Vera Araújo presents the theme on universal brotherhood to a group of MPs in the Seoul Parliament.  

 

On the occasion of her trip to Korea, Vera Araújo – coordinator of Social-One – was invited to give a talk on "Fraternity: the Challenge of Our Times" to a group of Korean parliamentarians, politicians involved at different levels, journalists from various sectors of the press and business men and women interested in the Economy of Communion project. The conference took place in a Parliament hall in Seoul on 8 June 2007.

"FRATERNITY, THE CHALLENGE OF OUR TIMES "

By Vera Araújo

Seoul, June 8th, 2007

 "Modern times have been marked by great contradictions, which need a deep and incisive point of reference, which  encompasses the way one acts and thinks, capable of enveloping every single person and peoples as well, including their economic, social and political structures. There is a universal idea, which is already an experience in action, and it is revealing itself as a support to the heavy weight of the challenges of our era: the universal fraternity."

Chiara Lubich, Rosario (Argentina) 2.6.2005
Message delivered at the Cities for Unity Convention

 

 

I would like to start my thoughts today with a brief message from Chiara Lubich, which was addressed at the Latin-American Mayors Convention. It is prophetic, and, at the same time, has a unique concrete meaning.

To suggest universal fraternity as a way of thinking and acting in interpersonal and international relationships - as a guidance for overcoming the contradictions of our modern times - is, above all, an invitation to seriously reflect upon the concept of fraternity.

Definitely, the word fraternity makes us react in many different ways. They may be positive, if it is placed within the context of family relationships, where it is a synonym of support, proximity, sharing, warm affection. They may also lead to perplexity, if it is placed in a public sphere, where solidarity is seen as the adhesive for social relationships in its maximum. Reactions may be of mistrust if fraternity is approached within today's complex world of economy.

Indeed, if we look at the history of fraternity and how it is understood, and its silence confronting human vicissitudes, we shall observe that it was present, not only in the private, but also in the public life, although many wanted to neglect it, instead of completely promoting it publicly.  

The principle of fraternity has a moral-religious and a lay-natural value.

In all main religions of the world - with their diverse characteristics and in various contexts - fraternity is presented as a goal for human relationships as an edifying element to live healthy and peacefully.

However, it was the Christianity that gave a universal value to fraternity, which goes beyond family or friendly ties to serve as basis for the very human relationship. It is not a virtue, which must be linked with a certain behavior, but it is a concept that requires an ontological foundation, which deals with existence. Jesus was the one who introduced this concept through God's universal paternity for all humanity because everyone, without exceptions, is a child of the same Father; everyone, with no exceptions, is like a brother to each other. This affirmation from the Nazarene inserts in history an innovative and revolutionary principle: to knock down the walls that divide the "same" from the "different" ones, friends from enemies, compatriots from foreigners, men from women, and, therefore, it stops human beings from having unjust or indifferent relationships, and invites us all to form a new existential, social, cultural and political cohabitation.

From then on, the seeds of initial stages of fraternity started to flourish and penetrated in the history of mankind.

The history of fraternity is a fascinating one, which had moments of success, but also failures and betrayals.

Among the glorious moments, one might recall the monastic fraternity, which was lead by Benedict from Norcia, who created interconnected spiritual, economic, and cultural centers in Europe in the V and VI centuries, giving rebirth to Europe. Ora et labora is the Benedictine motto, which composes the fraternity of the monks towards the farmers.

Later on, in the Middle Ages, the fraternity of the poor was flourished. The consecrated life of the monks left the cloisters and went down to the medieval villages and cities. "Brothers among brothers" was their Evangelical ideal, of which Francis of Assisi is the representative, icon and unsurpassable model. He founded his community on the concept of fraternity that reaches all: the poor, leprous, the neglected, but also the gentlemen, the clergy, those afar, such as the Muslims; they were all involved in a universal connection as part of God's creation: brother sun, sister moon, sister stars, brother wind, sister water, brother fire, sister land, and our sister death.[1].

