledges no other standard than the
realization of selfish interests by individuals and
groups. "Economic activities have to be exercised according
to their
own methods and laws, but moral law has to be respected." (GS 64)
Nor can we omit mentioning the
fact that, despite the invoking of slogans by the socially-oriented
market economy, decisions are born accidentally, mostly
according to the short-range interests of various groups,
and social policies have been buffeted for decades
by the strictures of the moment. A change in the above
difficult economic situation could occur only if politicians
directing economic policies and all the participants
in economic life could demonstrate the necessary humility,
openness, unselfishness in the search for solutions
- since no one possesses the economic-policy miracle
cure - and if certain interest groups could display
a realistic self-restraint. Without these,
an insupportable concentration of economic power could result.
53. "The basic goal of production
and the economy is not the accumulation of products,
nor profit or domination, but the service of man.
In particular the service of the whole man, whereby
it takes into consideration on one side his material
needs and, on the other the requirements of
his intellectual, moral, spiritual and religious life." (GS 64)
In the past century, the Church
has consistently refused one-sided interpretations
of economic organization, that is, both collectivism
and liberal capitalism based on free competition. "Development
cannot be entrusted exclusively to the instinctive,
economic activities of individuals nor to public authorities."
(GS 65). In 1991, after the glowing victory of capitalism,
John Paul II did not consider it justified to come
down on the side of one "model" when treating the question
of desirable social arrangements in his encyclical
entitled Centesimus annus, to put it simply. "The answer
is complex. If 'capitalism' means an economic system
which recognizes the enterprise, the market, private
property and the responsibility which arises out of
the method of production, as well as the basic and
positive role of free human initiative in economic
life, the answer is naturally 'yes'. But if by 'capitalism'
we mean a system in which the freedom displayed in
the economic sphere does not fit into a solid political
system which considers economic freedom only as a component
of total human freedom which has an ethical and religious
core, then the answer is unequivocally 'no'. The Marxist
solution has failed. .... (But) the danger is that
a radical capitalist ideology will spread which...
blindly trusts that the free development of market
forces will solve everything." (CA 42) Today, when
the whole world has sobered up after the illusions
associated with the change of
regimes, the words of the encyclical have proven painfully true.
54. The true task of the multinational
corporations is fulfilled when they bring with themselves
the order of the more developed economies and thereby
expand the economic culture and morals in this country.
When confronting a weaker partner, the possibility
and temptation always exist to display one's superior
strength. The teaching of the Catholic Church emphatically
calls attention to the fact that the globalization
of the world's economy goes together with universal
responsibility - and this has to be imparted
to the owners of the ever-weightier foreign capital in Hungary.
The duty of the state in the economy
55. According to Catholic
social teaching, the state has an important role in
correcting the damaging effects of market activities.
Under the concept of social justice it has always understood
distributory justice, that is, a certain reduction
of financial inequalities. In recent years the view
has spread among economists that the services rendered
by a welfare state encounter obstacles because they
impede economic growth. The narrowing of the state's
duties is not identical, of course, to the retreat
of the state from economic life since it has to create
and then maintain the market-economy system; it has
to defend the rights of individuals in economic life;
with the limitation of monopolies and the
regulating of competition it has to protect the latter. (CA 48)
56. It is in the national interest
that the population which makes its living in the agricultural
sector gain self-confidence, economic strength and
renew its communal life and moral values. It is in
the interest of the whole country that as many farmers
as possible also own the land which they till. For
this purpose, they have to receive all the necessary
scientific and financial
support for our agriculture to be productive and effective again.
Modern agricultural procedures
have abandoned departmentalized production practices.
Today, they prefer discussing regional farming. This
term expresses the concept that long-range farming
is viable only if the whole region is considered as
a whole rather than as single plots or livestock settlements.
Beside agricultural activity, the importance of coordinated
regional development is stressed, that is, the establishment
of new enterprises, nature areas, local cooperation
and traditions.
Nature and man have to live in harmony with each other.
57. Not only for social reasons
but also for the future of the economy the final rupture
of society has to be prevented. If only a narrow layer
of the elite and marginalized masses constitute our
society in the future, its position in the European
Union - if it is ever admitted - will be a totally
defenseless one. Many statements have been published
about the importance of man and about education as
a means of advancement. Lacking were, though, effective
state and social efforts capable of obstructing the
extreme inequality of opportunities. The ultimate measure
of all state reforms is whether budgetary cuts will
lead to future depletion. "It is the duty of the state
to provide for the protection of the common good, which
encompasses the natural and the human environment.
This protection cannot be guaranteed exclusively by
the market mechanism. As during the era of early capitalism,
it was the duty of the state to protect the basic right
to work, similarly new capitalism and society as a
whole have to protect the common good, which, amongst
others, form a framework within which
everyone should be able to realize their personal goals." (CA 40)
58. The termination of the black
economy is possible with a series of coordinated measures.
Along with the lowering of the tax burden to reasonable
levels, the rapid prosecution and severe punishment
of crime have to be ensured. As a consequence, it
will be more worthwhile to participate in a legal economy,
which, in its turn, can lessen the danger of society's
splitting into two camps: that of the rich and that
of the poor. Every effort, however, is in vain if there
is no parallel change in the attitude of certain individuals.
Christians
bear a particularly heavy responsibility in this regard.
Only within a solid market system
and a stable, predictable legal framework will entrepreneurial
integrity be honored and, in the long term, responsible
management. Economic
policy and individual behavior have to change simultaneously
59. The struggle against unemployment
does not promise spectacular and quick victories.
