Common good Quote by Pope John Paul II
““In truth, a State whose society is not sovereign is no sovereign State at all. Such is the case when a society has no chance to decide the common good, and when it has been denied the basic right to share in power and responsibility””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address on Human Dignity, 1995
A state lacking societal sovereignty—where people cannot decide the common good or share power—cannot truly be sovereign.
In simple terms: Society must have self-determination to be sovereign.
Key Takeaway
Promote inclusive participation in governance.
Themes
sovereignty
democracy
human rights
Mood
hopeful
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- constitutional reforms
- community councils
- public policy debates
Key Concepts
political theory
social justice
citizen empowerment
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms ensure genuine public participation?
- How can marginalized groups gain real influence?
A Different Perspective
Sovereignty can be compromised by external pressures despite internal participation.
![“All the power [the State] has is what society gives it, plus what it confiscates from time to time on one pretext or another; there is no other source from which State power can be drawn. Therefore every assumption of State power, whether by gift or seizure, leaves society with so much less power.” quote by Albert Jay Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a77/albert-jay-nock-45459_power_all-the-power-the-state-has-is-what-soci_2572716.jpg)
![“The world [is] tired of ideology [and] is opening itself to the truth. The time has come when the splendor of this truth has begun anew to illuminate the darkness of human existence.” quote by Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/28b/pope-john-paul-ii-485_darkness_the-world-is-tired-of-ideology-and-is-op_99122.jpg)
