Turning Point For All Nations
A
Statement of the Bahá'í International Community on the Occasion of the 50th
Anniversary of the United Nations
New York, U.S.A.
October 1995
Table of
Contents
Unification of the whole of mankind is the
hall-mark of the stage which human society is now approaching. Unity of family,
of tribe, of city-state, and nation have been successively attempted and fully
established. World unity is the goal towards which a harassed humanity is
striving. Nation-building has come to an end. The anarchy inherent in state
sovereignty is moving towards a climax. A world, growing to maturity, must
abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human
relationships, and establish once for all the machinery that can best incarnate
this fundamental principle of its life. -- Shoghi Effendi,
1936
I. Overview: An Opportunity for Reflection
The
20th Century, one of the most tumultuous periods in human history, has been
marked by numerous upheavals, revolutions and radical departures from the past.
Ranging from the collapse of the colonial system and the great nineteenth
century empires to the rise and fall of broad and disastrous experiments with
totalitarianism, fascism and communism, some of these upheavals have been
extremely destructive, involving the deaths of millions, the eradication of old
lifestyles and traditions, and the collapse of time-honored institutions
Other
movements and trends have been more obviously positive. Scientific discoveries
and new social insights have spurred many progressive social, economic and
cultural transformations. The way has been cleared for new definitions of human
rights and affirmations of personal dignity, expanded opportunities for
individual and collective achievement, and bold new avenues for the advancement
of human knowledge and consciousness
These
twin processes -- the collapse of old institutions on the one hand and the
blossoming of new ways of thinking on the other -- are evidence of a single
trend which has been gaining momentum during the last hundred years: the trend
toward ever-increasing interdependence and integration of humanity
This
trend is observable in wide-ranging phenomena, from the fusion of world
financial markets, which in turn reflect humanity's reliance on diverse and
interdependent sources of energy, food, raw materials, technology and
knowledge, to the construction of globe-girdling systems of communications and
transportation. It is reflected in the scientific understanding of the earth's
interconnected biosphere, which has in turn given a new urgency to the need for
global coordination. It is manifest, albeit in a destructive way, in the
capacities of modern weapons systems, which have gradually increased in power
to the point where it is now possible for a handful of men to bring an end to
human civilization itself. It is the universal consciousness of this trend --
in both its constructive and destructive expressions -- that lends such
poignancy to the familiar photograph of the earth as a swirling sphere of blue
and white against the infinite blackness of space, an image crystallizing the
realization that we are a single people, rich in diversity, living in a common
homeland
This
trend is reflected, too, in steady efforts by the nations of the world to forge
a world political system that can secure for humanity the possibility of peace,
justice and prosperity. Twice in this century humanity has attempted to bring
about a new international order. Each attempt sought to address the emergent
recognition of global interdependence, while nevertheless preserving intact a
system which put the sovereignty of the state above all else. In the
perspective of the century now ending, the League of Nations, a breakthrough in
the concept of collective security, marked a first decisive step toward world
order
The
second effort, born from the cataclysm of World War II and based on a Charter
drawn up principally by the victors of that conflagration, has for fifty years
provided an international forum of last resort, a unique institution standing
as a noble symbol for the collective interests of humanity as a whole
As
an international organization, the United Nations has demonstrated humanity's
capacity for united action in health, agriculture, education, environmental
protection, and the welfare of children. It has affirmed our collective moral
will to build a better future, evinced in the widespread adoption of
international human rights Covenants. It has revealed the human race's
deep-seated compassion, evidenced by the devotion of financial and human
resources to the assistance of people in distress. And in the all-important
realms of peace-building, peace-making and peace-keeping, the United Nations
has blazed a bold path toward a future without war. 1
Yet
the overall goals set out in the Charter of the United Nations have proved
elusive. Despite the high hopes of its founders, the establishment of the
United Nations some fifty years ago did not usher in an era of peace and
prosperity for all.2
Although the United Nations has surely played a role in preventing a third
world war, the last half decade has nevertheless been marked by numerous local,
national and regional conflicts costing millions of lives. No sooner had
improved relations between the superpowers removed the ideological motivation
for such conflicts, than long-smoldering ethnic and sectarian passions surfaced
as a new source of conflagration. In addition, although the end of the Cold War
has reduced the threat of a global, terminal war, there remain instruments and
technologies -- and to some extent the underlying passions -- which could bring
about planet-wide destruction
With
respect to social issues, likewise, grave problems persist. While new levels of
consensus have been reached on global programs to promote health, sustainable
development and human rights, the situation on the ground in many areas has deteriorated.
The alarming spread of militant racialism and religious fanaticism, the
cancerous growth of materialism, the epidemic rise of crime and organized
criminality, the widespread increase in mindless violence, the ever-deepening
disparity between rich and poor, the continuing inequities faced by women, the
intergenerational damage caused by the pervasive break-down of family life, the
immoral excesses of unbridled capitalism and the growth of political corruption
-- all speak to this point. At least a billion live in abject poverty and more
than a third of the world's people are illiterate.3
As
the twin processes of collapse and renewal carry the world toward some sort of
culmination, the 50th anniversary of the United Nations offers a
timely opportunity to pause and reflect on how humanity may collectively face
its future. Indeed, there has emerged of late a wide range of useful proposals
for strengthening the United Nations and improving its capacity to coordinate
the responses of nations to these challenges
These
proposals fall roughly into three categories. One group addresses primarily
bureaucratic, administrative and financial problems within the United Nations
system. Another group comprises those that suggest reconfiguring bodies like
the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Bretton Woods
economic institutions. Still others propose to undertake changes in the United
Nations political structure, calling, for example, for an expansion of the
Security Council and/or a reconsideration of the United Nations Charter itself.4
Most
of these works are constructive; some are also provocative. Among them, one of
the most balanced and thoughtful is the report of the Commission on Global
Governance, entitled, Our Global Neighborhood, which argues for the widespread
adoption of new values, as well as structural reforms in the United Nations
system.5
It
is in the spirit of contributing to the ongoing discussion and consultation on
this issue of paramount importance that the Bahá'í International Community has
been moved to share its views. Our perspective is based on three initial
propositions. First, discussions about the future of the United Nations need to
take place within the broad context of the evolution of the international order
and its direction. The United Nations has co-evolved with other great
institutions of the late twentieth century. It is in the aggregate that these
institutions will define -- and themselves be shaped by -- the evolution of the
international order. Therefore, the mission, role, operating principles and
even activities of the United Nations should be examined only in the light of
how they fit within the broader objective of the international order
Second,
since the body of humankind is one and indivisible, each member of the human race is born into the world as a trust of the
whole. This relationship between the individual and the collective constitutes
the moral foundation of most of the human rights which the instruments of the
United Nations are attempting to define. It also serves to define an overriding
purpose for the international order in establishing and preserving the rights
of the individual.
Third,
the discussions about the future of the international order must involve and
excite the generality of humankind. This discussion is so important that it
cannot be confined to leaders -- be they in government, business, the academic
community, religion, or organizations of civil society. On the contrary, this
conversation must engage women and men at the grassroots level. Broad
participation will make the process self-reinforcing by raising awareness of
world citizenship and increase support for an expanded international order
II. Recognizing the Historical Context: A Call
to World Leaders
The
Bahá'í International Community regards the current world confusion and the
calamitous condition of human affairs as a natural phase in an organic process
leading ultimately and irresistibly to the unification of the human race in a
single social order whose boundaries are those of the planet
The
human race, as a distinct, organic unit, has passed through evolutionary stages
analogous to the stages of infancy and childhood in the lives of its individual
members, and is now in the culminating period of its turbulent adolescence
approaching its long-awaited coming of age.6 The process of
global integration, already a reality in the realms of business, finance, and
communications, is beginning to materialize in the political arena
Historically,
this process has been accelerated by sudden and catastrophic events. It was the
devastation of World Wars I and II that gave birth to the League of Nations and
the United Nations, respectively. Whether future accomplishments are also to be
reached after similarly unimaginable horrors or embraced through an act of
consultative will, is the choice before all who inhabit the earth. Failure to
take decisive action would be unconscionably irresponsible
Since
sovereignty currently resides with the nation-state, the task of determining
the exact architecture of the emerging international order is an obligation
that rests with heads of state and with governments. We urge leaders at all
levels to take a deliberate role in supporting a convocation of world leaders
before the turn of this century to consider how the international order might
be redefined and restructured to meet the challenges facing the world. As some
have suggested, this gathering might be called the World Summit on Global
Governance.7
This
proposed Summit might build on the experience gained from the series of highly
successful United Nations conferences in the early 1990s. These conferences,
which have included the World Summit for Children in 1990, the Earth Summit in
1992, the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, the International
Conference on Population and Development in 1994, the World Summit for Social
Development in 1995 and the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, have
established a new methodology for global deliberations on critical issues
A
key to the success of these deliberations has been the substantive participation
by organizations of civil society. Painstaking negotiations among government
delegations about changes in the world's political, social and economic
structures have been informed and shaped by the vigorous involvement of these
organizations, which tend to reflect the needs and concerns of people at the
grass roots. It is also significant that in each case, the gathering of world
leaders, in the presence of civil society and the global media, gave the stamp
of legitimacy and consensus to the processes of the conference
In
preparing for the proposed Summit, world leaders would be wise to heed these
lessons, to reach out to as wide a circle as possible and to secure the
goodwill and support of the world's peoples.
