Christianity and Democracy: The Rights of Man and the Natural Law by Jacques Maritain

Christianity and Democracy: The Rights of Man and the Natural Law Reviews

• 
  John

  In his preface, Maritain writes: This little book will perhaps seem too optimistic to readers of quick judgment. Perhaps I am of quick judgment, but I found Martian to be both optimistic and dangerously naïve. This may be forgivable; Maritain wrote these books towards the end of World War II, when a devastated world was searching for a new hope. These books constitute an aspirational political philosophy; they are not grounded in firm reality but rather in evanescent hopes for a utopian future. Jacques Maritain believes that humanity is marching towards a democratic future that will uphold the rights and dignity of man. He believes that democracy is a necessary consequence of the Gospel. As Jesus preached the equality and liberty of all men, so much governments respect equality and liberty by granting universal suffrage. Maritain also believes that the natural law, from which all rights flow, ultimately (though not immediately) requires democracy.I admire Maritain's fervor. He is an excellent Christian and Thomist. He gives superb explanations of the philosophical origins of rights and man's relationship with the State. But throughout these works, Maritain did not once mention original sin. He seems to have forgotten that as human goodness and morality progress, so do sin and error. Moreover, he is far too trusting of the morality of the 'common man'. Perhaps this review is too harsh. Maritain was part of a generation of faithful Catholics that believed in the United Nations and the European Union. They thought that charters of 'rights' would shed Gospel light on this world. Could they see what these rights now entail, they might regret their earlier optimism. Christians should and must be optimists, but not about the affairs of this world.
• 
  Fr. Samuel Springuel

  A thought provoking look at the Christian foundations of Western political thought. Those involved in government and political discourse would be well served by keeping these ideas in mind at least as the historical context of their assumptions, if not the driving principles behind their continued relevance.
• 
  Earl K.

  Assigned readings in a course.
• 
  Bill

  Two monumental works essential to the Christian Democrat tradition in a beautifully made little volume. Worth the purchase; Maritain is eloquent but eminently readable.
• 
  Bob Marshall

  When everything is nowadays claimed as a right it is helpful for someone like Maritain to provide clarity to these types of claims.