ROME — Pope Francis warned Sunday that democracy around the world is in “crisis,” likely referring to the rise of right-wing parties in Italy, Austria, Argentina, the Netherlands and Germany.
The Pope said it is clear that democracy is “not healthy” in today’s world. Said Group of 50 900 participantsNumber A social week held annually in the northern Italian city of Trieste.
The Pope went on to compare the contemporary “crisis of democracy” to a broken heart that has had a heart attack, which he said manifests itself in “various forms of social exclusion that limit participation.”
“Throwaway culture creates cities that have no place for the poor, the unborn, the weak, the sick, children, women, the young and the old,” he said, adding that it makes “power selfish” and unable to listen to and serve the people.
He suggested that free elections alone are not enough because if voters are not properly trained, they may make the mistake of voting for a populist leader.
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“The word ‘democracy’ itself does not just mean that people vote,” he said. “Not only that people vote, but also that the conditions are created for everyone to express their opinion and participate.”
“Participation is not something that can be improvised,” he added. “It is something that is learned in childhood and youth, and that requires ‘training’ one’s critical sensibilities against ideological and populist temptations.”
Unfortunately, the concept of “the people” is often misunderstood, “which can lead to the exclusion of the term ‘democracy’ itself,” he said. “But the term ‘the people’ is necessary to make sure that society is more than just a collection of individuals, but this is not populism.”
“Ideology is seductive,” he declared. “Some people liken it to the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Ideology seduces you, but then drowns you.”
“Democracy always requires a shift from supporting one side to participating, from ‘cheering’ to dialogue,” he said.
“We cannot celebrate universal fraternity as long as our economic and social system continues to produce one victim, one human being abandoned,” Francis warned. “A human and fraternal society can strive to ensure, in an efficient and stable way, that everyone is accompanied on his or her path in life.”
The Pope also warned that the welfare state is not the solution and can easily become an obstacle to solidarity.
“Certain forms of welfare that do not recognise the dignity of people are the enemy of democracy and the enemy of love of neighbour,” he said.
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“A particular form of welfarism that does not recognise people’s dignity is social hypocrisy,” he added.
Pope Francis has been a vocal critic of populism and nationalism as modern forms of selfishness.
Pope Francis told European Union leaders in 2017 that unity was “the most effective antidote to populism of our time” and that only a stronger, more united Europe could stop the rise of populist movements.
The Pope contrasted solidarity, which brings us “closer to our neighbors,” with populism, which is “a product of selfishness that imprisons people and prevents them from overcoming their own narrow perspective and ‘seeing beyond.'”
“We need to start thinking as Europeans again,” Francis said, because this union will be enduring and successful if Europe’s common will “proves stronger than the will of individual nations.”