This, however, does not absolve the state, society
or the leaders in the economy from continuously attempting,
within their respective resorts, to further full employment.
60. The population will not be
able to avoid the painful realization that it has to
face more realistically the prospects of improving
its material future. A more simple, natural and healthier
lifestyle has to be initiated. This applies both to
our national and international processes, as well as
to global environmental problems. Nor should we forget
that an appreciably larger segment of the world's population
lives in misery which far surpasses
our own; millions starve, especially in the Southern hemisphere.
61. It would be very important
to teach the smallest child that we received our planet
in custody and must save it for our descendants. For
Christians there is a special duty and a clear command
for the protection of the natural environment: "God
took man and placed him in the Garden of Eden so that
he might cultivate and protect it." (Gen 2,15).
Indeed, we have to exercise self-criticism here because
our moral education has neglected this duty. Yet, we
all are responsible for protecting and cultivating
the cleanliness, order and beauty of our immediate
and extended surroundings, to safeguard nature, our
country and the planet. Thus, the behavior of the individual
plays
a considerable part in the preservation of the environment.
Property and work
62. The Church consistently
teaches that the right to property is a basic human
right. However, this right is not absolute; during
its exercise the common good has to be served as well.
The poorer segments of our society struggle more and
more under a heavy burden. We have already mentioned
that those situated in the more powerful layers of
the economic and political life have to show much greater
self-restraint and solidarity than ever before. The
necessity of creating capital does not exclude the
political elite and businessmen from exercising restraint
in consumption and from applying a greater part of
their wealth toward the aid of others. "God intended
the world for the use of all men and all nations, together
with everything in it...Man, therefore, when he uses
all that is created, is bound to consider his possessions
as not only his own but also as a common good - common
in the sense that it
is not only for his own use but also for that of others." (GS 69)
"The Church recognizes the legal
function of profit, as it indicates the functioning
of enterprise... Profit, therefore, has a controlling
role in the life of enterprise, but it is not exclusive.
In this instance, different human and moral factors
have to be considered which - at least in the long
range
- are just as essential in the life of an enterprise." (CA 35)
63. In the work place, the fear
of unemployment, and the sense of being defenseless
which feeds on this dread, as well as its undisciplined,
unpunctual performance coexist. The rights and duties
of workers have to be balanced in every sector of the
economy: they should receive suitable pay and participate
in the decisions of their work place. Institutional
order, however, is not achieved by the creating of
a few laws since these can be fashioned only by the
efforts of individuals. The first principle of the
whole social-ethical order is that of the common use
of goods. A worker participates in the first place
by just compensation which he receives for his labor.
"Salary, that is the compensation for work, is the
concrete means by which most individuals can
attain those goods which are intended for common use." (LE 88)
64. In connection with work,
consideration of our personal lifestyles also emerges
Work is an extremely important part of our life, but
we cannot become its slaves. The necessity for survival,
the acquisition of luxury items or the amassing of
wealth forces many individuals to extra efforts. Time
which should be spent with the family or on the weekly
day of rest cannot be sacrificed to its pursuit. (MM 248-253)
In their economic decisions,
Catholics - whether they be shapers of the economy
or politics, entrepreneurs or workers - have to be
directed by values springing from their faith. In the
area of adult education, the Church as an institution
has to train the population in the necessary knowledge
of the workings of the market economy,
and most of all provide models of desirable behavior.
3. The State and Politics
A. The situation
The
change in the political system and its results
65. In the former socialist
countries, state organs and politics underwent a radical
reorganization. In 1989-1990 this occurred in Hungary
also after the peaceful transfer during the "constitutional
revolution". Numerous positive elements of this process
should be remembered: constitutionality, free elections,
freedom of speech, assembly, conscience and religion,
and human rights in general, to all of which only lip-service
had been paid in the past. Many values, missing for
forty years, became reality again, such as the multiparty
system and political pluralism. Before 1989 these were
unimaginable in Hungary, whereas it is they who preserved
and still preserve human dignity and freedom, as the
Church also proclaims. The institutions upholding the
multiparty, pluralistic society have been established
and are giving it fundamental stability. None of these
institutions have visibly abandoned the constitutional
or the
legal path. The democratic institutions have proven to be solid.
The papal encyclical entitled
Centesimus annus already in 1991 called attention to
the fact that for the countries affected by this transformation
a veritable post-war era was about to begin with innumerable
problems. (CA 28) Political transformation and democracy,
however, were not accompanied by the prosperity for
which all hoped so ardently. Reviewing our situation
today we have to say: Many of our hopes became reality
- but much
remains to be done to create a humane life in Hungarian society.
66. Those possessing authority,
the members of the politically-powerful class, are
not able to represent convincingly and credibly a new
quality in politics, which is a rightful expectation
of the citizenry. Some of the citizens consider the
politicians and the parliamentary parties, as a new
elite, often composed of individuals carried over from
the former regime, and who are not responsive to the
real situation and problems of society. We trust nevertheless
that the
majority of politicians strive to fulfill their mandate honestly.
Hungary during this transformation
is a paradox in transformation: on one side the totalitarian,
centralized, bureaucratic state, erected on national
property has to be disassembled; on the other side
a pluralistic state capable of functioning has to be
erected. In truth, this entails rebuilding. But as
there are no models, those symptoms which indicate
a new nationalization and centralization, though totally
unacceptable, are not surprising. Due to this, a vacillation
in the role to be assumed by the state is noticeable,
especially in the area of social services. The contradiction
of the state's spreading in one direction, thereby
weakening the self-organizing capabilities of society
and withdrawing
from social services in the other, is difficult to solve.