Some
fear that international political institutions inevitably evolve toward
excessive centralization and constitute an unwarranted layer of bureaucracy. It
needs to be explicitly and forcefully stated that any new structures for global
governance must, as a matter of both principle and practicality, ensure that
the responsibility for decision-making remains at appropriate levels.8
Striking
the right balance may not always be easy. On the one hand, genuine development
and real progress can be achieved only by people themselves, acting
individually and collectively, in response to the specific concerns and needs
of their time and place. It can be argued that the decentralization of
governance is the sine qua non of development.9 On the other hand,
the international order clearly requires a degree of global direction and
coordination
Therefore,
in accordance with the principles of decentralization outlined above, international
institutions should be given the authority to act only on issues of
international concern where states cannot act on their own or to intervene for
the preservation of the rights of peoples and member states. All other matters
should be relegated to national and local institutions.10
Furthermore,
in devising a specific framework for the future international order, leaders
should survey a broad range of approaches to governance. Rather than being
modeled after any single one of the recognized systems of government, the
solution may embody, reconcile and assimilate within its framework such
wholesome elements as are to be found in each one of them
For
example, one of the time-tested models of governance that may accommodate the
world's diversity within a unified framework is the federal system. Federalism
has proved effective in decentralizing authority and decision-making in large,
complex, and heterogeneous states, while maintaining a degree of overall unity
and stability. Another model worth examining is the commonwealth, which at the
global level would place the interest of the whole ahead of the interest of any
individual nation
Extraordinary
care must be taken in designing the architecture of the international order so
that it does not over time degenerate into any form of despotism, of oligarchy,
or of demagogy corrupting the life and machinery of the constituent political
institutions.
In
1955, during the first decade review of the UN charter, the Bahá'í
International Community offered a statement to the United Nations, based on
ideas articulated nearly a century before by Bahá'u'lláh.
"The Bahá'í concept of world order is defined in these terms: A world
Super-State in whose favor all the nations of the world will have ceded every
claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain
armaments, except for the purposes of maintaining internal order within their
respective dominions. This State will have to include an International
Executive adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every
recalcitrant member of the Commonwealth; a World Parliament whose members are
elected by the peoples in their respective countries and whose election is
confirmed by their respective governments; a Supreme Tribunal whose judgment
has a binding effect even in cases where the parties concerned have not
voluntarily agreed to submit their case to its consideration." 11
While
we believe this formulation of a world government is at once the ultimate
safeguard and the inevitable destiny of humankind, we do recognize that it
represents a long-term picture of a global society. Given the pressing nature
of the current state of affairs, the world requires bold, practical and
actionable strategies that go beyond inspiring visions of the future.
Nevertheless, by focusing on a compelling concept, a clear and consistent
direction for evolutionary change emerges from the mire of contradictory views
and doctrines
III. Defining a Role for the UN Within the
Emerging International Order
The
United Nations was the centerpiece of the international system created by the
victors of World War II and, during the long decades of ideological conflict
between the East and the West, it served as a forum for international dialogue.
Over the years, its activities have expanded to include not only international
standard-setting and promotion of social and economic development but also
peacekeeping operations on several continents
Over
the same period, the political reality of our world has experienced a dramatic
transformation. At the time of the UN's inception, there were some fifty
independent states. That number has grown to exceed 185. At the close of World
War II, governments were the main actors on the global scene. Today, the
growing influence of organizations of civil society and of multinational
corporations has created a much more intricate political landscape
Despite
the growing complexity in its mission, the United Nations system has retained
more or less the same structure that was designed for a new international
organization some fifty years ago. It is not surprising then that the occasion
of its fiftieth anniversary has stimulated a new dialogue about its ability to
meet the political realities of the 21st Century. Unfortunately, in
this dialogue, criticism has far outweighed praise
Most
criticisms of the operations of the United Nations are based on comparisons
with the operations of the leading organizations in the private sector or on
measurements relative to inflated initial expectations. Although some specific
comparisons may be useful in increasing the efficiency of the United Nations
more general exercises of this kind are essentially unfair. The United Nations
lacks not only the clear authority, but also the requisite resources to act
effectively in most instances. Accusations of the UN's failure are in fact
indictments of the member states themselves
Judged
in isolation from the reality within which it operates, the United Nations will
always seem inefficient and ineffective. However, if it is viewed as one
element of a larger process of development in systems of international order,
the bright light of analysis would shift from the UN's shortcomings and
failures to shine on its victories and accomplishments. To those with an
evolutionary mindset, the early experience of the United Nations offers us a
rich source of learning about its future role within the international regime
An
evolutionary mindset implies the ability to envision an institution over a long
time frame perceiving its inherent potential for development, identifying the
fundamental principles governing its growth, formulating high-impact strategies
for short-term implementation, and even anticipating radical discontinuities
along its path
Studying
the United Nations from this perspective unveils significant opportunities to
strengthen the current system without the wholesale restructuring of its
principal institutions or the intensive re-engineering of its core processes.
In fact, we submit that no proposal for UN reform can produce high impact
unless its recommendations are internally consistent and direct the UN along a
projected evolutionary path toward a distinctive and relevant role within the
future international order
We
believe the combination of recommendations described herein meets these
conditions and that their adoption would represent a measured but significant
step toward building a more just world order.12
A.
Resuscitating the General Assembly
The
foundation for any system of governance is the rule of law and the primary
institution for promulgating law is the legislature. While the authority of
local and national legislatures is generally respected, regional and
international legislative bodies have been the subject of fear and suspicion
In
addition, the United Nations General Assembly has been a target of attack for
its ineffectiveness. Although some of the accusations hurled against it are
unfounded, there are at least two shortcomings that hamper the ability of the
General Assembly to have impact.
First,
the current arrangement gives undue weight to state sovereignty, resulting in a
curious mix of anarchy and conservatism. In a reformed United Nations, the
legislative branch and its voting structure will need to represent more
accurately the people of the world as well as nation-states. 13
Second,
General Assembly resolutions are not binding unless they are separately
ratified as a treaty by each member state. If the current system, which places
state sovereignty above all other concerns, is to give way to a system which
can address the interests of a single and interdependent humanity, the
resolutions of the General Assembly -- within a limited domain of issues --
must gradually come to possess the force of law with provisions for both
enforcement and sanctions
These
two shortcomings are closely linked inasmuch as the majority of the world's
people, suspicious and fearful of world government, are unlikely to submit to
an international institution unless it is itself more genuinely representative.14
Nevertheless,
in the short term, five practical measures are possible to strengthen the
General Assembly, enhance its reputation and align it with a longer term
direction
1. Raising minimum requirements for membership
The
minimum standards for conduct by a government towards its people have been well
established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent
international covenants, collectively referred to as the International Bill of
Human Rights
Without
an unshakable commitment to regular and periodic elections with universal
participation by secret ballot, to freedom of expression and to other such
human rights, a member state stands in the way of the active and intelligent
participation of the vast majority of its population in the affairs of its own
communities
We
propose that there should be consequences for member states that violate these
standards. Similarly, nations seeking recognition should be denied membership
until they openly espouse these standards or make recognizable efforts to move
in that direction
2. Appointing a commission to study borders and frontiers
Outstanding
irredentist claims continue to be a major source of conflict and war,
highlighting the critical need for general agreements on national boundaries.
Such treaties can only be arrived at after consideration of the arbitrary
manner in which many nation-states were originally defined and of all
outstanding claims of nations and ethnic groups
Rather
than relegating such claims to the World Court, we believe it would be best to
establish a special International Commission to research all claims affecting
international boundaries and then, after careful consideration, to make
recommendations for action.15 The results
would serve as an early warning system for growing tension among civil or
ethnic groups and assessment of threats in situations benefiting from early
preventive diplomacy.
