Chapter 1 — We are One
1. KNOW the most important words in this chapter
Unity, World Unity, World Unity Education
The concept of World Unity Education emerges as the most important aspect of the education imparted in CMS. The quest for unity emerges as the ultimate goal of the education imparted in CMS. CMS has initiated a separate department, World Unity Education Department, for the purpose of inculcating the concept of unity among the children. Children are at the most receptive stage of their lives, their minds are open to absorb new and novel concepts like that of unity in the world. The institution does its best to instill the virtues of unity in the hearts of children, the institution virtually stands for unity.
Unity implies wholeness, or a combination of several parts into one. Unity is said to be achieved when different parts of an entity come together to form one whole. Unity can also be said to be the absence of diversity. Unity does not mean that one should not embrace variety, but a cohesion among the elements leads to unity.
Unity could also be a part of the composite culture of the many different countries of the world. The different countries could present a beautiful picture of unity just as the different and yet congruent colours of the rainbow form a complete entity when they come together. The united world could be as beautiful as the rainbow or even more beautiful because the entire world comprises of a lot more than just the seven colours of the rainbow. The world could create a picture more beautiful than the rainbow if only we stand as a united whole. The solution to the compelling problems before the contemporary world could therefore be world unity.
Unity among the nations of the world could prove to be useful in quelling most of the problems faced by most nations today. This ushers in the essentiality of inoculating the concept of world unity in the hearts of people of different nations. All the nations should come together as a complete whole to counter the myriad of problems plaguing the contemporary world like environmental degradation, child exploitation and international terrorism.
Such problems could be resolved with commendable results if there were unity among us.
2. Understand the most important words in this chapter
2.1 UNITY
Unity is resolving all differences by coming to common terms on a common platform with a common purpose. All of us must come on a common platform to resolve the problems that we face. All of us face more or less the same problems, unity in the hearts of all mankind is of utmost importance because they could be a prelude to unity among nations.
2.2 WORLD UNITY
The nations of the world would be incomplete without the individuals who form the nation as a whole. It is the united individual forces that compromise and make up a strong nation. Unity is symbolic of strength. An individual alone may not be strong enough, an individual's lone voice may not be audible in the clamour of voices heard in the noisy world, but the united voices of a group are always audible to the world at large.
The world today remains divided by national boundaries dividing the nations of the world. The nations of the world are divided on the basis of political divisions. Geographical divisions only add to the diversity and racial differences add to the differences. These differences create and cause several discrepancies in the normal lives that we lead in the world. They are responsible for the discrepancies that have crept up among us. These differences are responsible for the conflicts and turmoils in the modern world.
The modern world needs to come to common terms on several issues like international terrorism and child exploitation if these problems are to be resolved once and for all. All problems can be resolved if we amicably resolve differences. Unity thus emerges to be of utmost importance.
The importance was considered by the founding father of our constitution, Dr B. R. Ambedkar when he included Article 51 in the Constitution of India. The aforesaid article directs the Indian constitution to strive for international peace and security, to endeavour to maintain just and honourable relations between nations, to foster respect for international law, and to encourage the settlement of international disputes by arbitration. The Indian constitution remains the sole constitution in the world with such provisions for world unity and world peace.
The importance of unity can be highlighted by the fact that 27 countries of Europe came together under the common banner of the European Union dissolving political boundaries. The union has set forth an example of how the different countries of the world could come together under one umbrella for the purpose of resolving problems like child exploitation, and terrorism.
2.3 WORLD UNITY EDUCATION
The purpose of resolving these problems could be attained by educating the masses on the principles of world unity and world peace. World unity can only be attained by meaningful and guided education. World unity education implies imparting education that would arouse feelings of compassion and sympathy for the entire humanity. The world becomes the concern of the masses. World Unity education deals with “positive unity” – a concern with areas and problems of environment, resources, universal human rights, economic deprivation and social justice that can best be tackled by a unified approach. World Unity education is basically being concerned about the affairs of the age. The concerns of individuals becomes the concerns of the masses, and this helps in solving many of the conflicting issues.
The conflicting issues need to be resolved as peacefully as possible. World unity education thus emerges as the need of the hour. World unity education has the potential to thwart the flow of time. It has the potential to rewrite our history, it could be the solution to many of the problems that mankind faces in the modern world divided by boundaries and barriers.
The contemporary world faced with the impelling problems would have been a different and more beautiful place to live in had the concepts of world unity education been imbibed in the hearts of men. Things would have been quite different, the world would have been a more peaceful place to live in. World unity education has the potential to quell the triggers of all conflicts and wars in the society. It is high time that the concepts of world unity and world peace were included in the curriculum taught in schools in modern India.