One may also think about the New World, which pointed out to the conscience of mankind, the Reductions of the Jesuits in the Southern Cone of Latin America, real example of fraternity with the native Indians, basis for the cultural mixing in the evangelical operation, redemption and economical growth.

Among the failures and betrayals, there is plenty of embarrassment because of the choices made: the religious wars in Europe, which created suffering and death to many, the crusades in the Middle East, the pillage of Africa in its colonial period, etc.

Fraternity emerged in modern times in its lay value as political and social categories through the tripartite motto of the French Revolution: liberty, equality, and fraternity. It would be very interesting to study the struggles and events at the time, which lead to this motto's enunciation.

The 1789 revolution laboriously highlighted, above all, the idea of liberty, but that was not suddenly the reference for all those who wanted the situation to change. Equality had to follow the necessary legal changes to create a new system, where privileges would be abolished.

To see a concrete fraternity in place, people had to wait until May 29th 1791, when, in a speech delivered on the occasion of the formation of the French Armed Forces, the marquis of Girardin affirmed: "the French people, who, based on their Constitution, want Equality, Justice, and universal Fraternity, declared that they will never attack another nation".

However, only after the revolution in 1848, the tripartite motto became a "turning point" for the country. The government born from the proclamation of the republic, on the same day of the takeover (Feb. 24th, 1848) affirmed, among other things: "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity by principles, the People in uniformity and order, here you are the democratic government, which France owes to herself, and that our efforts shall know how to support it". Afterwards, the government reaffirmed that its tricolor flag will state: "French Republic" and "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity": "three words that express the most extended sense of the democratic doctrines, of which this flag is the symbol, meanwhile its colors will maintain the tradition."

It is important to keep in mind that, while in the 1798 revolution the protagonists were the newly born bourgeoisie class, the one in 1848 went through the open passage initiated by the workers. This very fact opens new possibilities for the fulfillment of fraternity, for its incarnation within the networks of social life.

Nevertheless, we know that after a while the third element of the tripartite motto became an old fashion.  The ideological reading of the three elements gave life to various historical mediations and, in contrast - sometimes also sour and conflicting - among themselves.

The bourgeois spirit of the new modernity regarded liberty primarily as an enlargement of the economic power and of individual freedom, favoring in fact those who hold the financial resources and the means of production to surpass the proletariat. Equality found its place as a solemn affirmation in judicial codes becoming, little by little, more formal than real. Fraternity is conceived in restricted agreements of interest and in reality remains disregarded, away from any social and political reflection and praxis.

The reaction was the scientific socialism with a unique reading: liberty was thought almost exclusively over the economical aspect disregarding a more internal and profound liberty; equality became "equalitarism" and fraternity was enclosed within the narrow spaces of social classes.

Fraternity would have had a sad history for many centuries if history itself would not reason and change it. Modernity, after some triumphs, gets into a serious crisis of values, which requests and forces a second reading of those principles that were present at its foundation. Perhaps today it is possible to look at the tripartite motto in a more complete and deeper way to find once again a new balance among the three elements. The teaching of history seems to indicate that the foundation of the whole building is in the fraternity, the amalgam that links the other two giving them sense and special meaning. Why? Because fraternity is the fulfillment of reciprocity which offers a key for an internal understanding of the authentic equality and liberty.

The sociologist Sabino Palumbieri wrote in one of his great papers: "The basic element of the tripartite motto, if seen as a vital guarantee, is fraternity. The conditional element is the liberty as the capability of promoting the others. The verifying element is the universal applicability"2.

We believe that fraternity today can not only find space, but it is also imposed as a necessity to bring maturity to a more humane society, with less conflictions and less problems, which is characterized by inclusive, positive and creative relationships.    

In this operation, which is truly global, I see a coherent, a favorable understanding, and a better dialogue between the lay culture and the religious one over the search for common elements - such as fraternity - to achieve a certain objective.

The religious perspective offers our modern society, which is complex and "globalized", a vital fraternity, capable of silencing in the vicissitudes of daily life.

