Subsidiarity (Catholicism)
- 1Advocates for decision-making at the local level.
- 2Limits the role of centralized authority.
- 3Functions as a principle of organizational efficiency.
- 4Ensures tasks are performed at the most immediate level possible.
Subsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled at multiple levels of organization and not just by a centralized authority.
Connections1
Principle for organizing society to promote the common good
This principle suggests that matters should be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralized competent authority to best serve the common good of the local community.
Subsidiarity is an organizing principle asserting that social and political matters should be handled by the smallest or most local competent authority. It argues against the concentration of power, suggesting that a central authority should only perform tasks that cannot be effectively managed at a more local level.
This principle emphasizes the importance of proximity in decision-making. By delegating responsibilities to the level closest to the people affected, subsidiarity aims to ensure that governance is both efficient and responsive to the specific needs of the community.