Czy człowiek tylko największym kapitałem?

Abstract

Man is the greatest capital. At first sight, this statement from Caritas in Veritate, which numerous commentators have noticed and often quoted, seems promising. But it is not entirely satisfactory if devoid of the context of other words and the whole of the pope’s encyclical. This is so because man is not only greatest capital in the material world. Man is greater and goes beyond the world of economic and social values. In his latest encyclical, Benedict XVI says: “I would like to remind everyone, especially governments engaged in boosting the world’s economic and social assets, that the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity: Man is the source, the focus and the aim of all economic and social life” – this is an excerpt from the papal document. The words that follow the definition of the human being as the greatest capital prevent us from misinterpretation of the document, from a false conception of man. Benedict XVI warns us that the real cause of the world’s present economic crisis is the wrong conception of the human person. The problem lies first and foremost in human nature, and only then can it be found in economy as well as social and political life. The only solution is to come back to true philosophy, anthropology and religion. A need arises for the return of metaphysics as a natural link between philosophy and theology. It is also important that the Pope points to love as the greatest power of the Christians and refers to its possible application in economic, social and political life. This leads us to the necessity of faith. Benedict XVI demonstrates optimism in his claim that reason can cooperate with the virtue of faith. This is the foundation for a society that is truly open – to God and another person, to grace and earthly values.