In
order to establish a genuine community of nations in the long run, it will be
necessary to settle finally all disputes over borders. This research would
serve that end
3. Searching for new financial arrangements
Primarily
triggered by the unwillingness of some member states to remit their general
assessments on time, compounded by the absence of authority to collect any
interest accrued because of that delay, and further aggravated by the
bureaucratic inefficiencies in parts of its operations, the annual budget
shortfall pressures the UN into a crisis management mentality
Voluntary
payments from member states will never be a reliable approach to finance an
international institution. Vigorous approaches to revenue generation must be
devised to enable the smooth functioning of the UN machinery. We propose the
immediate appointment of an expert Task Force to begin a rigorous search for
solutions
In
studying alternatives, the Task Force should be mindful of several fundamental
principles. First, there should be no assessments without representation.
Second, in the interest of fairness and justice, assessments should be
graduated. Third, mechanisms for encouraging voluntary contributions by
individuals and communities should not be overlooked.16
4. Making a commitment to a universal auxiliary language and a
common script
The
United Nations, which currently uses six official languages, would derive
substantial benefit from either choosing a single existing language or creating
a new one to be used as an auxiliary language in all its fora. Such a step has
long been advocated by many groups, from the Esperantists to the Bahá'í
International Community itself.17 In addition to
saving money and simplifying bureaucratic procedures, such a move would go far
toward promoting a spirit of unity
We
propose the appointment of a high-level Commission, with members from various
regions and drawn from relevant fields, including linguistics, economics, the
social sciences, education and the media, to begin careful study on the matter
of an international auxiliary language and the adoption of a common script
We
foresee that eventually, the world cannot but adopt a single, universally
agreed-upon auxiliary language and script to be taught in schools worldwide, as
a supplement to the language or languages of each country. The objective would
be to facilitate the transition to a global society through better communication
among nations, reduction of administrative costs for businesses, governments
and others involved in global enterprise, and a general fostering of more
cordial relations between all members of the human family.18
This
proposal should be read narrowly. It does not in any way envision the decline
of any living language or culture
5. Investigating the possibility of a single international currency
The
need to promote the adoption of a global currency as a vital element in the
integration of the global economy is self-evident. Among other benefits,
economists believe that a single currency will curb unproductive speculation
and unpredictable market swings, promote a leveling of incomes and prices
worldwide, and thereby result in significant savings.19
The
possibility of savings will not lead to action unless there is an overwhelming
body of evidence addressing the relevant concerns and doubts of skeptics,
accompanied by a credible implementation plan. We propose the appointment of a
Commission consisting of the most accomplished government leaders, academics
and professionals to begin immediate exploration into the economic benefits and
the political costs of a single currency and to hypothesize about an effective
implementation approach
B.
Developing a Meaningful Executive Function
At
the international level, the single most important executive function is the
enforcement of a collective security pact.20
Collective
security implies a binding covenant among nations to act in concert against
threats to the collective. The effectiveness of the covenant depends on the degree
to which members commit themselves to the collective good, even if motivated by
a sense of enlightened self-interest
Within
the United Nations, the enforcement role is largely carried out by the Security
Council, with other functions of the executive being shared with the
Secretariat. Both are hampered in fulfilling their mandated roles. The Security
Council suffers from an inability to take decisive action. The Secretariat is
pressured by the complex demands of the member states
In
the short term, four practical measures are possible to strengthen the
executive function within the United Nations
1. Limiting the exercise of the veto power
The
original intention of the UN Charter in conferring veto power on the five
Permanent Members was to prevent the Security Council from authorizing military
actions against a Permanent Member or requiring the use of its forces against
its will.21
In fact, beginning with the Cold War, the veto power has been exercised
repeatedly for reasons that have to do with regional or national security
In
its 1955 submission on UN reform, the Bahá'í International Community argued for
the gradual elimination of the concepts of "permanent membership" and
"veto power" as confidence in the Security Council would build.
Today, forty years later, we reaffirm that position. However, we also propose
that, as a transitionary step, measures be introduced to curb the exercise of
the veto power to reflect the original intention of the Charter
2. Institutionalizing ad hoc military arrangements
To
support the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations, and to add
credibility to resolutions of the Security Council, an International Force
should be created.22
Its loyalty to the UN and its independence from national considerations must be
assured. The command and control of such a fully armed Force would reside with
the Secretary-General under the authority of the Security Council. Its
finances, however, would be determined by the General Assembly. In constructing
such a force, the Secretary-General would seek to draw competent personnel from
all regions of the world
If
properly implemented, this Force would also provide a sense of security that
might encourage steps toward global disarmament, thereby making possible an
outright ban on all weapons of mass destruction.23 Furthermore, in
line with the principle of collective security, it would become gradually
understood that states need only maintain armaments sufficient for their own
defense and the maintenance of internal order
As
an immediate step toward the establishment of this Force, the present system of
ad hoc arrangements could be institutionalized to establish core regional
forces for rapid deployment during a crisis
3. Applying the notion of collective security to other problems of
the global commons
Although
originally conceived within the context of a threat of military aggression, the
principle of collective security, some argue, may now be applied in an
expansive manner to all threats which, although apparently local in nature, are
actually the result of the complex breakdown of the present-day global order. These
threats include but are not limited to international drug trafficking, food
security, and the emergence of new global pandemics.24
We
believe this issue would have to be included on the agenda of the proposed
Global Summit. However, it is unlikely that expansive formulations of
collective security would preclude the fundamental cause of military aggression
4. Retaining successful UN institutions with independent executive
function
Some
of the more independent organizations within the UN family, such as the UN
International Children's Emergency Fund, the International Civil Aviation
Organization, the Universal Postal Union, the International Telegraph and
Communications Union, the International Labor Organization, and the World
Health Organization, have enjoyed conspicuous success with focused but
important areas of international concern
Generally,
these organizations already have their own executive function. Their
independence should be retained and reinforced as part of the international
executive.25
C.
A Strengthened World Court
In
any system of governance, a strong judicial function is necessary to moderate
the powers of the other branches and to enunciate, promulgate, protect and
deliver justice. The drive to create just societies has been among the
fundamental forces in history26 -- and without
doubt no lasting world civilization can be founded unless it is firmly grounded
in the principle of justice.
Justice
is the one power that can translate the dawning consciousness of humanity's
oneness into a collective will through which the necessary structures of global
community life can be confidently erected. An age that sees the people of the
world increasingly gaining access to information of every kind and to a
diversity of ideas will find justice asserting itself as the ruling principle
of successful social organization.
At
the individual level, justice is that faculty of the human soul that enables
each person to distinguish truth from falsehood. In the sight of God, Bahá'u'lláh avers, justice is "the best beloved of
all things" since it permits each individual to see with his own eyes
rather than the eyes of others, to know through his own knowledge rather than
the knowledge of his neighbor or his group.
At
the group level, a concern for justice is the indispensable compass in
collective decision-making, because it is the only means by which unity of
thought and action can be achieved. Far from encouraging the punitive spirit
that has often masqueraded under its name in past ages, justice is the
practical expression of awareness that, in the achievement of human progress,
the interests of the individual and those of society are inextricably linked.
To the extent that justice becomes a guiding concern of human interaction, a
consultative climate is encouraged that permits options to be examined
dispassionately and appropriate courses of action selected. In such a climate
the perennial tendencies toward manipulation and partisanship are far less
likely to deflect the decision-making process.
Such
a conception of justice will be gradually reinforced by the realization that in
an interdependent world, the interests of the individual and society are
inextricably intertwined. In this context, justice is a thread that must be
woven into the consideration of every interaction, whether in the family, the
neighborhood, or at the global level
We
see in the current United Nations system the foundation for a strengthened
World Court. Established in 1945 as the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations, the International Court of Justice is characterized by many positive
elements. The current system for the selection of judges, for example, seeks to
create a judicial panel which is representative of a wide range of peoples,
regions, and judicial systems.27
The
Court's primary shortcoming is that it lacks the authority to issue legally
binding decisions, except in those cases where states have chosen in advance to
be bound by its decisions. Without jurisdiction, the Court is powerless to
administer justice.28
In time, the decisions of the World Court may become binding and enforceable
upon all states; however, in the short term, the World Court might be
strengthened through two other measures.
1.
Extending the court's jurisdiction
Currently,
the Court's jurisdiction is limited to a few categories of cases, and only
nations have standing to bring an action. We propose that in addition to member
states, other organs of the United Nations should be given the right to bring
cases before the Court.
2.
Coordinating the thematic courts
The
World Court should act as an umbrella for existing and new thematic courts,
that arbitrate and adjudicate international cases within specific thematic
domains.
Early
components of a unified system can already be found in the specialized courts
for arbitration of such matters as commerce and transportation, and in the
proposals for such bodies as an International Criminal Court and a Chamber for
Environmental Matters. Other issue areas that might need to be addressed under
such a system would include courts for international terrorism and drug
trafficking.
