Fratelli tutti

In the first four chapters we have explored the possibility of building up a universal social fraternity of people in the world. Different problems were looked at and solutions shared. One element that dictates so much of how our world works is dealt with in Chapter Five. The title of the chapter is “A Better Kind of Politics”. It runs from n.154 to n.197.

In n.154 Pope Francis outlines the purpose of the chapter: “The development of a global community of fraternity based on the practice of social friendship on the part of peoples and nations calls for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good. Sadly, politics today often takes forms that hinder progress towards a different world.” Living at a time when the news cover comes even from battlefields, we can see up close the results of some political systems and the repercussions of their history and their present-day decisions. Chapter Five has five parts to it and we will look at the first two ‘Forms of Populism and Liberalism’ and ‘International Power’ next week. The other three will be covered the week after.