Dobro wspólne jako warunek istnienia wspólnoty
Common Good as a Precondition for the Existence of a Community

Summary/Abstract: The concept of common good, bonum commune, has been of interest both in ethical and practical terms for centuries. Attempts to explain the concept of common good are made on the basis of philosophy, sociology, economics as well as the social doctrine of the Church. The pursuit of defining the common good does not lose its relevance. On the contrary, with the development of mankind and increasing globalization it gains in significance. Invariably, questions arise as to whether the common good is good for everyone in the context of respecting the individual’s right to develop one’s personality and improve one’s living conditions. What causes various individuals to give up their ambitions and create a community? Does the common good create a community or rather the community defines the scope and understanding of the common good? What is good and what does it mean that something is common? There was a time when attempts were made to remove the concept of common good from the scientific discourse by giving it a pejorative meaning in which "common means nobody's". Undertaking research into the common good and its role in the formation and development of communities was effectively discouraged through treating the community as a formation characteristic for primitive communes. By recalling some definitions of the common good, this article attempts to demonstrate the vitality and timeliness of this concept in the functioning of a modern society and the creation of communities. The author of the article is fully aware of the complexity and capacity of both concepts. Therefore, bowing to the enormity of the earlier achievements of various sciences, he tries to join the discussion, thus emphasizing the importance of these concepts for theory and practical application in the development of modern society.

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