The successful operation of
the state is assured by effective public administration.
Along with good laws, good administration is mandatory
as well as a well-paid and irreproachable civil service.
It is regrettable that due to low salaries and [many-trl.]
deductions numerous trained
civil employees have left the public service in the recent past.
67. In many respects, the relationship
of the state and society is not clear to this day.
Representative democracy as realized in Hungary is
carried out by elected representatives, who for a defined
period of time, according to their promises and best
judgment, conduct public business. This provides the
foundation for the legitimacy of the government supported
by the majority of representatives. The citizenry
is sensitive to social legitimacy as well, that is
the acceptance by society of such political power.
To function, a continuous and frank dialogue between
those in power and those in society is required, with
an effective system for this to take place. Both state
and society should strive even more to support cooperation
and partnerships, to create new institutions and to
aid existing ones. Without this, the general disillusionment
with politics will increase. Evidence of this is growing
as shown in the distrust
toward politics and the decrease of political engagement.
The delayed transformation of society
68. Before 1989, one of the
main demands of oppositional politics - whether toward
the state or every kind of central or monopolistic
authority - was the realization of a conscious, self-governing
and independent society. This was the concept of the
civil society, which contained on the one hand the
requirement of decentralization, and, on the other,
the participation in the running of housing and places
of work, as well as other lower levels of public life,
and the creation of acceptable social administration
(which is urged by the principle of subsidiarity).
Scarcely any of these goals have been realized. Political
projections and directives for the inclusion of citizens
are missing. What is more, the past one or two years
- for example in public administration - indicate renewed
centralization. At the same time, the politically untrained
and inexperienced citizens, often disillusioned, do
not credit themselves with the ability to collaborate
in the improvement of the conditions of their immediate
or general environment. The self-constituted citizen
groups frequently lack financial backing to take effective
steps, thus becoming useless or become dependent on
the state for funds. The financial support of social
organizations should be allotted according to their
real merit and
not according to political views or even individual interests.
69. The change in government
did not lead to a sufficient degree to the participation
of society in public life. Without this, the practice
of
institutionally-guaranteed democracy becomes an impossibility.
It was not in the interest of
the state bureaucracy even after 1989, to further the
formation of a true society and to initiate lower-level,
civil movements or organizations. Apparent trends of
centralization in the economy, in political or cultural
life - despite its occasional inevitability - are accompanied
by detrimental consequences in two ways. First, lower-level
initiatives do not unfold. Individuals and smaller
communities cannot obtain public experience; what is
more, their commitment toward others or the community
does not develop. Second, the mammoth organizations
are so far removed from the world of real people and
the lower levels of society that members cannot follow
the requirements of the former, while the individual
volunteers and community groups are
overburdened and their tasks are more difficult to accomplish.
It is a favorable development
though that the strengthening of civil society can
take place according to more free, humane and democratic
methods: currently, there
are 41,000 public groups - at least according to the registries.
B. Standpoints and suggestions
Our personal responsibility
70. The inhabitants of no
country may expect that its governmental and administrative
organs carry out all their duties. Nowhere in the world
are there perfect institutions. Often, laws are the
result of short-term compromises; public administration
is occasionally badly directed; decisions often result
in unexpected and unintended consequences. Citizens
have to participate personally in the solution of problems,
not only with the exercise of their voting rights,
but also through social and Church organizations, as
well as individual initiatives. Their efforts can complement,
or even correct, the work of central and local governments.
The participation of the "civilian sphere", according
to the principle of subsidiarity, is also irreplaceable
in the formation and functioning of democratic institutions.
71. Pessimism, resignation or
bad atmosphere should not be permitted to spread through
society. Although we point out and criticise worries,
problems, mistakes, we are at the same aware - and
many forget this today easily - that the political
and state institutions which have evolved since 1989-1990
brought a new, more true and humane world in the place
of the decades-long totalitarian, single-party society
and its servile system. We cannot forget that for decades
the larger part of the population was deprived of the
basic conditions for human dignity - although they
existed on paper - such as human rights, religious
freedom, democracy and constitutionality. The Church
therefore confronts that petty perception which sees
only the difficulties and evils of the changes, or
which forgets the wonderful gift
of liberty, thereby encouraging a false nostalgia for the past.
72. It is the duty of Christians
to create and promote a democratic model of society.
(OA 24) Its basic principle is the constitutional
state which "subordinates everything to the law and
not to the selfish will of men". (CA 44) "A true democracy
is possible only in the constitutional state and with
the proper interpretation of the human person. Democracy
demands the creation of the indispensable condition
which renders this possible: education." (CA 46) Though
understandable, it is regrettable that the main source
of the misapprehensions between state and society -
and the consequent distrust toward politics - is ignorance
concerning politics and the functioning of a democracy.
Democracy and a constitutional state are values which
cannot simply be given as a gift, but rather they must
be assimilated by gradually making them a part of our
thinking processes and general culture. Therefore,
despite the difficulties with our living standards
and our disillusionment with politics, we urge our
faithful and encourage all to learn and assimilate
these fundamental principles. We do this all the more
since the common good encompasses the whole man, both
for his bodily and spiritual needs." (PT 57) "Much
care has to be expanded today, especially for the political
education of the citizens so that they may fulfill
their duties
in the life of the political community well." (GS 75)
Expectations from politics and the state
73. The social teaching of
the Church clearly indicates the desirable function
of the state and its sphere of influence. Vatican Council
II, as we have seen, calls attention to the mutuality
of rights and duties. It emphasizes the duties of the
state in the service of society, it warns the citizens
not only against granting too much authority to the
state but also against requiring unreasonable and excessive
concessions from it. In exchange for the security and
services received from society (i.e., the state), we
have to "pay" to society out of a sense of responsibility.
