Potential Weaknesses:
1. Educated ruling elite vs. a “trailer park” common mass.
2. Disconnect between governmental power and the rights of the people/minority.
3. Disrespect for the value and safety that a “separation of power” structure provides.
4. A leadership at any level that does not truly “feel your pain” and “understand your need” of those under it.
5. A complacent and docile population that would lead to any of the above.
Strengths:
1. Better able to care for the needs of the people, ensure peace and a stable society, and overcome the adversity of calamitous events quickly with minimum effort and cost.
2. Ensures respect for and the rights of ALL members of the society regardless of location on the planet and potentially “off.”
3. Allows for the balanced and equitable distribution of ALL aspects of civil benefits with total awareness of need as well as desire.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
8. What is the quality of citizenry necessary to the quality of life in a peaceful world?
"... if the family is right the community will be right,Confucius
if the community is right then the state will be right,
if the state is right, then the nation will be right."
A peaceful world civilization cannot be created from the top down. That is a dictatorship of educated elite who believe that it knows best how "I" should lead my life. This is the foundation of an elitist leadership. It cannot last long.
World Peace begins in me and with my view of you. Do I respect you? Does my family respect your family? Does my community respect your community? Does my state respect your state? These are basic questions needing an answer because without this foundation a leadership will not arise that respects the people. This leads to the weaknesses pointed out above.
This leads to the value of education. The Marxists knew this very well and it is also one of the major reasons for the problem in the Japanese educational system. Conversely the Roman Catholic Church understands it, which is why the Catholic school system is so widely respected and parents of non-Catholics seek to send there children to its schools. Understanding this point by Moslems is also the reason why the Islamic fundamentalist Madrasa is so feared by the west, yet sought after by the parents of Islamic children. And why so many parents in the west are so desperate that they home school their children.
The only people who seem not to understand it are the people who need to – like politicians and local public school teachers.
What is central to education and when does it begin? Is science and math most important to being educated? How about art or history? What is the most important aspect of education.
If a scientist invents something what determines more than anything whether or not it will be used for the good of humankind or bad?
The fundamental component in education is “character” education. Without this aspect the addition of arts and sciences creates a person of dubious character who is likely to be short on ethics and concern for or respect for their fellow man.
The problem with modern western public education is that this component is lacking – until perhaps university when it is way too late to have an impact on the budding psyche. Why is it lacking? Because of the almost paranoia of separation of church and state, the teaching of moral education is lost to all but the private religious schools.
Because of the connection between instruction in morals and the connotations of morals and religion, instruction in the subject in a non-religious environment is avoided. Thus we are seeing the maturation of young people with a relativistic view of life and licentious lifestyle. They have little regard for authority or the feeling of others. This kind of person seeks power for power's sake and views the situation of others as of secondary importance to his/her own.
One of the most central individuals to effect the formation of this present trend in society, I believe, was Dr. Benjamin Spock. He’s theories of infant and childhood education and discipline, I would say, is a root cause of “the fall” of western civilization. A striking if not shocking thing to say, perhaps.
9. The Ideal: True Civilization
A “civilization” consisting of potentially thousands of mutually dependent yet unique autonomous states that guarantees the integrity of each, respecting the traditions of all; no member state rejecting such traditions, as accepted in any member state, from being practiced whole or in part within the boundary of its state; such civilization capable of maintaining the honor and integrity of every individual as a noble man/woman.
The guarantee of the free flow of citizenry to come and go, live and work in any corner of the civilization in compete security and respect for their person, family and tradition.
Education of the citizenry in the ideals of internal noble character, as recognized by all member states; as well as external knowledge in fields, as expected by the society, necessary to achieve success in life must be guaranteed.
Freedom from need, whether of health or happiness and the freedom to pursue goals by all members of the citizenry as well as the freedom to achieve fulfillment of reasonable expectations consistent with a responsible citizenry must be guaranteed.
The guarantee of the free flow of citizenry to come and go, live and work in any corner of the civilization in compete security and respect for their person, family and tradition.
Education of the citizenry in the ideals of internal noble character, as recognized by all member states; as well as external knowledge in fields, as expected by the society, necessary to achieve success in life must be guaranteed.
Freedom from need, whether of health or happiness and the freedom to pursue goals by all members of the citizenry as well as the freedom to achieve fulfillment of reasonable expectations consistent with a responsible citizenry must be guaranteed.
10. A World Government: Euro-Centric or Sino-Centric
"Reiko, call the travel agent. We need two tickets to “Capital City.” Where did you say that was again?"
Most Euro-American thinkers and idealists naturally (or UN-naturally) believe that the center of civilization will be Europe – Geneva? Or America – New York? Both UN cities. This thought in itself is racist and shows that we still have the “white man’s burden” to save the world and give it a proper government.
As I have written before, I have lived on four continents and in each I would have been quite comfortable with the capital of the United States being in any one of them.
If the world were to be united into 6-7 hegemonic spheres or eventually into one civilization, where is the "UN" or the capital?
The “capital” of the world has gone from Babylon to Rome to London to New York. Is there any reason to doubt that it will continue to move west?
Addendum 2:
Self-Refection in China - A House of Mirrors
China is an enigma even to itself. Unlike Japan when self-reflection of one is self-reflection of the nation, The “America” of Asia is a fruit pie of different peoples, each with a personality that cannot, nor has ever been, suppressed by the ruling state or empire.
