If the
subsidiarity principle and our Institute were to have a motto, it could easily
be “Back to Basics”. Subsidiarity is all about basics, all about “keeping it
simple”, so in that spirit, a brief overview of the development of the principle
is in order.
“The
principle of subsidiarity was developed by German theologian and aristocrat
Oswald von Nell-Breuning. His work influenced the social teaching of Pope Pius
XI in Quadragesimo anno and holds that government should undertake only those
initiatives which exceed the capacity of individuals or private groups acting
independently. Functions of government, business, and other secular activities
should be as local as possible” states the Infogalactic
entry (worth reading in its entirety) on the subject. The entry is labeled
Subsidiarity (Catholicism) so as to differentiate it from the “the general
principle of subsidiarity, with particular reference to European Union law”.
Said second option will be examined at another time if at all, given that the
EU is a political experiment that has failed, as recent events show ever more
clearly.
Human nature
is the bedrock of subsidiarity, because when all is said and done, no one truly
wants anyone, much less a faceless bureaucracy, telling him or her what to do.
Back to basics, and that’s as basic as it gets. Subsidiarity is also based on
the principle of self-sufficiency, perhaps only tacitly, but nonetheless certainly.
Each ascending unit of activity takes on only the tasks the smaller unit simply
cannot manage on its own. The above graphic illustrates this with respect to
the subsidiarity principle when applied to government.
Subsidiarity
is decentralizing and therefore glorious: imagine (cue in the insipid John
Lennon tune) a world in which people minded their own business and bureaucrats
were reduced to beggary because of their uselessness! Imagine a world in which
the nanny state was suffocated with a pillow while dreaming of safe spaces!
Imagine a world in which you could build yourself a debt-free home, grow much
of your own food, educate your children without outside interference, joining
with others in mutual accord when you deem
it worthwhile to do so! Such is subsidiarity!
The
Subsidiarity Institute is housed in the straw bale building shown in the site
photo. It is wholly-owned, as is the property on which it stands, property
planted with fruit and nut trees, vegetable patches galore and even some non-edible
flowers and shrubs! When the project was begun 13 years ago, there were no
annoying governmental regulations with respect to building, to planting, to
property use in general; that is no longer true in the small rural village in
which the Institute is headquartered. Even so, regulations are few and
flexible, shall we say. Municipal services are even fewer. Know what? It all
works out well, or at least well enough for reasonable people.
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