Gandhi taught us: "My mission is not simply the fraternity among the people of India. But through the realization of liberty in India, I hope to put into effect and develop the mission of the fraternity among all men"[2]. In the Koran, the Muslim sacred book we find: "Every human being is thereby related to all others and all become one fraternal community to serve the Creator, the compassionate, the Lord of the Universe".

The Christian perspective underlines in a substantial way that the primary aspect of fraternity is universality. It stretches the fraternal relationships beyond the parental or family links to reach and embrace every human being, man or woman, citizen or foreigner, from my own or another race, nation, ethnic group, or religion, considered and treated as a brother or a sister.

For Christianity - as I said before - this conviction comes from the very fact that we are brothers because the whole humanity is gathered by Christ as one single family. The challenge is to make real what is the sign of our humanity in the history of civilization.

Martin Luther King, a politician who defended his black brothers' rights, had deeply understood this concept, and he affirmed: "I have a dream that one day men will realize that they were created to live together as brothers and sisters; and that fraternity will become the order of the day of a businessmen and first order of business of the politicians."[3] In the  famous speech delivered in Washington D.C. he would shout to the crowd: "I have a dream that one day men will raise and will finally understand that they were created to live as brothers. (...) I still dream that one day justice will flow as water and righteousness as an impetuous river. (...) I still have a dream that one day war will come to an end, that men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, that nations will no longer rise up against nations, neither will they study war any more. (...)  I dream that because of this faith we will be able to hew out the temptations of desperation and throw a new light over the darkness of pessimism. Yes, thanks to this faith we will be able to speed up the day when peace will reign on Earth and the good willingness will manifest itself towards mankind. It will be a wonderful day, the stars in the morning will sing together and the children of God will shout of joy"[4].

The Second Vatican Council in its final document deals with the relationship between the Church and the contemporary world - Gaudium et Spes. It reaffirms this conviction by offering everyone its specific contribution to the solution of the challenges with which we must measure our own actions. On article 24, it says: "God, who has a paternal care towards everyone, wished that all human beings formed one single family and treated each other within a spirit of brotherhood"  

Christ himself was the first to present this element. Gaudium et Spes also says under article 32: "In his teachings, Jesus explicitly ordered the sons of God to treat each other mutually as brothers. Ordered, moreover, the apostles to announce the Evangelical message to all peoples, so that men would become part of God's family, in which the fulfillment of the law is love".

Consequently, it becomes also a goal of the Church, community of the followers of Christ, to offer humanity "the sincere cooperation towards the establishment of the universal fraternity, which corresponds to the vocation of all men." (n°3)

Therefore, fraternity becomes as the DNA of each human being and then characteristic of each behavior and attitude of every relationship in order to build a positive social cohabitation.

Under the lay perspective, fraternity was welcomed in the greatest political document of modern times: the "Declaration of Human Rights" of the United Nations. It is written that "Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and with rights. Everyone possess reason and conscience, and must treat each other within the spirit of brotherhood "(art.1).

The turning point that our times request today - of which I am   convinced - must depart from a new culture, from a new look on reality, from a reflection that has the courage to incorporate into a conceptual framework new ideas and categories, and that renews itself from our experiences and from our creativity.    

One of these ideas is exactly fraternity, taken not only as a virtuous behavior, ethically correct, but also as a conceptual category, as a scientific paradigm, which may substantiate the cultural matter by offering new possibilities of understanding social life and lead to changes in the social-economical-political order. One must look deeper to see what fraternity offers as political, sociological, juridical, and perhaps economical categories.

The concept of fraternity from a judicial point of view bases fundamental rights and subjective rights in general from the awareness that those are not goods given to only some people, but are supposed to create order and relations between individuals and the group. In this regard, the concept of fraternity also contains the aspect of solidarity and equality. This is presented as an inspirational principle of the norm, rich of precious indications of success. We may name some: a common point of reference, worthy to mention the search for a collection of universally recognized human rights; an orientation not only for the present, but also for the future, which implies the assumption of responsibility in order to assure liberty also to future generations; a universal territoriality, which embraces humanity in its totality. 

