In all matters concerning economic and social life, the human person is most important. Economic policies and the use of wealth by individuals and groups must always proceed according to the laws of justice and the demands of charity, which is the highest form of justice. The world has been given to all of us by the Creator and while it is in keeping with our nature as free planners and doers to have private property, our rights to property and our uses of wealth, are conditioned by the rights of others and the common good. The responsible Christian and non-Christian alike, need continually to examine their use of wealth, lest greed and selfishness on their part destroy or seriously damage the lives of others.
Man is the source, the focus and the end of all social life.
Hence here also human dignity must be respected. Recent progress has provided means and great promise of man's growing dominion over nature and ability to provide for the needs of all. But the picture has its disturbing elements. There are great imbalances in the incomes of people and among the types of work they do. There is also an imbalance of wealth among nations.