Editorial January 16, 1937 Issue

Genuine Politics

Duncan Sinclair

Politics is both a science and an art. It deals with the form and organization of a state, and with its administration; and it regulates the relations of the state with other states. Politics of the genuine sort is therefore indispensable to good government. If a state be well organized; if it have a form of government which is based on justice and equity; if its laws, wisely and humanely enacted, be wisely and humanely administered, protection is ensured to the individuals comprising the state, and security guaranteed to their rights and freedom—political and religious.

Since the high purpose of genuine politics has for its aim the greatest measure of happiness and freedom for the people, on what should it be based? There can be but one answer: righteousness; righteousness on the part of the people themselves, and righteousness on the part of those elected by the people to office—the politicians—who enact the laws and appoint those who administer the laws. We hear much these days of bribery and graft; and it is well that such corruption should be exposed. But would corrupt politicians be elected to office if those who elect them, the people themselves, were of moral character sufficiently developed to detect unrighteousness in others and to refuse to support it?

In 1908, on being asked, "What are your politics?" Mrs. Eddy replied (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 276), "I have none, in reality, other than to help support a righteous government; to love God supremely, and my neighbor as myself." Note the thought underlying her words—how she couples the support she would give to a righteous government with love for God and man. How significant is this! It points to the fact that were the citizens of a state to love God supremely and their neighbor as themselves, they could not possibly fail to elect and to support a righteous government. The onus for just and humane government lies, therefore, with the people themselves. A great spiritual awakening is needed, however, a great purification of thought, to ensure such government and the power to support it.

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