Also within the field of politics, the voices of those who demand fraternity as basic principle of the political action or political reasoning echo in large numbers. In this context, Chiara Lubich, founder and president of the Focolare Movement, gave life in 1996 to the Movement for Unity in Politics, which aims to conjugate fraternity in the politics. It is indeed a political movement, but transversal to various political parties; it offers them "another space" where they can go beyond their contradictions and arguments, choices and diverse ideals to carry out the common good of the community creating conditions so that the citizens themselves become protagonists of their own growth and their own dignity, individually and in community.

After a conversation with the American Professor Benjamin Barber, who speaks at different interdependence conferences, Chiara Lubich wrote in a message for one of these conferences in Philadelphia in 2003: "Without fraternity, no one neither no nation is truly or totally free and equal. Equality and liberty will be always incomplete and precarious until when fraternity is not part of political programs and processes in every region of the world."

It is fraternity that can give today new contents to the issue of interdependence. It is fraternity that can flourish projects and actions within the complex political, economical, cultural and social spheres of our world. It is fraternity that shows a way out of isolationism and opens the door of development to the peoples that are still excluded. It is fraternity that indicates how to resolve peacefully the disagreements and banishes war into history books.  It is because of a lively fraternity that one can dream and persist in somewhat a communion of goods between rich and poor countries, given that the shocking unbalance, today present in the world is one of the main causes of terrorism. The profound need of peace which humanity today expresses means that fraternity is not only a value, neither a method, but a global paradigm of political development. That is why the world increasingly interdependent requires politicians, entrepreneurs, intellectuals, artists who place fraternity - instrument of unity - in the center of their action and thinking.

In a meeting with many Italian congressmen, Chiara Lubich said:

"Fraternity (...) means understanding and making our own the viewpoint of others, in order to remove any remaining self-interest, personal demands.

Fraternity means to keep and value human experiences that would risk, otherwise, to become irremediable conflicts... 

Fraternity consolidates the importance of the international organizations and all those processes that tend to go beyond the barriers and carry out important steps towards the unity of the human family.

Fraternity consists therefore of the immersion of new principles in the daily political affairs: in a way that no one governs against someone else or represents only one part of the country."

The politicians who took upon themselves the message of fraternity proposed by the Movement for Unity in the Politics are innovating profoundly their political actions.

Recently, around fifteen mayors in Paraguay have strengthened among themselves a "pact of fraternity" which is concretized in mutual help, respect, and solidarity.

Not a long ago, Italian politicians from many parties, along with the participation of workers and others inspired by the principle of fraternity, carried out an "ethics pact" in which they decided to work on the insertion within their political decisions and even their choices of candidates, a decisive and strong awareness against corruption.

In various countries in Europe and in other continents, politicians of diverse alliances meet periodically to discuss the implementation of the principle of fraternity in daily situations they face.

I would like to mention, although briefly, the contributions that have also been maturated in the field of sociology in what regards the ascension of fraternity as a basic principle for the construction of theoretical models, or strategies for empirical research and schemes of application.

Perhaps the time I have does not allow me to do so, therefore, in this last part I will try to delineate some reflections upon fraternity in the economics.

In the economy, there are some aspects that, particularly urgently, need to be revised from the perspective of fraternity, which allows a historical analysis towards the opening of new prospects either from the praxis or theoretical viewpoint.

One of these aspects is obviously the market. From the exchange of goods and services to the element of positive social relations construction, the market is becoming a sort of power that influences in a determining way all other dimensions of life. The market is imposing its own criteria of judgment, culture, values, and methods, to the population, to the states, to international institutions. The consequences are clear: the distressing data announced in the last few weeks by the Food and Agriculture Organization illustrate that in an unequivocal way.

In that regards, the principle of fraternity may offer means even more precious. For example, it can offer the basis for a new culture. This process in reality has already begun. Even if it is in its initial stages, it is been developed into a culture of giving: true antidote to the dehumanization produced by the dominating "culture of having". The culture of giving has been seen as an important means for hope of growth either in a personal or in a social level.