IV. Releasing the Power of the Individual: A
Critical Challenge of the Emerging International Order
The
primary objective of governing institutions at all levels is the advancement of
human civilization. This objective is difficult to satisfy without the inspired
and intelligent participation of the generality of humankind in the life and
affairs of the community
With
a focus on building institutions and creating a community of nations,
international bodies have historically remained distant from the minds and
hearts of the world's people. Separated by several layers of government from
the international arena and confused by the media's coverage of international
news, the vast majority of people have not yet developed an affinity for
institutions like the United Nations. Only those individuals who have had some
access to the international arena through channels like organizations of civil
society seem able to identify with these institutions.
Paradoxically,
international institutions cannot develop into an effective and mature level of
government and fulfill their primary objective to advance human civilization,
if they do not recognize and nurture their relationship of mutual dependency
with the people of the world. Such recognition would set in motion a virtuous
cycle of trust and support that would accelerate the transition to a new world
order
The
tasks entailed in the development of a global society call for levels of
capacity far beyond anything the human race has so far been able to muster.
Reaching these levels will require an enormous expansion in access to knowledge
on the part of every individual. International institutions will succeed in
eliciting and directing the potentialities latent in the peoples of the world
to the extent that their exercise of authority is moderated by their obligation
to win the confidence, respect, and genuine support of those whose actions they
seek to govern and to consult openly and to the fullest extent possible with
all those whose interests are affected
Individuals
who become confident and respectful of these institutions will, in turn, demand
that their national governments increase their support, both political and
economic, for the international order. In turn, the international institutions,
with increased influence and power, will be better positioned to undertake
further actions to establish a legitimate and effective world order
Along
with the measures for strengthening its structure, the United Nations needs to
adopt initiatives that release the latent power in all people to participate in
this galvanizing process. To this end, certain themes that accelerate the
advancement of the individual and society warrant special consideration. Among
them, promoting economic development, protecting human rights, advancing the
status of women, and emphasizing moral development are four priorities so
closely tied to the advancement of civilization that they must be emphasized as
part of the United Nations agenda
A.
Promoting Economic Development
Economic
development strategies employed by the United Nations, the World Bank and a
number of governments during the last fifty years, however sincerely conceived
and executed, have fallen far short of aspirations. In much of the world, the
gap between the haves and have-nots has widened and is
accelerating with the persistent disparity in income levels. Social problems
have not subsided. In fact, crime and disease are not just on the rise; they
are also becoming endemic and more difficult to combat
These
failures can be traced to a number of factors. They include a misplaced focus
on large-scale projects and bureaucratic over-centralization, unjust terms of
international trade, a pervasive corruption that has been allowed to flourish
throughout the system, the exclusion of women from the decision-making
processes at all levels, a general inability to ensure that resources reach the
poor, and the diversion of development resources into military hardware
A
dispassionate examination of these factors betrays a common systematic and
fundamental flaw in the current paradigm for economic development: material
needs are often addressed without taking into account the spiritual factors and
their motivating power.
Development
should not become confused with the creation of an unsustainable consumer
society. True prosperity encompasses spiritual as well as material well-being.
Food, drink, shelter and a degree of material comfort are essential, but human
beings cannot and never will find fulfillment in these necessities. Nor is
contentment to be found in the somewhat more intangible material attainments
such as social recognition or political power. Ultimately, not even
intellectual achievement satisfies our deepest needs
It
is in the hunger for something more, something beyond ourselves,
that the reality of the human spirit can be properly understood. Although the
spiritual side of our nature is obscured by the day-to-day struggle for
material attainment, our need for the transcendent cannot long be disregarded.
Thus a sustainable development paradigm must address both the spiritual aspirations
of human beings and their material needs and desires
Education
is the best investment in economic development. "Man is the supreme
Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which
he doth inherently possess," writes Bah?'u'll?h. "Regard man
as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to
reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."29 Education,
implies more than a process of mastering a narrow body of knowledge or learning
a set of life skills. In truth, education, which should be a fundamental
imperative of development, must also teach the process for knowledge
acquisition, cultivate the powers of intellect and reasoning, and infuse the
student with indispensable moral qualities
It
is this comprehensive approach to education that allows people to contribute to
the creation of wealth and encourage its just
distribution. 30
Genuine
wealth is created when work is undertaken not simply as a means of earning a
livelihood but also as a way to contribute to society. We hold that meaningful
work is a basic need of the human soul, as important to the proper development
of the individual as nutritious food, clean water and fresh air are to the
physical body
Because
of the spiritually damaging nature of dependency, schemes which focus solely on
redistributing material wealth are doomed to failure in the long run.
Distribution of wealth must be approached in an efficient and equitable manner.
In fact, it must be intimately integrated with the process of wealth creation
We
propose the following recommendation to the United Nations system for promoting
more effective development
1. Launching a determined campaign to implement Agenda 21
The
plan of action formulated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development incorporated a wide range of views from civil society and a set of
principles not unlike those articulated in this statement. Unfortunately,
however, little has been done by member states to implement the measures
described in the plan.
If
the objectives of Agenda 21 are to be addressed and satisfied, an expanded
effort, different in nature but comparable in scale and commitment to the
Marshall Plan for the redevelopment of post-war Europe, might be necessary. In
this case, the Bretton Woods institutions would be called upon to mount a
pronounced campaign to expedite national implementation efforts. A mandate of
this nature can result only from a conference, similar to the first Bretton
Woods meetings fifty years ago, dedicated to a wholesale re-examination of
these institutions. The purpose of this re-examination would be to make
available to the people of the world sufficient resources so that they could
implement local initiatives. Moreover, the conference could also expand its
agenda to address deeper issues of global economic security through the
redefinition of existing institutions or the creation of new structures.31
If
successful, this new machinery could also be extended to coordinate
implementation of the measures identified at the recent Social Summit
B.
Protecting Fundamental Human Rights
Over
the five decades since the United Nations was founded, an understanding has
emerged that human rights must be recognized and protected internationally if
peace, social progress and economic prosperity are to be established
The
foundation for international agreement on the nature of human rights is the
all-important Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United
Nations in 1948 and elaborated in two international covenants -- the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International
Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights. In addition, some 75 other
conventions and declarations identify and promote the rights of women and
children, the right to freedom of worship, and the right to development, to
name but a few
The
current United Nations human rights regime has two major shortcomings: limited
means for enforcement and follow-up, and too little emphasis on the
responsibilities that accompany all rights
Human
rights enforcement at the international level needs to be handled in a manner
similar to the treatment of military aggression under a collective security
regime. The violation of human rights in one state must be considered the
concern of all, and enforcement mechanisms must provide for a unified response
on the part of the entire international community. The question of when and how
to intervene to protect human rights is more difficult to answer. Vigorous
enforcement will require a high degree of global consensus on what constitutes
a flagrant and willful violation
Important
steps toward global consensus were taken during the process leading up to the
1993 World Conference on Human Rights, which affirmed unequivocally that human
rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent, and ended the
long-standing debate about the relative importance of civil and political
rights as compared to social, economic and cultural rights. 32 Conference
resolutions also confirmed that human rights must be applied irrespective of
differences of racial background, ethnic origin, religious belief or national
identity. They encompass the equality of women and men; they include for all
individuals worldwide the same rights to freedom of investigation, information
and religious practice; and they embody the right of everyone to basic
necessities such as food, shelter, and health care.33 Beyond the need
to build consensus and strengthen enforcement of human rights, it is important
to establish a greater understanding that to each right is attached a
corresponding responsibility
The
right to be recognized as a person before the law, for example, implies the
responsibility to obey the law -- and to make both the laws and the legal
system more just. Likewise, in the socio-economic realm, the right to marry
carries with it the responsibility to support the family unit, to educate one's
children and to treat all family members with respect. 34 The right to
work cannot be divorced from the responsibility to perform one's duties to the
best of one's ability. In the broadest sense, the notion of "universal"human rights implies a responsibility to
humanity as a whole
Ultimately,
while it is up to the individual to fulfill the responsibility in each such
area, it is up to international institutions to protect the related human
right. We propose three measures for immediate action
1.
Strengthening the machinery of the UN for monitoring, implementation and
follow-up
The
United Nations machinery for the monitoring, implementation and follow-up of
government compliance with international covenants is inadequate. The Centre
for Human Rights consists of a very small professional staff struggling to
support efforts to monitor the compliance by countries of all treaties they
have ratified.
We
believe the resources assigned to this Centre must be dramatically increased if
it is to discharge its duties properly
2.
Encouraging universal ratification of international conventions on human rights
Since
ratifying the international conventions on human rights creates an obligation
for member states, albeit not a practically enforceable one, the
Secretary-General and all bodies of the UN might consider every opportunity to
encourage member states to act on this issue. In fact, a demanding timeline for
universal ratification may be an inspiring goal to be set by the General
Assembly
3.