3. EXAMPLES to understand the most important words in this chapter
3.1 Examples of UNITY
Unity has come to be such an essential and important part of our daily lives that we cannot survive without unity.
Our training in unity begins right from the time of our birth. Our parents and elders unite in their efforts to bring us up in a healthy environment. Unity in the ranks of the family points towards a good future. It is extended as we grow up, and is highlighted by everything we do as grown-ups. The staff in the office unites for the completion of projects, the mechanics in the factory pool in their efforts for the final product, and the citizens of a country contribute to a progressive nation as a family.
The family we live in provides the perfect example of unity. The united and concerted efforts of the family members are what push the family towards the next day. Each and every activity or function that the family performs requires unity among the family members. Every game that we play as children and every entity that we face as we grow up enhances the consciousness that we should be united and remain united. Something as simple as a game of cricket requires unity. Unity among individuals is of utmost importance as it is a precursor to unity among communities and nations at large.
No community or institution can ever survive without absorbing the concepts of unity and cohesion. Every school, college, university, office, or every organisation needs unity in its ranks to survive. Unity is the only key to survival in the world. The world thrives on the concept of unity, even animals manage a living following the concepts of unity. The ants always march in a united single line, lions and tigers hunt in united groups while antelopes, cows and goats prefer to graze in groups. Unity provides protection, unity provides strength.
3.2 Examples of WORLD UNITY
India presents a perfect example of unity where people from different races, religions, cultures and languages have come together to form a united India. The Indian union comprises of 28 states and seven union territories. The United States is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The European Union is a combination of 27 different nations united to resolve common problems.
Respected founder-manager Mr Jagdish Gandhi has been joined by several other people in the world in his efforts to bring all the countries of the world united on a common platform. The efforts would ultimately unite the world, and as a result peace would prevail in the world.
3.3 Examples of WORLD UNITY EDUCATION
World unity education is not simply advocating mutual acceptance but promoting a change in thinking. The atmosphere in CMS is aimed towards this goal. Students are taught the concepts of world unity and the importance of world unity education in CMS. CMS emerges as the only school in the world imparting such education. It has got the WUED dedicated to this purpose. The staff and employee of WUED constantly strive towards achieving the goal of uniting the world.
The philosophy of world unity education is not to simply unite people. The staff meets, talks and is friendly with everyone, but it also investigate the roots and causes of disunity among people. Unity among the individuals in different nations would lead to the unique concept of world citizens. Garry Davis was a pilot who was devastated when he saw the destruction and havoc caused by the Second World War. He chose to give up his US citizenship, and became the first world citizen. He refused to acknowledge the geographical boundaries of nations, he even denied the requirement of a visa or a passport to any country.
The main aim of world unity education is to promote the development of consciousness that will enable us to function as “global citizens” rather than restricting oneself to the confines of national boundaries. The values promoted by world unity and peace education include rejection of violence, behavioural and institutional change besides a change in the system of values.
4. Multiple-choice test on world unity education
1. The quest for_______is of supreme importance in CMS.
a. excellence
b. unity
c. divinity
d. fun
2. _________could solve the problems that have been a part of our lives.
a. brotherhood
b. fraternity
c. world unity
d. trinity
3. The first world citizen was_____
a. Harry Potter
b. Mickey Mouse
c. Garry Davis
d. George Bush
4. Article______prescribes venues for uniting the world.
a. 21
b. 51
c. 36
d. 19
5. Unity of hearts would lead to__________.
a. world unity
b. good behaviour
c. good individual
d. energetic youth
6. _______is a unique part of the curriculum in CMS.
a. friendship
b. world unity education
c. sports education
d. music education
7. World unity education is aimed at producing_________
a. sportsmen
b. acamedicians
c. computer operators
d. world citizens
8. Training in unity begins from_______
a. KG
b. school
c. college
d. birth
9. World Unity Education deals with____________.
a. sports and games
b. current affairs
c. incumbent problems
d. spiritual education
10. _________was the founding father of the Constitution of India.