Another aspect is the motivation that sustains the economical activity, which is the so-called economical rationality. Based on this rationality, the idea that guides actions in the economics is usually self-interest, self benefits and, according to this reasoning, the sum of individual interests would pursue the common interest. History has demonstrated how distorted social construction based on this matter is and it may be compared with the mythical statute made of mud feet. How could a society be governed if it is based on radical individualism, or on individual or group selfishness?  How can humanity grow in a society where inequality is increased, and the values of justice, truth and life are lost?

Under this perspective the principle of fraternity can, above all, offer an anthropology that maintains and respects all dimensions of man and, based on this aspect, can find actions, within the economy, motivation to value human dignity. It can give life to a rationality based on the openness to the other, on the faithfulness, on justice and honesty.

A third aspect to look at is the business. At the heart of the economic system, it is today heavily involved in profound changes related to the phenomenon of globalization. Strained by the desire to maximize its profits (of which there are many theoretical discussions) and also opening itself towards new social responsibilities and ethics, businesses need strong principles to carry out its natural vocation to produce goods and services, to commercialize them, to create jobs, and to innovate, etc. However, the principle of fraternity will allow it to bring about the realization of its most important goal: to be, above all, a community of people. A community where there are authentic and profound relationships internally and is capable of spreading them externally.

I would like here to underline the regulative principles of social order that can be applied also towards the economy.

One of them regards the equivalent equality of values. In other words, according to this principle whatever one does or gives to someone else, he or she must receive back the equivalent in value. In the market, it corresponds to the price. This principle creates efficient results, which is not indifferent in the market.

A second principle is the redistribution. Producing richness is not enough: it is necessary to redistribute it with equality. We are already one step ahead towards equality because it naturally required that we were all in condition of participating in the economy.

A third principle is the reciprocity. This principle was present at the birth of economic theories, it has been marginalized, and it returns today in an arrogant way. What does the principle of reciprocity aim? It aims to put into practice fraternity.

An orderly society is the one where efficiency, redistribution and reciprocity live in peace.

And it is understood that the practice of fraternity will sustain and give support and meaning towards efficiency and redistribution.

The introduction of the principle of fraternity into business relations would mean - as the economist Stefano Zamagni affirms - " to find out the face of the other and discover that the other is in you and not in an alter ego."

This is what is happening now in all sections of the economy called "civil economy" or "third sector", which introduces in the business mechanisms and dynamics issues, like the person as the center, solidarity, ethics. In other words, reintroduces fraternity as a link for new relationships, sustained, however, by new laws and innovative economic principles. As such, this is a very alive, vital and promising principle. It is strengthened by imagination, innovation, and readiness to do anything in order to bring about its very own projects. Among many other initiatives in this regard, I would like to recall the Economy of Communion (EoC). It is a project born at the center of the Focolare Movement from an inspiration of its founder Chiara Lubich in occasion of her trip to Brazil in May 1991.

After passing by the little town of Araceli, the formation center for the Focolare Movement in Brazil, near Sao Paulo, Chiara got into direct contact with the social-economic imbalance of such an immense country. She observed the amazing skyscrapers of the metropolis and the gigantic slums surrounding it. She was informed that in those shanty towns there were some people belonging to the Movement who were in need and lived in poverty. The communion of goods experienced by the members of the Movement as an expression of mutual love based on the Gospel was not enough anymore to cover up their needs.

Then, day by day living in a highly spiritual atmosphere of great fraternity, there was an inspiration: to create businesses, and give them to capable people who would make them useful. Afterwards, they should share these profits in three parts: one for the needy, the poor; one for the formation of new men, dedicated to solidarity - without them a new society can not be created-; and a third part should be to invest back in the business itself, to sustain it and make it grow.

It was a simple idea, linear and truly innovative because it brings into the economy the principles of giving, of gratuity, of communion, of sharing.