Assuring respect for the monitoring organs of UN involved in human rights
Since
the mandate of the human rights monitoring agencies is of a very serious
nature, the UN needs to be particularly mindful of perceptions created by the
structure and processes of these agencies and equally deliberate in acting to
resolve compromising situations
We
believe it would be prudent to explore during the nomination process the qualifications
of member states in visible positions and to exclude from election to
membership on the Commission on Human Rights and other monitoring agencies, any
member states that have not yet ratified the international conventions. While
these member states would still be able to fully participate in deliberations,
it would protect the United Nations from a potentially embarrassing and
compromising situation
We
also believe that a single exception is warranted to the above rule. Member
states, not under the scrutiny of the UN, that have sufficient protection for
fundamental human rights within their constitutions, but which have not been
able to complete the ratification process because of internal political
reasons, should not be barred from election to visible positions
Finally,
it also seems prudent for member states that have ratified the international
conventions but are under scrutiny for gross human rights violations to be
disqualified from election to the offices of conferences and other meetings of
the Commission on Human Rights. This will prevent a widespread perception of
the proceedings as a mockery
C.
Advancing the Status of Women
The
creation of a peaceful and sustainable world civilization will be impossible
without the full participation of women in every arena of human activity.35 While this
proposition is increasingly supported, there is a marked difference between
intellectual acceptance and its implementation
It
is time for the institutions of the world, composed mainly of men, to use their
influence to promote the systematic inclusion of women, not out of
condescension or presumed self-sacrifice but as an act motivated by the belief
that the contributions of women are required for society to progress.36 Only as the contributions
of women are valued will they be sought out and woven into the fabric of
society. The result will be a more peaceful, balanced, just and prosperous
civilization37
The
obvious biological differences between the sexes need not be a cause for
inequality or disunity. Rather, they are an aspect of complementarity. If the
role of women as mothers is properly valued, their work in nurturing and
educating children will be respected and properly rewarded. It should also be
acknowledged that the child-bearing role does not diminish one's aptitude for
leadership, or undermine one's intellectual, scientific or creative capacity.
Indeed, it may be an enhancement
We
believe progress on a few critical fronts would have the greatest impact on the
advancement of women. We share the following perspectives which are
foundational to the recommendations which follow
First
and foremost, violence against women and girls, one of the most blatant and
widespread abuses of human rights, must be eradicated. Violence has been a fact
of life for many women throughout the world, regardless of race, class, or
educational background. In many societies, traditional beliefs that women are
inferior or a burden make them easy targets of anger and frustration. Even
strong legal remedies and enforcement mechanisms will have little effect until
they are supported by a transformation in the attitudes of men. Women will not
be safe until a new social conscience takes hold, one which will make the mere
expression of condescending attitudes towards women, let alone any form of
physical violence, a cause for deep shame
Second,
the family remains the basic building block of society and behaviors observed
and learned there will be projected onto interactions at all other levels of
society. Therefore, the members of the institution of the family must be
transformed so that the principle of equality of women and men is internalized.
Further, if the bonds of love and unity cement family relationships, the impact
will reach beyond its borders and affect society as a whole.
Third,
while the overall goal of any society must be to educate all its members, at
this stage in human history the greatest need is to educate women and girls.38 For over twenty
years, studies have consistently documented that, of all possible investments,
educating women and girls pays the highest overall dividends in terms of social
development, the eradication of poverty and the advancement of community.39
Fourth,
the global dialogue on the role of men and women must promote recognition of
the intrinsic complementarity of the two sexes. For the differences between
them are a natural assertion of the necessity of women and men to work together
to bring to fruition their potentialities for advancing civilization, no less
than for perpetuating the human race. Such differences
are inherent in the interactive character of their common humanity. This
dialogue needs to consider the historical forces which have led to the
oppression of women and examine the new social, political and spiritual
realities which are today transforming our civilization.
As
a starting point for this dialogue we offer this analogy from the Bahá'í
Writings: "The world of humanity has two wings -- one is women and the
other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should
one wing remain weak, flight is impossible."40 In addition, we
support the following three specific measures
1.
Increasing the participation of women in member state delegations
We
recommend that member states be encouraged to appoint an increased number of
women to ambassadorial or similar diplomatic positions.
2.
Encouraging universal ratification of international conventions that protect
women's rights and improve their status
As
with the international conventions on human rights, the Secretary-General and
all bodies of the UN should consider every opportunity to encourage member
states to proceed with ratification of conventions and protocols that protect
women's rights and seek their advancement.
3.
Planning ahead for implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action
The
Forward-Looking Strategies declaration adopted at the Nairobi conference was
highly bold and imaginative, yet its implementation was rather ineffective. 41 We believe that
a lesson should be learned from this unfortunate experience and deliberate
plans be put into place to ensure that the Platform of Action emerging from the
Beijing conference does not meet a similar fate
We
propose that a monitoring system be established to prepare status reports on
the implementation of adopted measures and to make presentations to the General
Assembly annually, highlighting the top twenty and bottom twenty member states
in terms of compliance.
D.
Emphasizing Moral Development
The
process of integrating human beings into larger and larger groups, although
influenced by culture and geography, has been driven largely by religion, the
most powerful agent for changing human attitudes and behavior. By religion,
however, we mean the essential foundation or reality of religion, not the
dogmas and blind imitations which have gradually encrusted it and which are the
cause of its decline and effacement
In
the words of `Abdu'l-Bahá "Material civilization
is like the body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it
may be, it is dead. Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets
its life from the spirit. . . . Without the spirit the world of mankind is
lifeless."42
The
concept of promoting specific morals or values may be controversial, especially
in this age of humanistic relativism. Nevertheless, we firmly believe there
exists a common set of values that have been obscured from recognition by those
who exaggerate minor differences in religious or cultural practice for
political purposes.43 These foundation virtues, taught by all spiritual
communities, constitute a basic framework for moral development.
Reflection
on the commonalties inherent in the great religious and moral systems of the
world reveals that each one espouses unity, cooperation and harmony among
people, establishes guidelines for responsible behavior and supports the development
of virtues which are the foundation for trust-based and principled
interactions.44
1.
Promoting the development of curricula for moral education in schools
We
advocate a universal campaign to promote moral development. Simply put, this
campaign should encourage and assist local initiatives all over the world to
incorporate a moral dimension into the education of children. It may
necessitate the holding of conferences, the publication of relevant materials
and many other supportive activities, all of which represent a solid investment
in a future generation.
This
campaign for moral development may begin with a few simple precepts. For
example, rectitude of conduct, trustworthiness, and honesty are the foundation
for stability and progress; altruism should guide all human endeavor, such that
sincerity and respect for the rights of others become an integral part of every
individual's actions; service to humanity is the true source of happiness,
honor and meaning in life.
We also
believe the campaign will be successful only to the extent that the force of
religion is relied upon in the effort. The doctrine of the separation of church
and state should not be used as a shield to block this salutary influence.
Specifically, religious communities will have to be drawn in as collaborative
partners in this important initiative.
As it
proceeds, this campaign will accelerate a process of individual empowerment
that will transform the way in which people, regardless of economic class,
social standing, or ethnic, racial or religious background, interact with their
society.
V. A Turning Point for all Nations: A Call to
World Leaders
We have
reached a turning point in the progress of nations.
"Unification
of the whole of mankind is the hall-mark of the stage which human society is
now approaching. Unity of family, of tribe, of city-state, and nation have been
successively attempted and fully established. World unity is the goal towards
which a harassed humanity is striving. Nation-building has come to an end. The
anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving towards a climax. A world,
growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and
wholeness of human relationships, and establish once for all the machinery that
can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life."45
Over a
century ago, Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is but one
God, that there is only one human race, and that all the world's religions
represent stages in the revelation of God's will and purpose for humanity. Bahá'u'lláh announced the arrival of the time, foretold in
all of the world's scriptures, when humanity would at last witness the uniting
of all peoples into a peaceful and integrated society.
He said
that human destiny lies not merely in the creation of a materially prosperous
society, but also in the construction of a global civilization where
individuals are encouraged to act as moral beings who understand their true
nature and are able to progress toward a greater fulfillment that no degree of
material bounty alone can provide.