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b. Jagdish Gandhi
c. Dr B. R. Ambedkar
d. Dr Manmohan Singh
11. CMS stands for________
a. diversity
b. unity
c. partiality
d. fraternity
12. ____________could prevent wars and conflicts between nations.
a. nuclear bombs
b. armed cavalry
c. world unity education
d. sports education
13. World Unity Education is provided at________
a. City Montessori School
b. Delhi Public School
c. The Doon School
d. HAL School
14. The world thrives on _________
a. love, unity and peace
b. wars, enimity and hatred
c. conflict, confusion and calamities
d. none of the above
5. Check your knowledge on world unity. State true or false:
a) The race for nuclear weapons has made the world a peaceful place to live in. (True/False)
b) World Unity Education has become the need of the hour. (True/False)
c) All schools in India provide World Unity Education. (True/False)
d) WUED caters to grooming the children's personalities. (True/False)
e) The concepts of world unity and peace are taught to children because they are the future of India and the world at large. (True/False)
f) Unity of hearts would lead to unity among the nations of the world. (True/False)
g) The concept of unity flouts the concept of variety. (True/False)
h) Unity and peace are two distinct and different concepts, they don't have any relationship with each other. (True/False)
i) The European Union exemplifies world unity. (True/False)
j) Garry Davis was a pilot in the First World War. (True/False)
k) Children's minds are susceptible to new thoughts and ideas. (True/False)
l) The nations of the world should dissolve all differences to counter the common problems they face. (True/False)
m) Things would have been different had world unity education been imparted in schools around the world. (True/False)
n) Animals are not intelligent enough to have unity among themselves. (True/False)
o) Article 51 of the Constitution of India provides remedy to malaria, a common disease among the Indian masses. (True/False)
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Chapter 2: Unity of hearts and international lawThe only element in life that keeps people from being terrified with each other is trust: it is trust that binds people into a community, it is trust that unites people. Trust is so important a part of the concept of unity that the moment people lose trust, they become nightmares to each other, lack of trust becomes the cause of conflict and friction between societies and even civilizations. All kinds of conflicts and friction should be kept at bay to ensure a peaceful society or a united world at large. World unity education revolves around inoculating people with trust. People should trust each other, groups should trust each other, communities should trust each other, and nations should trust each other.
2.1 Sunday Seminars
The World Unity Education Department begins the arduous task of uniting the world at the individual level. We bring hearts together. Sunday Seminar sessions are organised from July to November with the aim of inoculating the concept of trust and unity in the tender hearts of children. The concept of unity in individuals translates as the concept of world citizenship in their hearts. We aim at nurturing world citizens for world unity. A world citizen is someone who considers the entire world to be his home. He doesn't believe in the political boundaries erected by nations.
The clash among the nations of the world in the Second World War made Garry Davis reject the citizenship of an individual nation for world citizenship. Garry Davis was a fighter pilot who was devastated by the destruction caused by the Second World War. He gave up his US citizenship in disgust, and became the first person to embrace world citizenship.
A world citizen is one who
* tries to understand other people and has empathy for them.
* acts fairly in his choices, their decisions, and their words.
* believes that they are just as important as everyone else.
* believes that all people are equal.
* does not think of some groups or individuals as superior or inferior to others. *accepts differences and do not react with hostility to people who are different from them.
*is willing to help and cooperate with others.
* has his own ideas and expresses them, but he is open to changing them if they are proved wrong.
*is curious and wants to learn more about the world.
* looks after the environment and don’t waste things.
* believes he can make a positive difference in the world.
•is aware of the wider world and has a sense of her or his own role as a world citizen
•respects and values diversity
•has an understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, culturally, technologically, and environmentally;
•is outraged by social injustice;
•participates in and contributes to the community at a range of levels from local to global;
•is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable place;
•takes responsibility for his or her actions.
Such ideas and concepts should be injected in children. CMS does its best to do this. Children are at the most receptive stage of their lives, their minds are open to new and novel thoughts and ideas.
2.2 World Unity Education and Religion
One of the most important thought and idea that must be imbibed in the minds of children is that of religion. We emphasise the unity of all religions. The fundamental purpose of religion is to safeguard the interests of humanity, to promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. A connection between religion and children is as essential and important as that between a powerhouse and the electric lighting in the household. The electric lighting in the household fails in case there is a disruption of electricity between the household and the powerhouse.
The powerhouse is symbolic of the religious sentiments of the people. Since religion forms an important and inherent part of our lives, children should get the necessary stimulus for living in the form of religion from the school. Religion should form an important form of the curricula of all schools in contemporary India. All major religions of the world teach more or less the same morals. The concept of the unity of all religions is infused in the hearts of all the children at CMS in accordance with the philosophy of the school. Religion forms the powerhouse from which the whole of humanity gets its required power. The entire world gets the necessary power from it. This is a communion between the reality and the ideal.
