blings, and inter-generational relations.
59. The true communion of solidarity incorporates and is built on the reciprocity of the genders. Men and women share the benefits and burdens of solidarity equally. They are complementary: "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them" (Gn 1:27). In order to manifest that human beings are the image of the trinitary God, they must unfold their existence according to two complementary modes: the masculine and the feminine. Human existence is thus sharing in the existence of a God who is a communion of love.
60. Equal dignity does not mean undifferentiated uniformity. Having been called by the Creator to live in relations of communion, reciprocity and solidarity, men and women contribute in an original way to the family and to society. A true "culture of equality" is one which accepts and respects the original contributions of both men and women.
61. As persons, men and women share fundamental common dimensions and values. In each of them, however, the values are different in strength, interest and emphasis, and such diversity becomes a source of enrichment. Therefore, solidarity is fully achieved when women and men cooperate with one another in reciprocal and complementary relations.
6. THE RIGHTS OF THE FAMILY
6.1. Civil Society, Political Society
62. The Church recognizes and supports the State's indispensable duty to defend and promote human rights. Political institutions have the natural responsibility to provide a fair juridical framework so that all the social communities can cooperate in achieving the common good. The principle of subsidiarity itself is a principle of the common good. This common good has to be considered on the broadest level as being universal. Therefore, human rights—and especially the rights of the family—can only develop by acting in conformity with solidarity. "The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which ‘a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good'52".53
63. The Universal Declaration not only explicitly recognizes the distinction between the society and the State, but it also gives value to the contribution to the common good by many communities that make up what Tocqueville called "civil society" in contrast with "political society". The raison d'être of political society is the exercise of power with recourse to coercion, if necessary. It is for this reason that the exercise of power should be strictly controlled by constitutional rules. The State cannot intervene in the areas where the initiative of individuals, communities and undertakings is sufficient.
64. This distinction confirms the well-grounded principle of subsidiarity. Whereas political society has constant recourse to power, its agents and rules, civil society makes use of affinities, voluntary alliances and natural forms of solidarity. This distinction thus clarifies the rich reality of the family: it is the central nucleus of civil society; it surely has an important economic role but its roles are many and, above all, it is a community of life, a natural community. Moreover, since it is founded on marriage, it presents a cohesion that is not necessarily found in the intermediate bodies.
65. During the last decades, a negative impact has been produced because the family has suffered the same attacks which the State has made on other intermediate bodies by suppressing them and trying to govern them in its own image. When the State claims the power to regulate family bonds and emits laws that do not respect this natural community, which is prior to the State,54 it is feared that the State may make use of families in its own interests, and instead of protecting them and defending their rights, it will weaken or destroy them in ord