It is the difficult duty of the citizens to establish
the delicate balance between respect and freedom, individual
initiatives
and solidarity, the necessary unity between multiplicity.
74. In the mirror of the principles
listed above,
we can outline our expectations from politics and the state.
Although the concept of common
good has been forced out of our public speech and practice,
on the basis of the Church's social teaching we still
have to recall that the individual, the different communities
and the state have to strive equally for the common
good which includes the welfare of each and everyone
of us. The leaders of the state may not grant to certain
person or groups illegal or unjust favors but have
to look to the good of the whole. "Under no circumstances
can it be permitted that the state serve the interest
of a certain, few individuals
because it was established to serve the common good." (PT 56)
The duty of the state is the
promotion of moral standards, the constitution and
the common welfare (PT 63), on the basis of justice,
charity and freedom, in order to create a new, more
humane order of relationships "between the citizens
themselves; between the citizens and their government;
between each government; finally between single individuals,
families, mediating
societies, single states and among all humanity." (PT 69)
75. The government has to strengthen
civil society to assure the conditions for its functioning
so that the re-nationalization of society cannot continue.
It has to protect lower-level initiatives against those
which are stronger or higher up and has to limit therefore
the concentration of political and economic power.
"The rights of every individual, family and group have
to be recognized as well as their exercise, not forgetting
those duties either which obligate every citizen.
Everyone owes to the state those material
and personal services which common welfare demand." (GS 75)
76. Certain political and economic
philosophies expect the state to support only the most
successful individuals, organizations or enterprises
- in the hope that later these will assure the future
of the country. The experience of the past years has
not validated this concept. In the spirit of Catholic
social teaching we have to frame the expectation that
the state - according to its possibilities - will insure
for everyone a dignified human life. That is, its policies
have to support
not only the economy but also those who are in need. (PT 64)
The support of the population
has to be carried out according to the ability of the
latter to take the initiative and has to lead to its
self-sufficiency. The state functions properly not
when it manages passive citizens without conflicts
by patronizing them, but when it can educate its citizens
to be responsible persons, capable of taking care of
their own affairs. This points to the desirable direction
for the development of both the
educational system and state organizations. (PT 63 and CA 48).
The
responsibility of civil society and its duties
77. Above all, the creation
a responsible, self-providing and self-administering
"civilian society" is the moral responsibility and
practical duty of individuals and their communities.
Christians have to serve the common good in the knowledge
of the mission received from God and therefore responsibly,
as well as declare their solidarity with society. "It
is in full accord with human nature that man should
find such political and legal systems which can effectively
insure the free and active participation of every citizen
without any sort of discrimination in the erection
of a legal foundation for the political community,
the direction of public affairs as well as the election
of officials." (GS 75) The reforms which make possible
the free self-organization of a society "create the
effective forms of solidarity, which are suitable to
aid that economic growth which respects
the values of the individual to a greater degree." (CA 16)
The organizations of the state
have to prompt and support the birth of the democratic
and pluralistic civil society with their own means
in such a way that they give suitable help to lower
(among them religious and ecclesiastical) initiatives
without tying them to political, ideological or other
conditions. "Statesmen should not impede family, social
or cultural associations, these bodies and institutions
which mediate between the individual and the state;
nor should they make their rightful and effective activities
impossible, but rather they should
support them readily and in an organized manner." (GS 75)
78. It is the task of the citizens
and of society that they resolve their common problems
together, that they create communities and institutions
for a common existence, so that they may engage in
a dialogue with each other, all the while accepting
their differences. Democracy has to be learned and
practiced. The condition of its realization is to let
individuals, communities or institutions also have
a chance to express an opinion. Freedom and constitutionality
are not enough for this. In the previous era, political,
cultural and economic power was placed in the hands
of a few. This system has not ceased yet - at the most
it has been transformed - and is therefore a further
impediment for all "small people" (and for all groups,
organizations or ideologies which were discriminated
against during the socialist-communist regime) to be
heard or to obtain their rights. If the state, by invoking
its neutrality, does not concern itself with this state
of affairs, then it is transferring the conditions
imposed by the previous regime on the future. The protection
and furthering of "thinking differently" and of pluralism
are the duty of the state (and naturally of society,
the Church and every other institution). "This Vatican
Council pronounces that the human person has the right
to religious freedom. This freedom consists in...no
one being forced to act against his conscience." (DH
2) It is obvious though that pluralism does not mean
unlimited moral freedom: "It is the duty of every person...to
search for justice,
and having found it, to make it his own and adhere to it." (DH 1)
4. Culture
79. The renewal of our individual
and social existence does not depend merely on the
transformation of the social, political and economic
aspects of our life but in significant measure on the
tenor of our individual and community life-style. In
this connection we wish to mention
three spheres, those of culture, communication and education.
In the wider sense of the word,
we call culture all knowledge which delineates the
sort of life an individual leads, or rather which is
necessary - using his Creator's permission and command
- to shape his personality throughout his lifetime,
to create personal relationships, to set up communities
and to realize, through his activities during the various
segments of life, his creations. "The word 'culture'
in its general interpretation signifies everything
with which man can develop and unfold his many spiritual
and physical capabilities." (GS 53) Without culture
that life which we consider human cannot be lived.
In this regard, we have to mention both individual
lifestyles and ways of thinking
as well as public and cultural structures (institutions).
