St.

Thomas Aquinas
Politics and The Catholic
Christian Tradition

Overview

Biographical Background
God and Justice
Property & Obligations to the Poor

I. Biographical Notes
Born 1224 near Aquino,
Italy into noble family
Entered University of
Naples about 1236
Entered the Order of St.
Dominic around 12401243 and lived rest of
life as a monk
(against his familys
wishes)

I. Biographical Notes

Rediscovery of Aristotle prompts Pope to reassess

relation between theology and Greek philosophy.
Aquinas spends his life attempting to reconcile faith
and reason into a synthesis
Dies at age 50, having authored some 60 works
On 4 August 1879 Pope Leo XIII declared his the
official teaching of the Church
On 4 August 1880, same Pope designated him
patron saint of all Catholic universities, academies,
colleges, and schools throughout the world

God and Justice

Types of Law

Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law

God and Justice

Types of Law

Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law

Eternal Law

Unchanging reason of God.

Gods plan for the universe
Affects everything, including irrational
creatures
Now it is evident, granted that the world is
ruled by Divine providence that the whole
community of the universe is governed by
Divine Reason (Question 91, Article 1)

God and Justice

Types of Law

Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law

Divine Law

Applies to religion and church issues

Apprehended through revelation
[s]ince man is ordained to an end of
eternal happiness which is inproportionate
to mans natural faculty it was necessary
that, besdies the natural and the human
law, man should be directed to his end by a
law given by God (Question 91, Article 4)

God and Justice

Types of Law

Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law

Natural Law

The eternal law etched upon the

human mind
Uniquely human
Determines an individuals telos (end)
Helps you seek your essential human
purpose

Natural Law
Now among all others, the rational creature is
subject to Divine providence in the most
excellent way, in so far as it partakes of a share
of providence, by being provident both for itself
and for others. Wherefore it has a share of the
Eternal Reason, whereby it has a natural
inclination to its proper act and end: and this
participation of the eternal law in the rational
creature is called the nature law (Question 91,
Article 2)

Natural Law

Operates in 2 ways

Appeal to ones reason to

know how to act in particular
circumstances

Human Law

God and Justice

Types of Law

Eternal Law
Divine Law
Natural Law
Human Law

Human Law

Emulate natural law to promote justice

and the will of God
Necessary to help us when our own
reason fails
Guide community to serve justice and
the common purposes of all its
members

God & Justice

To be true law, it must follow natural law

Purpose is to help one:

Fulfill his/her telos

Fulfill ones function as a rational creature
Seek out the vision of God

If law deviates from natural law, it is nonbinding

Implications?

God & Justice

A tyrannical government is not just,
because it is directed, not to the
common good, but to the private good
of the rule, as the Philosopher states.
Consequently, thre is no sedition in
disturbing a government of this kind

God & Justice

unless indeed the tyrants rule be
disturbed so inordinately, that his
subjects suffer greater harm from the
consequent disturbance than from the
tyrants government (Question 42,
Article 2)

God & Justice

Indeed, it is the tyrant rather that is
guilty of sedition, since he encourages
discord and sedition among his
subjects, that he may lord over them
more securely; for this is tyranny,
being conducive to the private good of
the ruler, and to the injury of the
multitude (Question 42, Article 2).

God & Justice

An unjust law is no law at all

An unjust ruler is no ruler
Human law as its own telos political
authority and human law must obey God
and natural law.
Both God and natural law act as external
restrictions constraining what the ruler
can and cannot do

God & Justice

Aquinas provides 2 sets of checks on

tyrannical rulers: God/natural law and
the threat of execution through
insurrection

Property

Is property natural to the human species?

Yes
God has given man power over the other elements of
His creation
This natural dominion of man over other creatures,
which is competent to man in respect of his reason
wherein Gods image resides, is shown forth in mans
creation by the words: Let us make man to Our
image and likeness: and let him have dominion over
the fishes of the sea, etc. (Question 66, Article 1)

Property

Private Property?

Yes, necessary for human life for 3

reasons:
1. Human beings are selfish:
every man is more careful to procure what is for
himself alone than that which is common to
many or to all: since each one would shirk the
labour and leave to another that which
concerns the community (Question 66, Article
2)

Property

2. Division of Labor/Specialization
leads to greater productivity:
Because human affairs are conducted in
more orderly fashion if each man is
charged with taking care of some
particular thing himself, whereas there
would be confusion if everyone had to look
after one thing indeterminately (Question
66, Article 2)

Property

3. Ensures tranquility:
A more peaceful state is ensured to man if
each one is contented with his own.
Hence it is to be observed that quarrels
arise more frequently where there is no
division of the things possessed
(Question 66, Article 2)

Property

Any limits on property? Any

obligations?
Recall hierarchy of laws:
Things which are of human right cannot
derogate from natural rights or Divine
right (Question 66, Article 7)

Property

Further recall the idea of the natural order to the

universe, its source, and its implications:
Now according to the natural order established by
Divine providence, inferior things are ordained for the
purpose of succouring mans needs by their means.
Wherefore the division and appropriation of things
which are based on human law, do not preclude the
fact that mans needs have to be remedied by means
of these very things (Question 66, Article 7)

Property

Thus, the rich do

not have unlimited
entitlement to
superabundance

Property
Whatever certain people have in
superabundance is due, by natural law, to the
purpose of succouring the poor. For this
reason Ambrose says,and his words are
embodied in the Decretals: It is the hungry
mans bread that you withhold, the naked
mans cloak that you store away, the money
that you bury in the earth is the price of the
poor mans ransom and freedom (Question 66,
Article 7)

Property

Upshot?
If the need be so manifest and urgent, that it is evident
that the present need must be remedied by whatever
means be at hand 9for instance when a person is in
some imminent danger, and there is no other possible
remedy), then it is lawful for a man to succour his own
need by means of anothers property, by taking it either
openly or secretly: nor is this properly speaking theft or
robbery (Question 66, Article 7)

Conclusion
Given hierarchy of laws, what political
structure emerges?

Divine Power

Ecclesiastical Authority

Political Authority