Social Credit, which calls for an economy at the service of all consumers, also calls for a political system at the service of people. The Social Crediters fight monopolies in politics as well as in economics.
Monopoly in politics is the exploitation of people through party politics. As the Holy Father (Pius XII) pointed out in his 1944 Christmas message, the organized and liberally financed politicians are clever at manipulating the amorphous crowd to get votes and achieve power, their only goal, from which position they totally forget the people's interests, and take care of their own and that of the party which supported them.
Any political organization which does not begin by enlightening and organizing people so that they can keep an eye on their representatives, is a political monopoly, the monopoly of crowd manipulation at election time. It is a monopoly all the more perfidious, as it carries the appearance of a democracy, whereas it is actually pure tyranny.
To those who understand the philosophy of Social Credit, it is clear that this kind of politics can never be in favour with the Social Crediters.
Parties, old and new alike, can continue to make their policies revolve upon voting, upon the manipulation of the crowd to get this vote. The Social Crediters renounce the setting up of one more political swindle: it would betray everything they teach.
This is why the Social Crediters of the “Michael” Journal have chosen, as their political formula, to educate and organize the citizens — citizens who make inquiries and assume their responsibilities to assert their rights.
The Social Crediters are not interested in the conquest of power, but in having those who are in office to serve the citizens. It is from an informed, thoughtful, and organized people that they hope to see a power come out which will know how to make the required acts, so that governments will serve the people instead of serving the monopolies.
“The masses,” wrote the Pope, “are the major enemy of genuine democracy, and of its freedom and equality ideals. With a people worthy of this name, the citizen carries within himself the awareness of his personality, of his duties and of his rights, of his own freedom, joined to the respect for freedom and the dignity of others.”
A feeling of responsibility — this is what the Social Credit Movement of the “Michael” Journal is trying to develop in the citizens. It is from the number of its adherents, but principally from the quality of their sense of responsibility, that it awaits success.
Moreover, there is no need to think about it over and over again to understand that it is for the citizens themselves to make their rights and freedoms respected. It is certainly not the monopolies, neither of the economic nor of the political order, which will help us to get Social Credit: their objectives are diametrically opposed to it. Besides, does not history teach us that it is futile to wait for reform through the simple change of the party in power?
A few days ago, a new party leader said on the radio: “Today, you have a new team of men that will establish policies respectful of Christian principles and family dignity.”
Does he really believe that there have never been any new teams before his? Does he really believe that the ones he wants to replace do not know their catechism as well as he does?
These words have been repeated again and again in the past, and it is understandable that people are beginning to refuse to believe them.
When one party replaces another in power, with the same electors, in the same circumstances, fighting the same problems, there is a ten-in-ten chance that it will continue exactly in the same way.
Let us not forget to consider at least two elements that face each other: the governing and the governed. One has changed the governing often enough: what if one were to make a little change in the governed?
Does one treat a cat and a lion in the same way? Whoever the people may be who look after cats or lions, the difference in treatment, in both cases, comes more from the nature of the beast than from that of its master.
We do not believe we are mistaken in making the same analogy to politics. Politicians will not behave, with electors who are informed and organized to watch over them and remind them of their duties, in the same way as with electors who are satisfied with voting according to the trends of public opinion.
It is up to each and every one to see to it
It may possibly be a difficult and lengthy task to accustom a people to taking an intelligent and effective interest in public affairs. But when have we tried? It is surely not the party politicians who have applied themselves to it. Never do exploiters try to organize their victims so that they will resist their exploitation.
One does not wait for the devil to bring the grace of God. Likewise, if we want political and economic systems dedicated to the service of each and every one, let us not expect them from those who aim towards another objective: Each and every one of us must work at organizing such systems.
The first thing to do is certainly to know what the issue is all about. So one must begin with the study of appropriate literature. The Social Crediters possess the literature to this end.
Then, enlightened, one goes into action, if one wants results. One goes into action by teaching others and banding together: a new kind of politics, since it is for the first time the policy of the electors themselves to get a really new economy: the economy of the free and periodical dividend to each and every one, without inquiry, without conditions, and without taking from anyone's pocket.
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