While the “Han” are a homogenous people, they are no more homogeneous in thought than the “white” people of Europe or America. To imagine that they are “Chinese” as in “Japanese” is to live in a delusion.
When someone in China looks into a mirror what do they see?
Most Euro-American thinkers and idealists naturally (or UN-naturally) believe that the center of civilization will be Europe – Geneva? Or America – New York? Both UN cities. This thought in itself is racist and shows that we still have the “white man’s burden” to save the world and give it a proper government.
As I have written before, I have lived on four continents and in each I would have been quite comfortable with the capital of the United States being in any one of them.
If the world were to be united into 6-7 hegemonic spheres or eventually into one civilization, where is the "UN" or the capital?
The “capital” of the world has gone from Babylon to Rome to London to New York. Is there any reason to doubt that it will continue to move west?
Addendum 2:
Self-Refection in China - A House of Mirrors
China is an enigma even to itself. Unlike Japan when self-reflection of one is self-reflection of the nation, The “America” of Asia is a fruit pie of different peoples, each with a personality that cannot, nor has ever been, suppressed by the ruling state or empire.
While the “Han” are a homogenous people, they are no more homogeneous in thought than the “white” people of Europe or America. To imagine that they are “Chinese” as in “Japanese” is to live in a delusion.
When someone in China looks into a mirror what do they see?
Coming soon
11. Human Rights: Natural, Endowed, Inalienable, Illusion?
Foundations for Human Rights:
Where do human rights come from and are they absolute or relative?
We have two views of human rights.
The Traditional Theistic View:
The US Declaration of Independence
“ … We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….”
The Natural Rights View:
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
Supposition:
If a person commits an act of any nature towards another, what is the response – positive or negative? If negative, we often say, they didn’t do “right” by you. Where does this feeling come from that things that happen to us by others is not “just life” but actually an offense against my person? If something happens and others did not intentionally commit the act then we can say, “that’s life.” One of the acts is defined as a crime, the other is "sorry, life happens".
If an injury is done to another by a person or state apparatus then we say that their rights were impinged upon or violated. As long as we have this feeling, we recognize a norm of relational conduct has been abrogated.
This is how we can understand the existence of rights and their value in the conduct of our life and relationships.
Are rights absolute? Do I have rights even though I do not recognize them? Do I have rights even if my government does not recognize them?
There are levels of rights. My rights as a citizen of one country may afford me different, greater or lesser rights than the citizen of another country; my rights as an executive or professor may allow me a wider range of rights than a line employee or student. These rights are relative to the position held.
We can say a person in an ancient society such as the Greek State of Athens has the rights associated with what that society recognizes as prudent, respectable human behavior, while the modern state of France would have all those same rights plus more. Socrates paid a heavy price for what a National Assembly member could do every day with impunity: express dissent. Does that mean that a citizen of France has more rights than a citizen of Athens? Yes and no. ......... What?
The relative rights of the immediate position: professor, student; boss, employee; citizen of Athens or France or the Congo changes. The absolute rights, from which those relative rights are derived, does not. We could say that “Human Rights” are the image and the “national rights” are the form. The form can be more or less encompassing of the image.
As we evolve in intellect we recognize the existence of the image more completely and are thus more able to avail ourselves of our “rights.”
Where does the “image” come from? According to your view, either from the creator God or the creator nature – it is inherent in the design. "Comes with the model." so to speak.
"For this reason, the success of a world government, or any government is directly relational to the percentage of the “image” of human rights that it puts into the “form” of law and practice." – LM Shea
Resources:
Philosophies of human rights"
“… Since by our (human) nature, we seek to maximize our well being, rights are prior to law, natural or institutional.” Thomas Hobbes
The theory of natural law (humankind's natural rights): a law set by nature and therefore is valid everywhere in nature. Natural law is the structure within which a rational human being seeks to survive, act and prosper.
A natural right is the concept of a universal right inherent in the nature of living beings, one that is not contingent upon laws or beliefs, but the right of human beings to follow their nature as a natural right antedating and not bestowed by government.
More considerations:
What are the qualities of the “Noble One?”
Is it prudent to control freedom?
Where does freedom of expression end and licentiousness begin?
Where does good moral conduct end and lasciviousness begin?
Are either one wrong?
What is sin?
Is sin specific to God or a term that defines an act? Sin = crime?
Are either of these characters undesirable or not? Why?
Lust (Latin, luxuria) or chastity
Gluttony (Latin, gula) or abstinence
Greed (Latin, avaritia) or generosity
Sloth (Latin, acedia) or diligence
Wrath (Latin, ira) or patience
Envy (Latin, invidia) or kindness
Pride (Latin, superbia) or humility
What about teaching morality? Is it valuable or not?
justice
temperance
fortitude
prudence
faith
hope
love
What is the definition of Ethics?
Are the ethics the same in America and China and India and the Congo?
Is there an "image" and "form" dynamic in Ethics? If so, what are some examples of this?
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
See:
10. Human Rights: The Universal Declaration Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Monday, May 12, 2008
11-A. Human Rights: The Universal Declaration
Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Overview of the rights:
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to live, have liberty, and security of person.
Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
Overview of the rights:
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to live, have liberty, and security of person.
Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
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