If you are anything like me, you have had a dispiriting experience with the direction political life is taking in this early part of 2025. The world is crying out for an inspiring international political movement to take decisive action on climate change and to robustly address the gross inequality that disfigures the human community. Instead, we witness political leadership that is cynical, short-sighted and self-serving, obviously making matters worse rather than better.
At such a time it is tempting to give up on politics. We could easily despair of the public square and withdraw into our own private sphere in the hope of protecting our sanity. Tempted as I am, nevertheless I opt for the direction proposed by Pope Francis:
Today, politics doesn’t have a very good reputation: corruption, scandals, distant from people’s day-to-day lives. But, can we move ahead toward universal fraternity without good politics? No! Good politics, as St. Paul VI defined it, is one of the highest forms of charity because it seeks the common good. I’m speaking of the politics that’s concerned about the unemployed and understands what it is like for people who are not able to work. If we look at it this way, politics is much more noble than it appears.
Pope Francis, 1 August, 2024
Things might get worse before they get better but, in a bleak and threating political landscape, it seems important to hold on to the vision that good politics is possible. Not only is it possible but without it we are sunk. Now is the time to start building the political movement that will give hope to all who are being excluded and crushed.
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