EN
In many contemporary discussions and disputes the Catholic Church usually presents its opinion by referring to the category of “natural law”. The classic presentation of that concept was formulated by St. Thomas Aquinas. In his opinion all humans have a common, unchangeable nature in which the mind discovers constant tendencies. On the basis of them the principles of moral law are formulated, and they bind us to protect life, care for our progeny, relatives, community as well as they bind us to seek the truth, in particular the truth about God. However, as human beings we also discover other tendencies in ourselves, which, as it turns out, are rooted in the consequences of the original sin. A human being is broken inside: a hurt mind cannot notice the difference between the truth and false, between authentic and false values. The will does not do good that it wishes, but the bad that it does not wish (Romans 7:19). In such a case only a regained internal unity makes it possible to establish a just social and political order. It can be achieved through the virtues, since only in that way we become more mature, and we realise the characteristic telos in the private and public spheres. An ultimate individualist completely absorbed by his/her egoism is a perfect material for a development of despotism, since a despot needs individuals so preoccupied with themselves and their privacy that they leave the domain of politics entirely at the despot’s disposal.