Social communication cannot
be separated from culture, and yet it is a separate
phenomenon. Its significance lies in that without true
communion real communication cannot be realized. Society
(and the individual living in it) becomes a real community
only by means of social communication, in which common
knowledge (culture itself) is attainable. Further,
beyond making humane life possible, it also makes possible
the development of the individual and community identity.
That is, social communication makes it possible for
the individual to fit into the community and to shape
a social consensus, i.e., "socialization", and is therefore
an important tool in its organization. As the source,
foundation and fulfillment of our life is love, it
is not sufficient to experience it merely in our relationships,
in our private life, but we also have to carry it over
into the life of our society. Pope John Paul II repeatedly
invited us to build the civilization of love, according
to the example of Christ, because only this way is
it
possible to assure the happiness of mankind, even its survival.
Education and upbringing are
basic and indispensable tools in the evolution of a
society, the growth of a personality. Human progress
is assured when the knowledge and traditions transmitted
by our forebears are handed on to successive generations.
In our ever more rapidly changing world, and especially
amidst the profound changes taking place in Hungary,
the educational institutions have an especially important
role and responsibility. But perhaps even more important
than this is upbringing, both from the point of view
of the individual and of society, since man, who was
created free, is responsible for the formation of his
life and character; further, members of a society
have to assume responsibility for each other and the common good.
The situation
Our individual lives
80. We also are responsible
for our own difficulties and troubles. The past decades
have inflicted grave damage on our physical and spiritual
health, have trampled on our ideals and damaged our
system of values. Therefore, the precondition of a
renewal is that, having examined our conscience before
God, we render an accounting with ourselves, and re-examine
our ideals, and - where necessary - change our behavior,
our attitudes, perhaps our faulty or distorted system of values.
81. We cannot merely put the
blame on the past, no matter how much was destroyed
during the former forty years. In a society, every
single person has his particular responsibility and
duty. The decay in public morals, corruption, the abuse
of political power, the dishonest enrichment of certain
individuals burden all of us. Most of us are not only
suffering, passive subjects but also participants in
the distortion of our society, whether by our own incorrect
acts or passive silence. It is the personal duty of
each of us to find
our allotted tasks and to accept them in a responsible manner.
82. The respect for life has
declined. The number of suicides, especially among
the young - despite the decrease in 1988 - is exceedingly
high. Sins against life are proliferating. It has become
almost a matter of course to extinguish unborn life.
The artificial termination of the incurably ill is
publicly debated.
Politicians advocate the legalized consumption of certain drugs.
A considerable segment of the
population has been forced into a self-exploiting,
unhealthy, self-destructive, inhuman lifestyle. Many
lose their self confidence and their hope in the future,
mostly because of poverty, fear
of unemployment and worsening social or economic opportunities.
83. According to European research,
Hungarian society, compared to the rest of our continent,
has become an outstandingly individualistic one. In
our selfishness we are concerned only with ourselves.
We have forgotten the value of shared joy, shared responsibility,
the duty of caring for each other. It is therefore
heartening to note that there are efforts to the contrary.
Numerous voluntary civilian initiatives with charitable
goals have sprung up. Parishes and communities seek
out and support the old, the sick, large families and
other individuals in need. These efforts are growing
in strength. The significance of these affiliations,
initiated by root organizations, is enormous, especially
at a time when the state is appropriating less and
less funds for social purposes. Solidarity with the
indigent and the support of the deprived are
important, as is the communality which evolves as a result.
Culture
84. We have seen in other
ways that in the past decades our moral world, our
system of values, have been loosened and in many respects
destroyed. This nationwide loss is even more sharply
apparent in the changing circumstances of today's society.
There is no serious indication that the population's
distorted values are improving or its culture growing,
both of which would ease the rebirth of our society
and the re-emergence of a spirit of public responsibility.
The quality of life has decreased
further not only in material terms but also with respect
to cultural and moral values. This danger and its consequences
cannot be underestimated. It is on these very values
on which notions such as why it is worth living, what
we owe to God, to ourselves and to our fellow men,
what is good and what is evil are founded. Since this
deterioration is wide-spread among the population,
public opinion does not help the individual with the
acquiring and keeping of any values, particularly moral ones.
The loss of values is dramatically
noticeable in three areas: in public, family and cultural life.
In the public life
85. Since for forty years
there was scarcely an opportunity to express an opinion
freely or to formulate conflicting ideas, it is understandable
that a significant part of society does not consider
it obligatory to respect others in cases where their
views or interests deviate. The discord, the distrust
and the restlessness impede not only the emergence
of a healthy public life but also a robust, democratic
political atmosphere. The respect for others has weakened
alarmingly, as have the ability and willingness to
adapt oneself to others without which no human community
can exist. Deeply rooted, not rarely racist, prejudices
exist in many (often among self-professed Christians)
against other religious or national groups, against
minorities and finally against all those considered
'foreign'. The appreciation of others is missing in
the political and business life, often even in everyday
contacts.
We do not accept our neighbor as created and loved by God.
The protection of basic values,
necessary for the survival of society and the dignity
of man, is the duty of the state in the interest of
all. Nobody can escape this common responsibility.
We all have to exert ourselves so
that basic human values receive their due in the public forum.
86. Both common and private property
is endangered. The reason for this can be found only
partly in past practices. Greater damage is inflicted
by the loss of basic moral laws concerning property.
It is as if the tools in our places of employment,
objects in our environment and public property were
all free booty. It depends on us how much we protect
our environment, how much we respect and safeguard
common or private property. Where society does
not condemn abuse and theft, there justice and law is helpless.