Bahá'u'lláh
was also among the first to invoke the phrase "new world order" to
describe the momentous changes in the political, social and religious life of
the world. "The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be
discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing Order appeareth
to be lamentably defective," He wrote. "Soon will the present-day
order be rolled up and a new one spread out in its
stead."46
To this
end, He laid a charge on the leaders and members of society alike. "It is
not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who
loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its
citizens."47
Above all
else, leaders for the next generation must be motivated by a sincere desire to
serve the entire community and must understand that leadership is a responsibility;
not a path to privilege. For too long, leadership has been understood, by both
leaders and followers, as the assertion of control over others. Indeed, this
age demands a new definition of leadership and a new type of
leader.48
This is
especially true in the international arena. In order to establish a sense of
trust, win the confidence, and inculcate a fond affinity in the hearts of the
world's people for institutions of the international order, these leaders will
have to reflect on their own actions.
Through an
unblemished record of personal integrity, they must help restore confidence and
trust in government. They must embody the characteristics of honesty, humility
and sincerity of purpose in seeking the truth of a situation. They must be
committed to and guided by principles, thereby acting in the best long-term
interests of humanity as a whole.
"Let
your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own selves," Bahá'u'lláh wrote. "Do not busy yourselves in your own
concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the
fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men."49
1
Boutros-Ghali, Boutros. 1992. An Agenda for Peace: Peace-making and
Peace-Keeping. Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to the Statement
Adopted by the Summit Meeting of the Security Council, January 31, New York:
United Nations.
2 Surely
the preamble to The Charter of the United Nations is among the most inspired
passages in the history of human governance: "WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED
NATIONS DETERMINED "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of
war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth
of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large
and small, and
"to
establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations
arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained,
and
"to
promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
"AND
FOR THESE ENDS
"to
practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good
neighbors, and
"to
unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and
"to
ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institutions of methods, that
armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
"to
employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social
advancement of all peoples,
"HAVE
RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS.
"Accordingly,
our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of
San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due
form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby
establish an international organization to be known as the United
Nations."
United
Nations. 1994. Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International
Court of Justice. United Nations Department of Public Information. DPI/511 -
93243 - April 1994 - 40M.
3 The
World Bank. 1994. World Development Report. pp. 162 - 163. (Oxford: Oxford
University Press.)
4 There
have been a number of recent proposals which discuss the need for reforms in
the United Nations system within a particular issue area. Our Common Future,
the report of The World Commission on Environment and Development, for example,
suggested a number of changes, such as the creation of a special UN "Board
for Sustainable Development" to coordinate UN action in promoting
development while protecting the environment.
The World
Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future. (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1987.)
Likewise,
the report of The Brandt Commission, "Common Crisis North-South:
Co-operation for World Recovery", makes suggestions for reform in the
critical area of finance, trade and energy, as they affect North-South
imbalances.
The Brandt
Commission, Common Crisis North-South: Co-operation for World Recovery.
(London: Pan Books, 1983.)
The
literature proposing widespread changes in the United Nations is also
voluminous and continues to grow, especially in anticipation of the 50th
anniversary of the United Nations. The first major and serious reassessments of
the United Nations began in the 1950s, in anticipation of the 10th anniversary
of the Charter. In this regard the publication in 1958 of World Peace Through
World Law by Louis B. Sohn and Grenville Clark, which was among the first solid
proposals to suggest eliminating the veto power, must be considered a
milestone.
Grenville
Clark, and Louis B. Sohn, World Peace Through World Law. (Cambridge, Mass.:
Harvard University Press, 1966.)
More
recent proposals range from The Stockholm Initiative, which offers a generalist
vision of what might be done to strengthen the United Nations, to Harold
Stassen's recent United Nations: a Working Paper for Restructuring, which gives
an article-by-article proposal for rewriting the UN Charter. Benjamin Ferencz's latest book, New Legal Foundations for Global
Survival, offers a series of hard-headed and legal-minded suggestions for
reform based on the premise that nations, peoples and individuals must be free
to pursue their destinies in whatever way they may see fit - providing it does
not jeopardize or destroy the fundamental human rights of others to live in
peace and dignity.
The
Stockholm Initiative on Global Security and Governance 1991. Common Responsibility
in the 1990's. (Stockholm: Prime Minister's Office, Stockholm, Sweden.)
Harold
Stassen, United Nations: A Working Paper for Restructuring. (Minneapolis:
Learner Publications Company, 1994.)
Benjamin Ferencz, New Legal Foundations for Global Survival (Oceana
Publications, 1994)
5 The
Commission on Global Governance, Our Global Neighborhood. (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1995.)
6 Many
thinkers have recognized the reality of oneness and understood its implications
for the development of human society, including paleontologist Richard Leaky:
"We are one species, one people. Every individual on this earth is a
member of 'homo sapiens sapiens', and the geographical variations we see among
peoples are simply biological nuances on the basic theme. The human capacity
for culture permits its elaboration in widely different and colorful ways. The
often very deep differences between those cultures should not be seen as
divisions between people. Instead, cultures should be interpreted for what they
really are: the ultimate declaration of belonging to the human species."
Richard E.
Leakey, and Rodger Lewin, Origins: What new discoveries reveal about the
emergence of our species and its possible future. (New York: Dutton, 1977.)
In general
terms, the writings of Shoghi Effendi offer a
thorough and extended exposition on the concept of the oneness of humanity. A
brief summary of the concept, as Baha'is view it, can be found in The World
Order of Baha'u'llah.
Shoghi
Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing
Trust. 1938.) pp. 42-43.
7 We are
not alone in making this proposal. The Commission on Global Governance writes
in Our Global Neighborhood: "Our recommendation is that the General
Assembly should agree to hold a World Conference on Governance in 1998, with
its decisions to be ratified and put into effect by 2000."
The Report
of the Commission on Global Governance, Our Global Neighborhood. (New York:
Oxford University Press. 1995.) p.351.
8 Two
commonly used maxims illustrate this principle. "Small is beautiful,"
a maxim coined in the early '70s as an economic principle, applies equally to
governance. Schumacher explains: "In the affairs of men, there always
appears to be a need for at least two things simultaneously, which, on the face
of it, seem to be incompatible and to exclude one another. We always need both
freedom and order. We need the freedom of lots and lots of small, autonomous
unities, and, at the same time, the orderliness of large-scale, possibly
global, unity and coordination."
Schumacher,
E.F. Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. (New York: Harper and
Row, 1973.) p. 65.
"Think
globally, act locally," a slogan promoted by environmental and community
development activists, captures a perspective in which the need for overall
global coordination is carefully balanced against the need for local and
national autonomy.
9
"Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations of
society... [a system of world governance] seeks to broaden its basis, to remold
its institutions in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing
world. It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine
essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and
intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor to abolish the system of national
autonomy so essential if the evils of excessive centralization are to be
avoided. It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of
ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought
and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. It calls
for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than any that has animated the
human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and
interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It repudiates excessive
centralization on one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the
other."
Shoghi
Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing
Trust. 1974.) pp. 41-42.
10 Writing
in the 1930s, Shoghi Effendi, who then led the
worldwide Baha'i community, sketched out some of the functions and
responsibilities for a future world legislature. Among other things, he wrote:
"a world legislature, whose members will, as trustees of the whole of
mankind... enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy
the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples."
Shoghi
Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing
Trust. 1974) p. 203
This view
is shared by such scholars as Jan Tinbergen, winner of the 1969 Nobel prize for
Economics, who stated, "Mankind's problems can no longer be solved by
national governments. What is needed is a World Government. This can best be
achieved by strengthening the United Nations system."
United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Human
Development Report 1994. Global Governance for the 21st Century. (New York:
Oxford University Press.) p.88.
11 Baha'i
International Community. Proposals to the United Nations for Charter Revision.
May 23, 1955.
12
Throughout His writings, Baha'u'llah consistently uses the terms
"order", "world order" and "new world order" to
describe the ongoing and momentous series of changes in the political, social
and religious life of the world. In the late 1860s, He wrote: "The world's
equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great,
this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through
the agency of this unique, this wondrous System - the like of which mortal eyes
have never witnessed."
Baha'u'llah,
The Kitab-i-Aqdas.
Translated by Shoghi Effendi and a Committee at the
Baha'i World Centre. (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1992.)
13 'Abdu'l Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization. Trans.
Marzieh Gail. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1957.) p. 24.
14 United
Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), States of Disarray:
The social effects of globalization. (London: KPC Group. 1995) pp. 106-109.
15 There
are many ways that such a Commission, or even the World Legislature itself,
might go about determining fair and just borders for all nations. But as
daunting as the task may seem, it is an important part of the process of
building a new order. Wrote 'Abdu'l-Baha: "True
civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever
a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns -- the shining
exemplars of devotion and determination -- shall, for the good and happiness of
all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause
of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general
consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of
the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a
covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They
must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking -- the
real source of the peace and well-being of all the world -- should be regarded
as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must be
mobilized to ensure the stability and permanence of this Most Great Covenant. In
this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and
every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the
relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all
international agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size
of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the
preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to
increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle
underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later
violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to
reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve,
with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this
greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will
assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and
secure."