A perfect union between reality and ideals is what world unity education aims at. We aim at uniting the hearts of people by making all of them a perfect blend of the harsh realities of life and ideals. One such ideal is the concept of equality between men and women. The equality between men and women is a precondition for the attainment of a wider unity that will ensure the well-being and security of all people.
2.3 Terrorism and international law
The security of all the people of the world is threatened by the growing menace of terrorism which is spreading its tentacles around the world and threatening to destroy the unity of the world. Terrorists wreck havoc in some parts of the world and flee to another part of the country. The lack of a proper extradition treaty between all the nations sums up the urgency of an international law applicable to all the nations of the world. The problem could be solved by uniting the world. There should be one and only one legal system applicable to all the countries of the world.
This is also a prerequisite for the maintenance of our ecology and environment. Since ecology and environment cannot be separated by national boundaries, we need to have an enforceable international law applicable and binding on all countries and people of the world to ensure that the coming generations inherit a safe and healthy ecology and a peaceful world. The present problems of the world like that of amassing of nuclear weapons by countries across the world, dangers of low and high intensity wars among nations, terrorism, can be resolved only by a rationale view ands awareness, taking into account the enormity of the present situations and by creating an impartial world body with enough powers to implement its directives, directives, decisions or law. In other words, what is needed is a world government.
A world government that would have the entire world as its prerogative is the need of the hour, or in other words, what is needed is a world government. A world government could be the only solution to the problems facing humanity at large, and nations at the individual level. A world government governed by a world law could be the only viable solution to the problems faced by all of us in the contemporary world. It would ensure that our coming generations inherit a united and a peaceful world.
A peaceful world was what the UNO promised to us when it was formed in October 1945 after the massive destruction in the Second World War. It remains a glaring reality that in the six decades of its existence, the UNO has seen more people die in numerous wars all over the world than had died in both the world wars combined. The UNO also saw the nuclear countries build up a massive stockpile of nuclear weapons, said to be over 36,000 warheads strong. Moreover, 80 countries have also stockpiled chemical and biological weapons. The UNO has been a silent spectator to all this and more. Since its very inception, it has been a mute spectator as three-fourths of the earth's tropical forests have been wiped off the face of the planet.
Even though the UN has many achievements to its credit, in the ultimate analysis, one has to admit that it has fallen short of the expectations of its founding fathers. There is an urgent need to strengthen the United Nations so as to make it a more effective body for controlling wars, resolving international disputes, curbing terrorism, conservation and protection of the environment, ensuring nuclear disarmament and evolving an enforceable law to ensure a safe and peaceful world for the children and generations-yet-to-be-born.
With this aim in mind, CMS has taken upon itself to approach the Chief Justices of the World and solicit their support in favour of the children's cause. The world judiciary remains the only authority who are trusted and respected the most by the masses. They are the conscience keepers of mankind and the custodians of the welfare of humanity's silent masses. It is, therefore, the moral duty of the judiciary to emerge from their courts and deliver a public judgement on the issue of global governance. The world judiciary would ensure the delivery of timely and proper justice to all. It is because of lack of proper justice that creates terrorists out of the layman. A free and fair World Judiciary would enable the rooting out of terrorism. The World Judiciary remains the only hope for the children's happiness and humanity's survival at large.
2.4 International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace in The Hague should be empowered with immediate effect to solve this problem. The International Court of Justice has 15 judges, who are elected for a term of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. The International Court of Justice is meant to ensure the application of the same law to all the people in all the countries in the world. International Law would be applicable to everyone equally across all regional boundaries. The International Court of Justice should be empowered with immediate effect to ensure the deliverance of justice to all irrespective of all regional boundaries.
All regional boundaries need to be dissolved with immediate effect in order to ensure a peaceful world with a similar law enforced over all the nations of the world. This would be required to ensure a peaceful and united world.
2.5 Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam and Ubuntu
A united world has been our dream enshrined in the form of the ancient Indian philosophy of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam' ever since the Upanishads were scripted and became a part of Indian culture. The concept translates as 'one world family'. This gigantic concept is typically Indian contribution to world unity and world peace. Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam could be considered as an equivalent to the concept of global village, a theory presented by Marshall McLuhan. It has also seen to be similar to the ancient African concept of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people's relations with each other. The concept of ubuntu is used in the political sphere to emphasize the need for unity or consensus in decision-making.
To imbibe the concept of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam in children the founders, Mr and Mrs Gandhi selected the words 'Jai Jagat!' The words were coined by Mahatma Gandhi and propounded by his disciple, Saint Vinoba Bhave. Consequently, the institution aims to impress the minds of all the scholars enrolled with it with the lofty ideals of ht oneness of God, unity of humankind, universal brotherhood, world unity and world peace, in addition to what is taught in all schools all over India. Schools all over India fail to realise the true significance of education.