Businesses adhere to the Economy of Communion, primarily in Brazil, in Argentina, and later in other continents. They are businesses which operates in various sectors of economy: producing goods and services, consulting offices, accounting agencies, computer analysts, management assistance, medical and legal offices, commercial and agricultural activities, etc.

After 16 years of existence, there are more than 700 businesses linked with the Economy of Communion all over the world.

The first objective of an Economy of Communion company is the sharing of their own goods.

However, it is not the only goal: in these sixteen years, it was understood and experienced that the Economy of Communion project - by assuming the principle of the spirituality of the Focolare Movement  - as value to live concretely the economy, it is developing its own new business behavior. From these experiences, the "Guidelines for Conducting Business" was established, which are orientations from a technical and ethical point of view to direct the businesses towards the logic of giving, of loving, and sharing.

In summary, they are:

The central role must belong to the individuals, and not to the capital in the business. It deals with the concrete assumption of responsibility and participation of all members composing the businesses;

The relationships with customers, providers, civil society and other external agents, partners and competitors, are all treated with maximum respect and esteem. This leads to the acquisition of immaterial capital composed of relationships based on trust, which is understood as value for the company;

The company respects the laws and maintains a correct ethical behavior towards the authorities, governmental officials, inspectors, and official institutions. Equally, it acts in conformity with its own dependents, to which shows this same behavior;

High quality level of living and production are important objectives to accomplish. The first is obtained by trying to transform the company into a true community where the well being and health of each member are taken care, besides the establishment of extended relationships, with respect, friendship and trust. The production quality is obtained by constantly working in comparison and through the participation of all. 

The company tries to take great care of the environment surrounding it, so that it will be clean, orderly pleasant, where truly human and fraternal relationships are formed;

A diverse formation of professionals is an integral part of the businesses: sharing talents, ideas and expertise, understanding that professional development is the guarantee of progress in the company.

The companies are invited to create an atmosphere of open and sincere communication, which favor the exchange of ideas between employees and employers. This communication is extended later to other businesses linked by the Economy of Communion either in local or international level, favoring mutual support and solidarity.

In what regards this project, in the last few years, there was a strong push for generating the "Industrial Parks", where fraternity is lived among different companies and shows publicly the entire project. There are two in Brazil, one in Argentina, one in Belgium, and one in Portugal. The Italian industrial park (EoC) is in construction in the little city of the Focolare Movement in Loppiano, located in Incisa Valdarno, in the outskirts of Florence. 

What is the scope of the Parks?

Obviously it was thought to promote the Economy of Communion project, gathering in one place more companies towards this goal. What is their purpose? First, to show concrete businesses, but most of all to be able to see what is supporting beneath this project: the feeling of family, of love, unity, and communion, which is the fulfillment of fraternity also in the level of economical structures.

Whoever visits the Industrial Park EoC must also hear discussions about costs and profits, business management, economics, inflation and risks. But underneath these issues - if one is attentive and sensitive - will find a unique spiritual dimension, which invites everyone to fully live under the demands of Evangelical love, generating authentic fraternity.

However, these parks are not only to promote the EoC project.

They become points of reference for all the businesses of a nation in a way that we are all concretely involved within this experience of fraternity. Therefore, every EoC park is an "ideal" and material point of reference altogether.

 

I would like to conclude with just one thought. A friend of mine said that the XIX century was the century of freedom, the XX century the one of equality; perhaps the XXI century will be the one of fraternity.

One thing is for sure: fraternity is born and grows when each one of us is capable of looking at each other face to face and see our own reflection. So that everything changes and from this perspective something truly new can be created in the world.

Thank you.

---

[1] Fonti francescane, Padova 1989, p.178.

[2] M.K GANDHI, Antiche come le montagne, Milano 1970, p. 162.

[3] M.L.KING, Discorso della vigilia di Natale 1967, Atlanta, cit. in Il fronte della coscienza, Torino 1968, p. 2.

[4] M.L. KING, La pace di Natale, cit. in Pregare con Martin Luther King, Milano 1982, pp. 74-75.