'Abdu'l Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization. Trans.
Marzieh Gail. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1957.) pp. 64-65.
16
According to a recent article in The New York Times, charitable giving in the
United States in 1994 rose by 3.6 percent to $130 billion.
Karen W. Arenson, "Charitable Giving Rose 3.6% in 1994,
Philanthropy Trust Says," The New York Times, Thursday, 25 May 1995, sec.A, p.22.
17
"Regarding the whole question of an International Language.... We, as
Baha'is, are very anxious to see a universal auxiliary tongue adopted as soon
as possible; we are not the protagonists of any one language to fill this post.
If the governments of the world agree on an existing language, or a constructed,
new tongue, to be used internationally, we would heartily support it because we
desire to see this step in the unification of the human race take place as soon
as possible."
Shoghi
Effendi, Directives of the Guardian. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust.)
p.39.
In making
this proposal, we wish to call attention to the term "auxiliary." The
Baha'i teachings value and promote cultural diversity, not uniformity. At this
point in history, then, we do not envision imposing a single language worldwide.
Rather, what we imagine is that peoples and nations would keep their own local
and national languages -- while at the same time be encouraged to learn a
universal language. Certainly such a universal language should ultimately be
taught, as a required subject, in all of the world's schools. But this should
in no way detract from legitimate expressions of national and local linguistic
and cultural diversity.
18
"The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have
adopted one universal language and one common script," wrote Baha'u'llah
in the late-1800s. "When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may
journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home."
Shoghi
Effendi, trans., Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette, Ill.:
Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1983.) p.250.
19 In a
"special contribution" to the 1994 Human Development Report, James
Tobin, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize for Economics, observes that "a
permanent single currency" would eliminate much if not all of the
turbulence currently associated with the huge amount of currency speculation on
world markets today. Observing that such a single world currency is probably a
long way off, he proposes as an interim measure an "international uniform
tax" on spot transactions in foreign exchange.
United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Human
Development Report 1994. A Tax on International Currency Transactions. (New
York: Oxford University Press.) p.70.
20 The
principle of collective security was put forth by Baha'u'llah over a century
ago in letters to the kings and rulers of the world: "Be united, O kings
of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you,
and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should anyone among
you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught
but manifest justice." Shoghi Effendi, trans.
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing
Trust. 1976.) p.254.
21 The
Report of the Independent Working Group on the Future of the United Nations.
The United Nations in its Second Half-Century. (Yale University Press Service,
1995.) p. 16.
22
Glenview Foundation, The Stassen Draft Charter for a New United Nations to
Emerge from the Original, to Serve World Peace and Progress for the Next Forty
Years. (Philadelphia: Glenview Foundation. 1985.)
Grenville
Clark and Louis B. Sohn, World Peace Through World Law. (Cambridge, Mass.:
Harvard University Press, 1966.)
Keith Hindell, "Reform of the United Nations?" in The
World Today: Journal of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. (United
Kingdom, Feb. 1992.) Vol. 48, No. 2. pp.30-33.
John
Logue, "New World Order Means Reformed U.N.", World Federalist News,
July 1992.
Benjamin
B. Ferencz and Ken Keyes Jr., Planethood: The Key to
Your Future. (Coos Bay, Oregon: Love Line Books. 1991.)
Boutros-Ghali,
Boutros. 1992. An Agenda for Peace: Peace-making and Peace-Keeping. Report of
the Secretary-General Pursuant to the Statement Adopted by the Summit Meeting
of the Security Council, January 31, New York: United Nations.
23 This is
not to say that steps to ban such weapons should await the full development and
deployment of such a Force. We wholeheartedly support current steps to renew
the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to firmly establish a
comprehensive test ban, as well as any further efforts to eliminate nuclear,
chemical and/or biological weapons. Likewise, stronger efforts must be made to
restrict and control conventional weapons such as land mines, which kill
indiscriminately.
24 Mahbub
ul Haq, 1994. Senior Advisor to UNDP Administrator.
Team Leader of the Group that prepares the UNDP annual Human Development
Reports which have brought, in recent years, fresh insights to development theory
and practice, including a new concept on human security.
25 Erskine
Childers, ed. Challenges to the United Nations: Building a Safer World. (New
York: St. Martin's Press. 1994.) pp.21-25.
26 John
Huddleston, The Search for a Just Society. (Kidlington, Oxford: George Ronald.
1989.)
27 About
75 years ago 'Abdu'l-Baha offered the following
suggestions for a future world court: "the national assemblies of each
country and nation -- that is to say parliaments -- should elect two or three
persons who are the choicest of that nation, and are well informed concerning
international laws and the relations between governments and aware of the
essential needs of the world of humanity in this day. The number of these
representatives should be in proportion to the number of inhabitants of that
country. The election of these souls who are chosen by the national assembly,
that is, the parliament, must be confirmed by the upper house, the congress and
the cabinet and also by the president or monarch so these persons may be the
elected ones of all the nation and the government. The Supreme Tribunal will be
composed of these people, and all mankind will thus have a share therein, for
every one of these delegates is fully representative of his nation. When the
Supreme Tribunal gives a ruling on any international question, either
unanimously or by majority rule, there will no longer be any pretext for the
plaintiff or ground of objection for the defendant. In case any of the
governments or nations, in the execution of the irrefutable decision of the
Supreme Tribunal, be negligent or dilatory, the rest of the nations will rise
up against it, because all the governments and nations of the world are the
supporters of this Supreme Tribunal. Consider what a firm foundation this is! But
by a limited and restricted League the purpose will not be realized as it ought
and should."
Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l Baha. Compiled by the
Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. Translated by a
Committee at the Baha'i World Centre and by Marzieh Gail. (Great Britain: W
& J Mackay Ltd. 1978.) pp. 306-307.
28 At the
present time, for example, the Court's jurisdiction is limited to 1) cases
which the parties refer to it jointly by special agreement, 2) matters
concerning a treaty or convention in force which provides for reference to the
Court, and 3) specified classes of legal disputes between States for which they
have recognized the jurisdiction of the Court as compulsory.
Europa
World Year Book 1994. Vol.I.
International Court of Justice. p.22.
29
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. Trans. Shoghi
Effendi. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1983.) p.260.
"The
primary most urgent requirement is the promotion of education. It is
inconceivable that any nation should achieve prosperity and success unless this
paramount, this fundamental concern is carried forward. The principal reason
for the decline and fall of peoples is ignorance. Today the mass of the people
are uninformed even as to ordinary affairs, how much less do they grasp the
core of the important problems and complex needs of the time."
'Abdu'l Baha. The Secret of Divine Civilization. Trans.
Marzieh Gail. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1957.) p.109.
"This
same difference is noticeable among animals; some have been domesticated,
educated, others left wild. The proof is clear that the world of nature is
imperfect, the world of education perfect. That is to say, man is rescued from
the exigencies of nature by training and culture; consequently, education is
necessary, obligatory. But education is of various kinds. There is a training
and development of the physical body which ensures strength and growth. There
is intellectual education or mental training for which schools and colleges are
founded. The third kind of education is that of the spirit. Through the breaths
of the Holy Spirit man is uplifted into the world of moralities and illumined
by the lights of divine bestowals. The moral world is only attained through the
effulgence of the Sun of Reality and the quickening life of the divine
spirit."
'Abdu'l Baha, in a Talk delivered in St. Paul on 20
September 1912. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. p.329-330.
30
Governments and their partners must bear in mind that material equality is
neither achievable nor desirable. Absolute equality is a chimera. At various
points along the way, there will nevertheless be the necessity for the
redistribution of some of the world's wealth. For, indeed, it is becoming increasingly
obvious that unbridled capitalism does not provide the answer either. Some
regulation and redistribution is necessary to promote material justice. In this
regard, a tax on income is, in principle, one of the fairest and most equitable
means. There must also be a role for the voluntary sharing of wealth -- both at
an individual and an institutional level. Equal opportunities for economic
advancement and progress, however, must be woven into the very fabric of the
new order. Ultimately, the most important regulation on any economic system is
the moral regulation that begins in the hearts and minds of people.
31 The
Establishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a commendable first
step in the right direction and may be useful in the long run, as one of the
tools that could be the basis for funding Agenda 21, if its operational scale
is enlarged and its mandate redefined.
32 World
Conference on Human Rights. Vienna Declaration and Programme
of Action. 14-25 June 1993. Vienna-Austria.