Education emerges as the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God. Education should be aimed at building their character, and inculcating in their hearts the love of God.
The true value of education is realised when education releases capacities and develops analytical abilities in students. It should have the power to develop confidence in oneself, one should develop a strong will-power and goal setting competencies among the pupils. It should instill the vision that enables one to become a self-motivated agent of social change that would serve the best interests of the community at large.
The differences between the nations of the world should be resolved amicably by arbitration. Violence in all forms should be condemned. Wars do not lead to any solutions. They only lead to further problems. The solution is only through mutual discussion of problems. Article 51 of the Indian Constitution makes all efforts to form a peaceful world, this can be achieved by adhering to the slogan of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, the earth is but one country and mankind is its citizens.
2.6 Questionnaire for chapter 2:
Choose the best:
1. Sunday Seminars are an effort towards developing good
a. Indian citizens
b. World Citizens
c. US Citizens
d. all of the above
2. A world citizen
a. helps others in all ways
b helps conserve the environment
c. both the above
d. none of the above
3. The International Conference of Chief Justices fo the world aims at the formation of a
a. world government
b. peace and harmony all over the world
c. enforceable international law
d. all of the above
4. ___________could be the solution to the problems plaguing humanity today.
a. World Governmetn
b. Indian government
c. the US government
d. the United Nations
5. The International Court of Justice has_____judges.
a. 10
b. 15
c. 12
d. 5
6. Schools should aim at providing
a. material education
b.divine education
c. human education
d. all of the above
7. The term 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam' was coined by
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b. Jagdish Gandhi
c. Sonia Gandhi
d. Indira Gandhi
8. Ecology and environment of the world can be safeguarded by
a. Indian government
b. World Government
c. French government
d. US government
9. The entire humanity gets its power from the powerhouse of
a. world
b. India
c. Lucknow
d. religion
10.The first World Citizen was
a. Garry Davis
b. Mahatma Gandhi
c. Jagdish Gandhi
d. none of the above
11. Unity among people begins by
a. suspecting each other
b. trusting each other
c. none of the above
d. both the above
12. A world citizen considers________to be his home.
a. Lucknow
b. India
c. Asia
d. the entire world
13. Poverty and hunger all over the world could be resolved with the help of
a. World Government
b. Indian government
c. US government
d. none of the above
14. ________is a failed alternative to the world government.
a. Indian government
b. the UNO
c. Ethopian government
d. none of the above
15. The problem posed by the lack of an extradition treaty between nations could be resolved by
a. World Government
b. the UNO
c. both of the above'
d. none of the above
State true or false:
1. A world government would be the most appropriate form of dealing with the incumbent problems plaguing the world.
2. Fear of each other brings people together.
3. Sunday Seminar sessions organised by CMS aim at creating world citizens.
4. Education should be aimed at creating people who can undertake social responsibilities.
5. Education should be aimed at building children's character, and inculcating in their hearts the love of God.
6. A world without boundaries would ensure peace all over the world.
7. The judges of the International Court of Justice has 20 judges that are selected by the United Nations General Assembly.
8. The International Court of Justice should be empowred to resolve problems like international terrorism and smuggling.
9. the UNO has been quite instrumental in preventing the slaughter of men, women and children in wars and conflicts all over the world.
10. All religions of the world teach different things.
11. A peaceful world was what the UNO promised to us when it was formed in October 1945 after the massive destruction in the Second World War.
12. Religion provides power to out lives.
13. A world citizen is always a spend thrift.
14. Unity would ensure the well-being and security of people.
15. The world judiciary is the only hope left for the survival of humanity and welfare of children all over the world.
Chapter 3: International Law, World Government and World ParliamentFear is a strong binding element in our lives. It was the fear of natural elements that united primitive man into groups, it was the fear of fellow humans that united us in the medieval ages, and it is again the fear of a group of us causing destruction and havoc after losing unanimity and consensus that would serve to unite us in a single group. All the different conflicting factions, and all the conflicting countries in the world have to come to common terms to solve the common problems that each of us encounter in our day to day lives. We must come together as a group, we must unite to counter these problems. The group would surely be stronger than the individual. The group of countries united for a common purpose, for a common denominator would certainly be stronger than individual countries struggling against the tides of fate. All the countries must be united as a group to counter the common problems facing all of humanity. The entire humanity needs to come to common terms on all contentious issues. The group must be governed by a single body, there must be a single legislating body to draft the rules, and there should be a single system of executive and a single united judiciary to ensure peace all over the world. There must be a single legal system applicable to all the countries of the world, the legal system that would be applicable to all the countries of the world would be international law.