87. Frequently, ignoring basic
business morals, citizens try to cheat each other and
to profit illegally and immorally by these transactions,
thereby trying to turn a profit. Work morals have also
worsened appreciably in the past decades in Hungary.
The tempo of work has quickened recently, but not everywhere
sufficiently. Now we are participants in an international
competition in which not only Western Europeans take
part but also Asians. Only with greater effort can
our economy keep up. Employees can expect higher wages
only with more substantial performance. Honest work
with total commitment is a moral duty and economic
necessity. At the same time, however, new forms of
exploitation are spreading: certain employers, taking
advantage of unemployment and the possibility
of a black-market labor force, pay only starvation wages.
88. Rough, uncouth and selfish
manners are spreading alarmingly as is deliberately
destructive, brutal behavior which damages both individual
and public property. Vandalism does not even respect
the sacred confines of churches. Neither public opinion,
media, state institutions or social organizations -
with some admirable exceptions - confront these phenomena,
or when they do so, they do it
half-heartedly. Nor do they encourage a true spirit of culture.
89. Society scarcely considers
investment in the future and for the future worthwhile.
Values necessary for individual and communal life have
lost their credibility and attraction. Consumerism
has become the prevalent attitude in the midst of poverty.
It is as if the officially-advocated materialistic
ideology of the past and the secularized life-style
of the West, which emphasizes exclusively the financial
advantages of the individual, had the same effect on
society. Many do not trust in the future, nor have
they learned to purposefully and responsibly plan for
it, and, in the case of need, to sacrifice in their
own interest. This is particularly worrisome among
the young where the lack of perspective is greater
than ever. Difficulties
in adapting to social norms are also on the increase.
Family life
90. Regrettably, many marriages
are shallow and fail; they do not fulfill either their
human or sacramental nature. Lacking a home and enduring
human relationships, many individuals lose their interior
equilibrium and moral posture, and instead of serving
the good of the community, they turn into parasites
on the body of society or waste their life and happiness
on drugs. Not only are divorces numerous, but so are
the numbers of those who fear a life-long commitment:
more and more individuals live together merely as partners,
without entering marriage. It is sad that the cohabitation
of same-gender couples is shown in a positive light
by the media. Thus public opinion also accepts that
which formerly it considered against nature and which
according to our Christian concepts is totally inadmissible.
91. Due to the quasi-irreversible
change in family structure, that is, the continuously
decreasing number of children who are born and reared,
the majority of pensioners are deserted in their old
age. Their care is essentially left to society, which
cannot handle the problem. Their means often do not
even suffice for the necessary medications or food.
Many more have to face the fear of loneliness, either
because they do not have relatives or friends to look
after them,
or because their children and relatives do not minister to them.
92. Due to the large number of
divorces, the number of one-parent families is very
high. Even in intact families, almost in every case
both parents have to work because of cost-of-living
problems, and not infrequently they have several jobs.
Thus, in most families the healthy education of children
is not a given. Children in certain groups of society
often do not receive even a minimal education at the
beginning of their life, even though they have not
only a right to life but also to an education worthy
of man. Legally, the children are also defenseless,
and the political representation
of their long-range interests is practically impossible.
93. Families rearing children,
especially large families, deserve special attention.
In many cases, the ideal family life is realized: the
children are reared carefully and learn the correct
way of living in a good and happy family atmosphere.
In the other families - most of all because of economic
and cultural reasons - the growing children scarcely
receive any attention, and their chances are significantly
lower than would be in families where there are fewer
children. It is generally true that those parents who
accept
more children suffer disproportionally higher financial burdens.
Cultural life
94. Many symptoms for consideration
could
be listed. Here we shall mention only a few as examples:
a) Earlier, central party
directives paralyzed and now financial collapse threaten
cultural life; at the same time, cheap "culture
items", which disfigure the human personality, overwhelm society.
b) In certain areas of the
country, but most of all in the capital, cultural life
- that is, cultural institutions - has quickened in
the past few years,
mainly under the influence of volunteer social initiatives.
c) Today, it is a typical
symptom that if the situation of a group worsens throughout
society, the chances for its betterment are rare. The
path for individual social advancement in the decades
of dictatorship was mainly political; nowadays, it
is the uninhibited, unchecked acquisition of wealth
which is on the rise. Privileges
attained by means of money prevail also in the cultural life.
Communication
95. In the past, contacts
between individuals were knowingly suppressed, that
is, civic - meaning from the roots - volunteer initiatives
attempting social organization. There was scarcely
a chance for free expression of opinion, independent
thought or for the formation of communities. The population
was used to adjusting its opinion according to the
centrally-run press. This situation, unfortunately,
has not
changed much since 1989-1990. This is evident in several areas.
96. Neither in our private nor
public life can we effectively and positively resolve
the conflicts which arise. Nor can opinions and values
become public on a national level so that the various
efforts which reflect attempts to remedy them might
be coordinated. Suitable dialogue for the elimination
of faulty values or concepts is lacking. Thus, diverging
opinions and life-styles are left unresolved, the necessary
social consensus concerning basic values is lacking,
and free
individual or group initiatives do not receive a just outlet.
97. We have not faced our past
sufficiently. Facts surrounding the events of the past
years are largely unrevealed. Even more necessary is
that the wounds, both of individuals and society as
a whole, resulting from injustice and distortions,
be healed. Our self-esteem is low and shows strains
of national dimensions, whether individually, jointly
or relative to our place among nations. There is no
equilibrium between our national past, our self-esteem
or self-respect. That is why they fluctuate between
extreme, frequently party-politics generated chauvinist
and racist exaggerations or opinions which underestimate
our particular national values and favor economic profit.
