Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 322.

YOUCAT Question n. 322 - What is more important, society or the individual?

(Youcat answer)  In God’s sight every individual matters in the first place as a person and only then as a social being.

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 1892) "The human person… is and ought to be the principle, the subject, and the object of every social organization" (GS 25 § 1).

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Society can never be more important than the individual person. Men may never be means to a societal end. Nevertheless, social institutions such as the State and the family are necessary for the individual; they even correspond to his nature.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 1881) Each community is defined by its purpose and consequently obeys specific rules; but "the human person… is and ought to be the principle, the subject and the end of all social institutions" (GS 25 § 1).

(The next question is:  How can the individual be integrated into society in such a way that he nevertheless can develop freely?)