“Give Me Liberty or…?”

The New Hampshire state motto is “Give me liberty or give me death” – a phrase that often becomes the subject of libertarian essays on the importance of liberty and the evils of government. This conversation even penetrates the Church, and various people hold a wide array of positions on the question of liberty and government. What, then, is the Catholic position on the matter?

Proponents of liberty argue that human beings should be able to do for themselves, and that the purpose of government is to assist the family and the individual in their pursuit of happiness by defending their freedom and leading the person and family to self-sufficiency. These arguments depend upon the principle of subsidiarity, something that is foundational in Catholic social teaching. Subsidiarity, moreover, forms the basis of our American federal system where larger entities help the smaller entities to be more self-sufficient.

However, what happens when: 1 – a person becomes unable to be self-sufficient and needs the assistance of others, or 2 – when liberty becomes abused and threatens the social order? Proponents of liberty seem to suggest that liberty is an end in itself, and that when liberty is attained all is well. Yet, Alexander Hamilton pointed out that if men were angels there would be no need for government. We are not angels. Liberty is not an end, but rather a means to an end. As Pope John Paul II taught, the Catholic tradition argues that freedom is for service of God and others. What is more, government is necessary not only to ensure our freedom, but also to assist the individual when he or she is unable to help themselves.

The Catholic tradition also holds a revered place for solidarity, a virtue and a duty of the Christian life that requires us to care for the needs of others, to defend the common good, and to transcend our selfish nature. In fact, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church speaks far more about solidarity than subsidiarity. However, it must be pointed out that solidarity is primarily a virtue of the person and society to care for others. It still respects subsidiarity when required to do so. Still, a notion of liberty that would have us ignore the needs of the person who is no longer self-sufficient or the plight of those who are threatened with the excesses of liberty is not an authentic notion of liberty.

Thus, the Catholic position on the role of liberty and government is a middle position. The Church respects liberty but does not see it as an end in itself. Rather, liberty exists to serve God and others through the virtue of solidarity. At the same time, the Church respects the role of government in helping those who cannot help themselves and defending the rights of others while at the same time rejecting any notion of the state as becoming the provider of all goods and services. So, yes – give us liberty, but also a generous heart to use it for God and others.