3.1 International law and world government
International law would be a useless entity in the absence of a global enforcing agency. Law must be interpreted and enforced equally in all the countries of the world. This would bring down the incumbent high level of terrorist activities in the world as it is when proper justice is not delivered that people resort to anti-social activities on a large scale. They view their actions as acts of vengeance on the society that failed to deliver justice that was due to them.
Enforceable international law would be a remedy to the problem, but it could be possible only if there were a proper law making body that would make laws acceptable to all. In addition, there ought to be a proper enforcing agency. This agency would ensure the rule of law in the whole world. The world should be united by a single legal system maintained by a single entity. The entity would be a world government that would have the entire world under its umbrella.
The umbrella would be over all the countries of the world, it would have all the countries of the world under its purview, it would be a government that would work democratically and with the mutual consent of all the countries of the world. It would concern itself with the welfare of the humanity at large, for the entire mankind, and not for a single country or a single individual.
The individual would be the one who would gain the most from an organisation that would have control all over the world. Individuals could get a better living, and a better standard of living because everyone would be treated equally. A world parliament could be the solution to many problems that the layman faces in the contemporary world. The World Parliament would be the law making agency that would legislate laws for the whole world just as the Parliament in India legislates laws for the Republic of India. The concept that is important to understand here is that all individual nations would not be required to give up their sovereignty to be governed by a single body, the world government. They would still have their individual legislating agencies, the world government would merely be like a godfather to all individual governments. They would not be required to give up their individual legal systems to adopt the legislations passed by the World Parliament. The European Parliament is a perfect example of all the countries of the world agreeing to be governed by a single parliament even while they maintain autonomy by retaining their individual parliaments.
The World Parliament would be a perfect example of world unity as it would be an effort to bridge the differences between countries. The social, economic, and racial disparities between individuals and nations at large would no longer be a part of the world. The economic collapse that the world's countries saw in the past few months was mainly because of the hegemony of a single nation, the US, in terms of economy. The US went through the worst times in terms of economy primarily because of the excessive expenditure on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since the US has a strong hand in the world economy, the losses suffered by the US translated as the losses of most of the countries of the world.
All the countries of the world should now realise that this could have been avoided had there not been the dominance of a single country in the economic affairs of the world. A world government governed by a world parliament would ensure the proper management of the world's economy.
3.2 European Union
The world would have been a different place to live in had there been unity among all nations. A perfect example of unity among nations is the European Union(EU), where 27 different nations have come to common terms dissolving mutual differences. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on November 1, 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community. The EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws which apply to all member states, ensuring the freedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital. It maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. A common currency, the Euro, has been adopted by 16 member states that are thus known as the Eurozone.
3.3 World government for world peace
A world government would ensure a world parliament over all the countries of the world. All the countries of the world would be united under a common banner. All of them would come to common terms over the resolution of their mutual problems that are more or less the same. It would ensure the equality of all humankind. It would ensure that a common legal system prevails in the entire world. In other words, it would ensure the prevalence of world peace: there would be peace in the whole world, there would not be any wars or conflict and the world would be a peaceful place to live in.
World peace would therefore emanate from world unity. The fruit of world peace, after all, grows on the tree of world unity.
3.4 For and against the concept
The tree of world unity would also have the world government as a fruit. The world government would be the embodiment of the concept of unity in the world. It would be a precursor to peace in the world. Broadly, world government refers to the idea of all humankind united under one common political authority. Though it has not existed so far in human history, yet proposals for a unified global political authority have existed since ancient times — in the ambition of kings, popes and emperors, and the dreams of poets and philosophers. Alexander the great and Hitler were the pioneers in this field, though they did not view world peace as a part of their concept of world government.
The utopian concept has found both proponents as well as opponents. Like all concepts in the minds of men, it too has drawn criticism but it has also been voted for by several proponents.
Those in favour of the concept of a world government offer distinct reasons why it is an ideal of political organization. Some are motivated negatively and view the concept of a world government as the definitive solution to old and new human problems such as war and the development of weapons of mass destruction, global poverty and inequality, and environmental degradation. On the other hand, others have advocated the concept of a world government as a proper reflection of the unity of the cosmos, under reason or God.