98. For the time being, the mass
communication media does not truly contribute to the
advancement of the population, i.e., to the development
of a more harmonious existence, a healthier society,
a moral economy and unblemished public life. Little
does it fulfill its duty to inform the population factually,
thoroughly and objectively, and even less its task
to educate both individuals and society. The influence
exercised on radio and television broadcasts by party
politics and administrative organs is significant as
is their financial dependence. Many positive steps
have to be taken (in the legislative branch also) for
the mass media
truly to fulfill its vocation for the good of society as a whole.
Education and upbringing
99. Among educational and
behavioral institutions, we have to call attention
first of all to public, advanced and adult education.
That these institutions seemingly are considered unimportant
in Hungary today, the conditions necessary for their
functioning are not assured and the transformation
required by this age is not progressing adequately
will have serious and grave consequences. This becomes
obvious mainly in that our current educational system
does not receive that financial support which is necessary
to
maintain it at present levels - not to speak of its enhancement.
Generally, it is also true that
society does not concern itself enough with the future
of the younger generations. Public education does not
receive proper recognition. Teachers, forced to take
second jobs due to their low salaries, are overburdened
as a result. Schools do not receive the necessary financial
support to carry out their work and the state does
not make the development of institutional pluralism,
which reflects the variety prevalent in society, possible.
100. No satisfactory policies
concerning the content of the curriculum have been
formed until now. The attempts to bring it up to date,
which were often at cross-purposes (especially the
debate concerning the National Basic Curriculum Plan),
have not developed a well-reasoned foundation on which
to proceed. This is important so that all further steps
are taken with the greatest possible foresight and
create the still nonexistent consensus, in order that
the uncertainty
already noticeable in the schools is not increased further.
101. The institutions of public
education, and most especially of technical education,
fulfill less and less the duties entrusted to them
by today's society. Generation after generation is
graduated without
being truly prepared; their knowledge is useless for society.
Public education scarcely or
not at all guarantees an opportunity for advancement
for the underprivileged. This way, significant sections
of society are neglected and lost to future society.
Therefore, the system does not carry out its most
elementary "service", namely to help the individual to prosper.
Hence, it is not surprising
that it is mainly those children who grow up without
a family - as foster children of the state or as street
children without receiving the education which would
make them useful
citizens - who will be debased and become criminals subsequently.
102. Neither individuals nor
today's society truly recognize the importance of continuous
training or retraining, nor is the system of retraining
after having gone through public schools reassuring
despite the efforts made, although it would (along
with other means) genuinely contribute
to the solution of unemployment, if only by decreasing it.
103. Special mention should be
made of the fact that Hungarian higher education is
becoming more and more sterile for society as a whole.
Higher education is not simply an important means of
societal reproduction but is rather an exceptionally
important institution to train those who will take
over the organization and leadership of society from
their predecessors. At the beginning of a new Millenium,
our society - even more than before - cannot exist
without a professionally-sophisticated class nor without
what is customarily called a "creative" intelligentsia.
Higher education, due to the anti-intellectual politics
and ideological orientation of the past decades, has
sunk to such depths that we are automatically at a
disadvantage as far as our joining Europe is concerned,
even if we can proudly point to outstanding results
in some areas even today. Compared to our need,
the number of those receiving higher education is low indeed.
104. Problems have appeared around
the new church-affiliated teaching institutions. Some
seem to ignore that no small portion of society - taking
advantage of their constitutional right - wishes its
children to receive religious education and to attend
such schools. The establishment of a satisfactory network
of such church-operated schools which would satisfy
rightful social needs is necessary for the creation
of a democratic, constitutional state. Nor is it clear
to all our citizens either, that on the basis of the
1990.IV. law on freedom of conscience and religion,
religiously-affiliated schools have the right to obtain
the same financial support from the state as other
schools. The education and spiritual culture of future
generations is the duty of the state and society. Therefore,
it would be truly essential that the principle of sector-neutral
financing be established, according to which church
schools performing such public tasks would be entitled
to public funding, without state interference. Presently,
it is not clear whether the above problems are a temporary
disruption during a transitional period or whether
we have to learn to live for a longer period with
conflicts arising out of disagreements involving our values.
105. In healthy societies, the
education of children takes place on three levels:
in the family, the schools and in society generally.
Presently, families, who should be primarily responsible
for the upbringing of their children, in most cases
cannot or will not take on this responsibility, thereby
depriving the children of a nurturing environment.
In society, in real life, unfortunately also in the
press and most especially on television, negative examples
are much more prevalent than positive, educational
influences. Thus schools are the last resort for educating
our youth, but Hungarian public education is neither
prepared and nor does it consider this duty its own.
We can add that, by itself, even the most perfect school
is incapable of replacing the lack of family and social
upbringing and counterbalancing the damaging influences
which are inflicted on children. The duty of educating
has to be made a joint responsibility again, gathering
all those public-spirited
forces which feel an obligation for the future of the nation.
Standpoints and recommendations
Institutional reforms
106. Our educational system
has to be considered of exceptional importance. On
the one hand, respect for knowledge, the value of diligent
and honest work, the social acceptance and appreciation
of those basic values without which no culture can
last (for example, dependability, honesty, diligence,
initiative, responsibility for others and for the common
good, the respect of other nations, love of country,
the respect of tradition) have to be re-established.
On the other hand, it would be necessary to prevent
further destruction of values. The basic principles
for public education should not only outline the subject
and its content with an up-to-date concept of culture,
but they should define the true and complete concept of man.
