“The common work is the common action needed for the health and safety of the community as it pursues its goal. Each common virtue of the community depends on the kind of government which the citizens elect. The virtue of prudence would be developed different in a democracy, oligarchy or monarchy. Also, there is proper prudence which must be developed for each person as an individual in actions apart from the community. Aristotle distinguishes political prudence in the state from domestic prudence in the family and monastic prudence which is the prudence of the individual. A person may, for instance, have the prudence of a good citizen but not be a good man. This is because the monastic good is not the same as the common good. The citizens must know how to obey the laws even if their hearts are not in it.”
- Fr. Brian Mullady OP, Christian Social Order
