Petras Leonas apie socialinį teisingumą

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Petras Leonas; Socialinis teisingumas; Visuomenė; Petras Leonas; Social rightness; Community.

ENAccording P. Leonas social rightness is the seeking of ways and means in order to provide better and cheaper ways to meet the basic needs of the biggest amount of people. First it is the material welfare. When the material needs of all or at least of the large majority of members are satisfied, the struggle for the spiritual needs starts. In the historical survey P. Leonas notes that there were always many poor people and a few men of means. Therefore, the question about the improvement of the poors’ existence was very important during all times. The author gives much attention to the analysis of the means that can help to seek the social justice. First of all he severely critisizes the attitudes of socialism and communism. He condemns any kind of compulsion by carrying out economical reforms. The author strictly speaks against revolutions that are used for the accomplishment of the social rightness. After the critic of communist views, P. Leonas goes on and critisizes the attitudes of A. Maceina what concerns social justice. A. Maceina puts the spiritual-moral' side at the first place. The solution of a problem he expects from "inside", that is from the spiritual reform. A. Maceina proclaims that a profit is not a human thing. According him, the owner is only the holder of means and workshop, but not the owner of manufactured articles. He says that the state reality should interfere with and take what everyone need. P. Leonas speaks ironically about A. Maceina’s attitudes by questioning how can the state take what everyone need in reality. Should it be done by the revolutionary methods of communists or in way of social reforms.P. Leonas is the supporter of the less radical means for seeking the social justice. These means are grouped in two kinds. The first includes the abolition and socialization of the ownership rigst to the capital and means of work only in some economical fields (the post office, the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, the railways). Beside this, the state and local administrations should take care about the state's forests, waters and other wealth. It sould take care about putting in order water supplies, streets, parks and squares. The second kind of means for the social justice according P. Leonas includes various economical and legal means for the reduction of the workers, exploitation and for the improvement of their material and spiritual state. P. Leonas thinks that the law legislations has to help to better work conditions, the rise of wages and the improvement of the living conditions of other workers. P. Leonas stresses that the state of the exploited can be improved by using the freedom of word, press, meetings and unions. P. Leonas sympathizes with workers, peasants, office employees of the state’s offices and local administrations who are lowpayed. He is angry with the politics of the former government that did not give any support to the small peasants. He stresses that the trade unions can do many things for struggle for the social justice. P. Leonas finishes the survey of the social justice problem in the optimistical mood. The basis of his optimism is worker’s and peasant’s confidence in their own strength and their good organizations. The ideas and works of P. Leonas as the great humanists are urgent in our days also. [From the publication]