In this issue we continue the study of the book Posthumous Works, published after Allan Kardec disembodied and containing texts written by him. The present work is based on the translation made by Dr. Guillon Ribeiro, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation.
Questions for discussion
132. What is the importance of the lemma Liberty, Equality, Fraternity?
133. How can we define Fraternity and what is its importance in the mentioned lemma?
134. Why do we say that Liberty is the daughter of Fraternity and Equality?
135. Does Equality need Fraternity to make the social building table?
136. Is the destruction of selfishness and pride an achievable goal?
Answers to the proposed questions
132. What is the importance of the lemma Liberty, Equality, Fraternity?
This motto is very important, because these three words, by themselves, represent the program of a full social order for the progress of Mankind, if, however, what they represent could be fully implemented. (Posthumous Works - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
133. How can we define Fraternity and what is its importance in the mentioned lemma?
Fraternity, in its strict sense, sums up all man’s duties regarding each other. It means devotion, and selflessness, tolerance, benevolence, indulgence; it is the evangelical charity par excellence and the application of the maxim: "Treat others as one would treat oneself". Its counterpart is selfishness. Fraternity says: "One for all and all for one". Selfishness says: "Every man for himself".
Since one denies the other, it is unlikely that a selfish man would act fraternally towards his fellow men, or a miser become generous, or for a small man to reach the height of a big man. Since selfishness is the dominant plague of society, while it reigns it will be impossible for the real Fraternity to take over; each one will want Fraternity for his own advantage, and not to benefit others, or, if he does this, it will only be after he has assured himself that he will lose nothing by it.
Considered, from the point of view of its importance for the accomplishment of social happiness, Fraternity is the first one: it is the basis, and without it there could be no serious Equality or Liberty. Equality, in turn, derives from Fraternity, and Liberty is the result of the other two. (Posthumous Works - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
134. Why do we say that Liberty is the daughter of Fraternity and Equality?
Here, it means legal Liberty, and not natural Liberty, that is, by law, inalienable to every human being, from the savage to the civilized man. Since men live fraternally, like brothers with the same rights, and a sense of mutual benevolence, they will practice justice among each other, will never do evil, and therefore will have nothing to fear from each other. Liberty will not present any danger, because no one will think of abusing it at the expense of their neighbors.
Liberty resumes mutual trust; now, there can be no trust between people moved by their feeling of their unique personality and who are always on guard against others.
However, the situation is different, when Fraternity is the prevailing feeling.
These three principles are, therefore, united to each other and support themselves mutually, without which the social building would not be complete. Fraternity, practiced in its purity, could not be alone, because without Equality and Liberty, true Fraternity would not exist.
In turn, Liberty without Fraternity causes all non-stop evil passions. Under the umbrella of Fraternity, man does not misuse his Liberty: that is the order. Without Fraternity, he uses his Liberty to do all his shameful deeds: it is anarchy, and dissolution. (Posthumous Works - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
135. Does Equality need Fraternity to make the social building table?
Yes. The reason is that Equality also wants Liberty, and under the excuse of Equality, the small slaughters the big one, to replace him, becoming an oppressor in turn, which is nothing but a displacement of despotism. An artificial balance is established; there is, no doubt, an improvement, but one can feel that the social bases are not solid; the ground trembles at each step, because it still isn’t the kingdom of Liberty and Equality under the umbrella of Fraternity, since pride and selfishness are there, leading to failure the efforts of good men.
All of us that dream of that golden age for Humanity let us work, first of all, on the base of the building, before wanting to crown its top. Let us try to give it the base of Fraternity in its purest sense; but for this it is not enough to just decree it and write it on a flag; it is necessary that it is in the heart and we cannot change the heart of a man by means of a decree. In the same manner that to make a field give fruits we have to remove all stones and thorns, we also have to work tirelessly to remove the virus of pride and selfishness because the source of all evil is there, the real barrier to the kingdom of goodness.
Let us destroy in the laws, institutions, religion, and education, the last traces of the barbaric times and privileges and all the causes that maintain and develop these eternal barriers to real progress; only then will men understand the duties and benefits of Fraternity and will establish themselves without shocks and without danger, the complementary principles of Equality and Liberty. (Posthumous Works - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
136. Is the destruction of selfishness and pride an achievable goal?
Kardec says loud, boldly and sure of himself: Yes, otherwise one would have to put a stop to the progress of Mankind. Man grows in intelligence, and this is an undeniable fact; has he arrived to a point that he cannot overcome? Who would dare to sustain this absurd thesis? Does he progress in morality? To answer this question, simply compare the various stages in a same country. Why, then, would it have reached the limit of moral progress before reaching the limit of the intellectual progress? Its desire for a better order of things is an indication of the possibility of reaching it. It is the responsibility of the progressive men to stimulate the movement through study and through the practice of the most effective means. (Posthumous Works - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