Proponents have also differed in their views of the form that a world government should take. While medieval thinkers advocated for a world government under a single monarch or emperor who would possess supreme authority over all other lesser rulers, modern proponents generally do not advocate a complete surrender of sovereignty.
‘Realist’ theorists hold that a world government is practically not possible. Ideas of a world government are purely utopian , and are utterly impractical as a goal for human political organization.
The assumptions that a world government would lead to desirable outcomes such as perpetual peace are idealistic. It is a bleak possibility that a world government would ever materialize as an institutional reality given the problems of egoistic or corrupted human nature or the logic of international anarchy that characterizes the states in the contemporary world. A world government is thus infeasible as a solution to global problems because of the unsurpassable difficulties of establishing “authoritative hierarchies” at the global or international level.
For the sake of argument, one can say that even if a world government were desirable, the process of creating a world government may produce more harm than good; the necessary evils committed on the road to establishing a world government would outweigh whatever benefits might accrue from its achievement. In the first place, it would destroy the diversity that makes the world so beautiful. The world government may be so strong and pervasive as to create a homogenizing effect. It would override distinct cultures and communities that are intrinsically valuable to the distinct nature of the world like a steam-roller. The institution of a world government would thus destroy the rich social pluralism that animates human life.
3.5 World Parliament
A democratically elected world government or a world parliament that would be authorized to legislate laws for the whole world could be a solution to some of these problems. A world parliament would ensure that no nation has hegemony over the others. It would ensure an equal distribution of wealth among all the nations. This would ensure that there are no differences between the rich and the poor nations. A democratically elected government would ensure the representation of all the individuals of the world.
The same set of laws would be applicable to everyone all over the world. A single governing body would ensure equal, free and fair governance over all.
3.6 Role of World Judiciary
After a lot of deliberations, the World Judiciary emerges as the only hope for fishing humanity out of the perils and disasters that it has thrust upon itself by amassing more than 36,000 nuclear weapons among other destructive weapons and arsenals. It is widely accepted that only the support of the World Judiciary can create a favourable climate for the formation of a duly constituted World Parliament. The World Parliament would be empowered to enact Enforceable International Law, a World Government would be required to implement these laws, and a World Judiciary would ensure that these laws are abided by all.
3.7 A typical case
The legal system of a country or the world is meant to ensure peace and harmony in a nation or the world. A uniform and consistent law and order in the whole world would ensure peace in the entire world. Differences in the interpretation of law in different terms by different nations lead to different set of punishments for same crime. The difference leads to frustration and law and order would automatically be hampered in this setup.
It is an issue of debate whether world law follows world peace and world unity or precedes the two. This could be an issue because law and order in the society is extremely important for the maintenance of unity and peace in the society. If there were no peace and unity, complete anarchy would reign over the society. There would be no law or even the possibility of a law making and enforcing agency. An efficient legal system in the society ensures peace and unity in the society in particular and the world in general. On the other hand, unity and coherence among all the world's citizens would give rise to peace in the world, and a peaceful world would have law and order in it.
3.8 Choose the best
1. World government would ensure
a. world peace and world unity.
b. a dictator over the whole world
c. rule of Shariat over the entire world
d. none of the above
2. A world parliament negates
a. the hedgemony of a single nation
b. the rule of law all over the world
c. the concept of equality in the world.
d. all of the above
3. A world government could be the solution for
a. international terrorism
b. global poverty and inequality
c. environmental degradation
d. all of the above
4. ______________________were the pioneers in uniting the world.
a. Alexander the Great and Hitler
b. Gaddafi and Mussolini
c. Ashoka the Great and Chandra Gupta Maurya
d. none of the above
5. The European Union is comprised of____nations
a. 27
b. 50
c. 36
d. 26
6. To ensure peace and unity in the world, there should be a single
a. legislature
b. judiciary
c. executive
d. all of the above
7. World Parliament would
a. consist of elected representatives from all over the world.
b. legislate laws for India only.
c. have the entire British empire under its purview.
d. all the above
8. The European Union was established by the
a. Treaty of Maastricht
b. Treaty of Versailles
c. Treaty of Paris
d. Treaty of Lisbon
9. The Euro serves to
a. unites the economies of the nations of Europe
b. unite the economies of Asia
c. unite the economies of the world
d. all of the above
10. The most widely accdpted form of government all over the world is
a. parliamentary form of government
b. authoritarian form of government
c. socialist government
d. authoritarian government
11. A world judiciary would represent
a. the entire world
b. the entire European Union
c. all of Africa
d. only India
12. The EU was established in
a. 1993
b. 2003
c. 1990
d. 2004
13. A world government would have
a. the entire world under its purview
b. the Union of India under its purview
c. all of Europe under its purview
d. the Taj group of hotels under its purview.