33 A
further elaboration of this concept can be found in The Prosperity of
Humankind, a statement of the Baha'i International Community, Office of Public
Information, published in February 1995: "The activity most intimately
linked to the consciousness that distinguishes human nature is the individual's
exploration of reality for himself or herself. The freedom to investigate the
purpose of existence and to develop the endowments of human nature that make it
achievable requires protection. Human beings must be free to know. That such
freedom is often abused and such abuse grossly encouraged by features of
contemporary society does not detract in any degree from the validity of the
impulse itself.
"It
is this distinguishing impulse of human consciousness that provides the moral
imperative for the enunciation of many of the rights enshrined in the Universal
Declaration and the related Covenants. Universal education, freedom of
movement, access to information, and the opportunity to participate in
political life are all aspects of its operation that require explicit guarantee
by the international community. The same is true of freedom of thought and
belief, including religious liberty, along with the right to hold opinions and
express these opinions appropriately.
"Since
the body of humankind is one and indivisible, each member of the race is born
into the world as a trust of the whole. This trusteeship constitutes the moral
foundation of most of the other rights -- principally economic and social --
which the instruments of the United Nations are attempting similarly to define.
The security of the family and the home, the ownership of property, and the
right to privacy are all implied in such a trusteeship. The obligations on the
part of the community extend to the provision of employment, mental and
physical health care, social security, fair wages, rest and recreation, and a
host of other reasonable expectations on the part of the individual members of
society.
"The
principle of collective trusteeship creates also the right of every person to
expect that those cultural conditions essential to his or her identity enjoy
the protection of national and international law. Much like the role played by
the gene pool in the biological life of humankind and its environment, the
immense wealth of cultural diversity achieved over thousands of years is vital
to the social and economic development of a human race experiencing its
collective coming-of-age. It represents a heritage that must be permitted to
bear its fruit in a global civilization. On the one hand, cultural expressions
need to be protected from suffocation by the materialistic influences currently
holding sway. On the other, cultures must be enabled to interact with one
another in ever-changing patterns of civilization, free of manipulation for
partisan political ends."
Baha'i
International Community, Office of Public Information, The Prosperity of
Humankind. (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre. 1995.)
34
Ultimately, respect for human rights must begin in the family: "Compare the
nations of the world to the members of a family. A family is a nation in
miniature. Simply enlarge the circle of the household, and you have the nation.
Enlarge the circle of nations, and you have all humanity. The conditions
surrounding the family surround the nation. The happenings in the family are
the happenings in the life of the nation. Would it add to the progress and
advancement of a family if dissensions should arise among its members, all
fighting, pillaging each other, jealous and revengeful of injury, seeking
selfish advantage? Nay, this would be the cause of the effacement of progress
and advancement. So it is in the great family of nations, for nations are but
an aggregate of families. Therefore, as strife and dissension destroy a family
and prevent its progress, so nations are destroyed and advancement
hindered."
'Abdu'l Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks
Delivered by 'Abdul-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912. Comp. Howard MacNutt. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1982.)
p.157
35
"When all mankind shall receive the same opportunity of education and the
equality of men and women be realized, the foundations of war will be utterly
destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and
distinction are conducive to discord and strife. Equality between men and women
is conducive to the abolition of warfare for the reason that women will never
be willing to sanction it. Mothers will not give their sons as sacrifices upon
the battlefield after twenty years of anxiety and loving devotion in rearing
them from infancy, no matter what cause they are called upon to defend. There
is no doubt that when women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease
among mankind."
'Abdu'l Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Comp.
Howard MacNutt. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1982.) pp.174-175.
36
"Let it be known once more that until woman and man recognize and realize
equality, social and political progress here or anywhere will not be possible.
For the world of humanity consists of two parts or members: one is woman; the
other is man. Until these two members are equal in strength, the oneness of
humanity cannot be established, and the happiness and felicity of mankind will
not be a reality. God willing, this is to be so." From a Talk by 'Abdu'l Baha to Federation of Women's Clubs, Chicago,
Illinois on 2 May 1912.
'Abdul-Baha,
The Promulgation of Universal Peace. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust.
1982.) p.77.
37
"The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over
woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and
mind. But the balance is already shifting -- force is losing its weight and
mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service,
in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine, and more permeated with the feminine
ideals -- or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and
feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced."
'Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in John E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and
the New Era, p. 156., 4th rev. ed., 1976, Wilmette: Baha'i Books, published by
Pyramid Publications for Baha'i Publishing Trust.
38 This
principle, that women and girls should receive priority over men and boys in
access to education, has been a long-standing principle in the Baha'i
teachings. Speaking in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha said:
"In proclaiming the oneness of mankind [Baha'u'llah] taught that men and
women are equal in the sight of God and that there is no distinction to be made
between them. The only difference between them now is due to lack of education
and training. If woman is given equal opportunity of education, distinction and
estimate of inferiority will disappear.... Furthermore, the education of women
is of greater importance than the education of men, for they are the mothers of
the race, and mothers rear the children. The first teachers of children are the
mothers. Therefore, they must be capably trained in order to educate both sons
and daughters. There are many provisions in the words of Baha'u'llah in regard
to this.
"He
promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and woman.
Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting
unity of the sexes."
'Abdu'l Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Comp.
Howard MacNutt. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1982.) pp.174-175.
39
Lawrence H. Summers, Vice President & Chief Economist for the World Bank,
Investing in All the People. 1992. Also, USAID. 1989. Technical Reports in
Gender and Development. Making the Case for the Gender Variable: Women and the
Wealth and Well-being of Nations. Office of Women in Development.
40
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l Baha.
Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
Translated by a Committee at the Baha'i World Centre and by Marzieh Gail.
(Great Britain: W & J. Mackay Ltd. 1978.) p.302.
41 The
Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. As adopted by
the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United
Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, Nairobi, Kenya,
15-26 July 1985.
42
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l Baha.
Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
Translated by a Committee at the Baha'i World Centre and by Marzieh Gail.
(Great Britain: W & J. Mackay Ltd. 1978.) p.303.
43 The
interfaith declaration entitled "Towards a Global Ethic," which was
produced by an assembly of religious and spiritual leaders from virtually every
major world religion and spiritual movement at the 1993 Parliament of the
World's Religions in Chicago, suggests that it is indeed possible for the
world's religions to find much common ground in this regard. The declaration
states: "We affirm that a common set of core values is found in the
teachings of the religions, and that these form the basis of a global ethic...
There already exist ancient guidelines for human behavior which are found in
the teachings of the religions of the world and which are the condition for a
sustainable world order."
44 The
Golden Rule, the teaching that we should treat others as we ourselves would
wish to be treated, is an ethic variously repeated in all the great religions:
Buddhism:
"Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varqa, 5:18.
Zoroastrianism:
"That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is
not good for its own self." Dadistan-i Dinik, 94:5.
Judaism:
"What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire
Law, all the rest is commentary." The Talmud, Shabbat, 31a.
Hinduism:
"This is the sum of all true righteousness: deal with others as thou
wouldst thyself be dealt by. Do nothing to thy neighbour
which thou wouldst not have him do to thee after." The Mahabharata.
Christianity:
"As ye would that men should do to you, do ye
also to them likewise." Luke 6:31.
Islam:
"No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which
he desires for himself." Sunnah.
Taoism:
The good man "ought to pity the malignant tendencies of others; to regard
their gains as if they were his own, and their losses in the same way."
The Thai-Shang.
Confucianism:
"Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others that you
would not have them do unto you." Analects, XV, 23
Baha'i
Faith: "He should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for
himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil." Gleanings.
45 Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah. (Wilmette,
Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1938.) p. 202.
46
Baha'u'llah. The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah. (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre.
1978.) p.113.
47
Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah. Compiled by the Research Department of the
Universal House of Justice. Translated by Habib Taherzadeh
with the assistance of a Committee at the Baha'i World Centre. (Haifa: Baha'i
World Centre. 1982.) p.167.
48 The
Commission on Global Governance writes: "As the world faces the need for
enlightened responses to the challenges that arise on the eve of the new
century, we are concerned at the lack of leadership over a wide spectrum of
human affairs. At national, regional, and international levels, within
communities and in international organizations, in governments and in
non-governmental bodies, the world needs credible and sustained leadership.
"It
needs leadership that is proactive, not simply reactive, that is inspired, not
simply functional, that looks to the longer term and future generations for
whom the present is held in trust. It needs leaders made strong by vision,
sustained by ethics, and revealed by political courage that looks beyond the
next election.
"This
cannot be leadership confined within domestic walls. It must reach beyond
country, race, religion, culture, language, life-style.
It must embrace a wider human constituency, be infused with a sense of caring
for others, a sense of responsibility to the global neighborhood."
Report of
the Commission on Global Governance, Our Global Neighborhood. (New York: Oxford
University Press. 1995.) p.353.
49
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. Translated by Shoghi
Effendi. (Wilmette, Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1976.) p.7.
BIC
Document #95-1001