107. Families have to be helped
financially and morally in equal proportions so that
they fulfill their vocation by bringing up their children
better and passing on basic values at an early age
within their own walls. A child- and family-friendly
attitude has to be developed in society: the press
and the electronic press should fulfill an especially
important role in this. Presenting violence and pornography
in an attractive fashion
should be curtailed (whether on television or videotapes).
Our educational system has to
give special attention to youngsters who are disadvantaged,
physically and/or mentally handicapped, to those brought
up by the state, to those having difficulty in adapting
to society, those who at an early age become victims
of alcohol, drugs, who lead a senseless life without
purpose and outside the law. For the prevention of
early crime and suicide - or at least their decrease
- long-range and effective programs should be developed
by having state and private initiatives cooperate.
It would also be very important
for the state to support these volunteer service organizations.
Everything has to be done to
limit radically the number of those for whom the state
cares and to help the character of these youngsters
unfold in a helping atmosphere. The state has to support
all those initiatives of the Church and society which
assume responsibility for threatened families,
alcoholics, drug-addicts, convicts and former prisoners.
Cooperation for the future
108. Our culture will
become strong again - and help those who come after
us to a more complete and happier life - only if we
can formulate within ourselves and in them responsibility
for the future and a life-style which follows true
values,handing down a valid and attainable picture
of the future. One of the greatest treasure of society
is hidden in those young people who consciously prepare
themselves for a worthwhile life, at the service of
society and humanity. For this reason, the coordinated
efforts of state and society are needed to show increased
respect and appreciation toward teachers and schools.
A badly-paid teacher, who does not perform his job
out of a sense of vocation, will not make up for those
shortcomings which the student brings with himself
from home. State and educational institutions have
to provide a decent salary for teachers. "We have to
make sure that everybody obtain the fruits of culture,
most of all to the so-called basic rights forming basic
culture..." "... Everybody who has talent should to
receive higher education. Thus, every individual and
every social group can fully unfold their cultural
life, which
is in harmony with their talents and traditions." (GS 60)
109. In the process of transformation,
programs which encompass the entire educational and
cultural sphere have to receive appropriate emphasis.
"Culture has to perfect the personality, the good of
the community and all mankind...It has refine the spirit...further,
care has to be taken of the development of religious,
moral and social sensitivity." (GS 59) The Church offers
here the values of the Gospel, the treasures of its
two-thousand-year-old tradition, its service in education
and upbringing. Throughout the world numerous signs
warn how much the loss of traditional value systems
threatens the existence of mankind. The party-state
system has greatly contributed to the ruin of solid
moral principles. It dispersed those communities and
dismantled and weakened those institutions which sustained
these values. On their ruins, encountering practically
no resistance, unlimited license reign, concentrating
only on material goods and selfish consumerism. Christianity,
by its embodiment of truths and values which are indispensable
for a humane life, serves all mankind. "We find numerous
links between the message of salvation and culture."
"The Christian good news ...constantly refine and ennoble
the morals of nations. By their richness, which stems
from God, they render them more productive, strengthen
and complement them, even renew them in Christ." (GS 58)
110. It is the duty of the state
and a matter of conscience for all members of society
to support all those initiatives which ennoble life
and teach human values, serve public culture and family
life. "Public authority should render suitable assistance
so that
all may lead a cultured life, even national minorities." (GS 59)
It is necessary that the public
means of mass communication provide thorough information
concerning events taking place in the world and in
our country. Instead of fueling confrontations in society,
they should encourage dialogue, participate in education
and provide entertainment by taking moral precepts
into consideration as well as human dignity. "Society
has the right to be informed concerning all those matters
which are useful to know for the population, individuals
and groups....This demands that the content of the
communication be true and complete." (IM 5) "The Church
considers the media God's gift since they bind peoples
together." (CP 2) "Every communication has to satisfy
the greatest laws of honesty, reliability and truth." (CP17)
111. The Church itself furthers
the dialogue taking place in society and the development
of a desirable consensus by supporting within its own
community various forms of honest and fraternal dialogue.
It also wishes to participate actively in the formation
of public opinion and the organization of the society
into a community. "Better understanding, concern,
helpfulness and creative cooperation are goals - which
the mass media can support to an incredible degree
- which harmonize with the aims of the people of God
and which the Church renders ever more profound." (CP 18)
CONCLUSION
112. Numerous problems have been
listed, numerous problems have been spotlighted. All
this we did not as outside critics but in the knowledge
that the Church participates even today in the life
of society, as it has for a thousand years. How can
these and the other duties awaiting us be fulfilled?
The painful problems and profound changes prompt us
to national cooperation. Not only our legal order,
political system and economic life are at stake but
also our moral, cultural and human existence. Our common
burden and the symptoms of a crisis discourage some
or even renders them impatient. The Catholic Church
- its leaders and its faithful - could not and cannot
exempt themselves from these burdens. Together with
the members and organizations of our society, it too
accepts those duties which are its share. With this
pastoral letter we state this intention. No matter
how impenetrable the road to success seems, we do not
lose our confidence. We know from Jesus Christ, for
what purpose God created man and invited him to unfold
his being, improving his surroundings and creating
peace and happiness in society. Christ invited us to
hope. We are confident that by exercising this hope
we can all work together in building the future of our country.
|
|
|
| |
Aki e kenyérből eszik, örökké él.
Jn 6,44-51
>>>
Keresés a Bibliában:
|
Eseménynaptár
|
|
|
Nyomtatóbarát változat
