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9
andsystems.However,thelimitedattentionhasbeenpaidtoaninternalstructureand
systemofgovernancewithinthechurchinstitutions.
Themostcommonconceptofacontemporarydemocracyreferstoitsliberalphil-
osophicalrootsinthemoderntime.Thusliberaldemocracyisaspecificformofelec-
tivegovernment,complexofcivilrights,theruleofcheckandbalance.Government
foundedinsuchdemocraticprincipleshasthefollowingcharacteristics:wide-rang-
ingandhabitualpoliticalcompetition(inaformoffairelections)betweenindividual
citizens,organizations,andpoliticalpartiesforpoliticalpositions;inclusivemodeof
participationwherenooneisexcluded,evenminorities;asetofcivil,politicalorhu-
manrightsandliberties.Furthermore,anideaofaradicaldemocratizationisbecom-
ingincreasinglypopularacrosstoday’ssocieties.AsOlesenpointsout:
Wemayspeakofthreelinesofnormativethinkingonradicaldemocracy,althoughthisisan
analyticaldistinctionthatoverlookssignificantoverlaps.Thesearereferredtoasthebroaden-
ing,thedelegation,andthedeepeningofdemocracy5.
Thefirstonelinedenotestheextensionofdemocraticrulestomoreandbroad
socialareas.Itrefers,amongstotherthings,tothegrowthofelementsofdemocratic
controlintheentirespheresofdecision-making.Thedelegationofdemocracyin-
dicatesasituationwithgovernanceonthelower,locallevel.Suchanideaisnot
totallyincontrasttotheuppergovernment(stateorthecentreofthechurch).Itrather
involvestheaspirationsofminorities(laypeoplemainly)whofeelabandonedorsup-
pressed.Wecanlinktheseobjectivestobottom-upinitiativesasforexampleWirsind
dieKirche6andsomemovementsaswellasunionsofCatholicpriestsinIreland,
Switzerland,Austria,GreatBritain,Germany7andtheologiansliketheCologneDec-
larationofEuropeanTheologians(1989)andreactionstoitacrossFranceorBrazil8
orrecently,inthecontextofshowinguptheabuseandcover-upscandals,intheGer-
manspeakingcountries:theMemorandumderTheologen(2011).
SuchanideaofdelegationrefersalsotooneofthekeyconceptsofCatholicSo-
cialTeachingitself-theprincipleofsubsidiarity.Theconceptformulatedyetbypope
PiusXIin1931recognizestherights(subjectivity,self-determination)ofthefamily
andintermediateorganizations(otherlowerrankinstitution)inrelationtothestate
(otherupperrankinstitution).Theparagraphisworthytoquoteinextend:
Ashistoryabundantlyproves,itistruethatonaccountofchangedconditionsmanythings
whichweredonebysmallassociationsinformertimescannotbedonenowsavebylargeas-
sociations.Still,thatmostweightyprinciple,whichcannotbesetasideorchanged,remains
5
T.Olesen,InternationalZapatismo:theconstructionofsolidarityintheageofglobalization,
London2005,p.155.
6
B.Menke,WirsinddieKirche-DasKirchenvolks-BegehreninderDiskussion,Freiburgim
Breisgau1995;L.Sandri,Introduzione[in:][NoisiamoChiesa).UnappellodalpopolodiDio:[Piú
democrazianellaChiesa),Idem(ed.)Torino1996,p.7-13.
7
M.Hornsby-Smith,SomeSociologicalReflectionsonPowerandAuthorityintheChurch[in:]
GovernanceandAuthorityintheRomanCatholicChurch,N.Timms,K.Wilson(eds.),London2000,
p.16-19.
8
M.Fahey,Church[in:]SystematicTheology.RomanCatholicPerspectives,F.SchüsslerFiorenza,
J.P.Galvin(eds.),Minneapolis1991,vol.2,p.15-16.
