The First Principle of Public Policy
How might we summarize a Catholic approach to evaluating proposed laws and policies?
This will be a short one. I’m currently working on a collaboration for Where Peter Is that will provide a much more comprehensive and detailed response to an important question: How should Catholic leaders in politics and policymaking approach their duties? More specifically, what is the fundamental principle that serious Catholics should use to evaluate legislative proposals and government policies?
In light of recent events, I’ve been reflecting on this question. Here’s what I’ve arrived at:
Reverence for the inviolable, intrinsic, and infinite dignity of every person must be the foundation of all public policy.
From this foundation flow other intrinsic principles and values: human fraternity; nonviolence; care for the poor, the sick, the disabled, the elderly, and the marginalized; welcoming the stranger; upholding religious liberty; and defending the dignity of all life, from womb to tomb.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let me know what you think.
This is perfectly in line with the motto of Father Louis J. Twomey, SJ, whose biography I am writing (see matterstwomey.substack.com): "to create a society in which the dignity of the human person is acknowledged, protected, and respected."
Mike, I want to commend you on your article, The First Principle of Public Policy. You are absolutely right—human dignity must be the foundation of all public policy. Without it, everything else crumbles. We can argue about economics, law, and governance, but if human dignity is not at the core, then we have already lost our moral compass.
This is not just a crisis of politics; it is a war on compassion. It’s no longer just that some people neglect the dignity of others—it’s that many have trained their consciences to reject it on purpose. They have been shaped by a culture that equates mercy with weakness and sees cruelty as a form of strength. This is the battle we now face: how do we uphold human dignity when many see it as something to be mocked, ignored, or even opposed?
Dietrich von Hildebrand once said, “The fundamental question is not whether a thing is useful but whether it is true.” That is the real issue at hand. If truth still matters, then we have to tell it plainly: every person, no matter how broken, sinful, or lost, still bears the image of God. Even if they have lost the likeness of God through their actions, they are still made in His image, and that means they must be treated with dignity and respect.
But we are living in a time when truth itself is under attack. Many do not want to hear that they are bound by moral obligations toward others. Many do not want to acknowledge that the vulnerable—the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the prisoner—deserve care, simply because they are human. Instead, we see a growing belief that some lives have more value than others, that power determines worth, and that suffering is just a consequence for the weak.
This is what happens when society rejects truth. Because the truth is, compassion is not optional. Dignity is not negotiable. And yet, we now have a culture where people celebrate their rejection of mercy, where they pride themselves on their indifference.
Great article.