14. The biggest gainer in case of the formation of a world government would be
a. members of the Mohammad Bagh Club, Lucknow
b. Press Club of India
c. the individual
d. Government of India
15. A world parliament would
a. negate the legislating authority of the individual parliaments
b. uphold world law and world justice
c. cater to the problems of the world
d. both c. and d.
State true or false:
1. The concepts of world unity and world parliemaernt complement each other.
2. Proposals for a global authority have been made since the dawn of history.
3. The Eurozone is an area that has adopted the Euro as its currency.
4. The formation of a world government requires individual nagtions to give up their sovereignty.
5. The US has a large share in the world economy,
6. A world government would ensure a uniform law and order over the entire world.
7. Enforceable international law could be a solution to the menace of international terrorism.
8. We must unite, and dissolve all differences to resolve the problems facing humanity in the contemporary world.
9. The social, economic, and racial disparities between individuals and nations at large would no longer be a part of the world once a world government takes over the reigns of the world.
10. Equality of mankind in the world would ensure the rule of law and peace in the world.
11. ‘Realist’ theorists hold that a world government is practically not possible.
12. A world government could be a solution to problems like environmental degradation, international terrorism, global poverty and inequality.
13. A world government would ensure a common legal system all over the world.
14. A world government governed by a world parliament would ensure the proper management of the world's economy.
15. The excessive expenditure on behalf of the US in the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan led to the economy of the US going to the gutter.
1. A world government would be like a godfather to all the countries and nations.
2. A bit of dissonance is necessary for the smooth running of the world.
3. World Parliament would legisltate laws for the Union of India only.
Chapter 4. Case studies 'Nothing happens unless first a dream', said Carl Sandburg, the American poet and writer. The human mind is the origin of all our dreams, aspirations and even conflicts and wars. It is the mind that dreams of uniting the world despite the differences. It is not an impossible dream, but things are a bit difficult. To some, such dreams seem to be wild.
It is the mind that dreams the wildest dreams. On the other hand, all kinds of conflicts are known to emanate from the minds of men, all wars begin in the minds of men. All kinds of conflicts could be amicably resolved if the minds of men are injected with a dose of world unity and peace education.
World unity and peace education inculcates the virtues of ever-lasting peace in the society. The world should unite under a common banner where everyone would be equal. This would automatically bind everyone into a coherent bond. Equality would negate the hegemony of a particular nation over the rest of the nations of the world.
All the nations of the world need to come to common terms to solve the problems that they confront. All the nations must unite to counter the perils that we have created for ourselves like terrorism. This would be something like what happens when a country faces a natural calamity or catastrophe like an earthquake or a tsunami. The massive earthquake that hit Bhuj on January 26, 2001 saw the entire world converging at the site with relief material for the afflicted. The world united to help out those afflicted by the earthquake.
The problem is that the world waits for tragedy to strike the world before the world unites into one. The problem remains that we have waited for adversity to unite us into one. The world should not wait for adversities for coming to common terms on an issue like helping others. We must resolve our differences by coming together on the basis of such common denominators.
These are some denominators that serve to bring different countries of the world to a common platform. Humanity unites whenever it is under distress or a group faces a problem. All the countries of the world contributed to the aid that went to tsunami victims in Eastern and Southern Coastal India in 2004. Over 20,000 people died in the catastrophe. Likewise, many countries around the world contributed to the relief that went to the victims of the earthquake that hit Gujarat on January 26, 2001. It took a hurricane to hit the shores of the United States that the countries of the world came together in August 2005 to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
4.1 Iraq and the US
The world today stands under the domination of a few major players in the fields of world economics and warfare. The economy of the world is governed by the access to energy that a nation has. Access to energy has assumed such importance and significance that nations have been at loggerheads over the accumulation of resources necessary for the production of energy. Encroachment of Iraq over Kuwait for its oil fields is now history. The encroachment was primarily to acquire the rich oil fields in the territory of Kuwait. The US's interference in this matter was eminent because it has a hegemony over the world's economy and politics. The US wanted to assert its superiority over all political, social and economic matters. Implicitly, the US wanted control over the oil fields in Iraq for itself. It could gain greater control over the energy supplying systems in the world this way. It could exert its dominance over the countries of the world if it got hold of the oil fields.
The very concept of world unity is against the hegemony of a particular nation. It is only when one tries to impose one's superiority over others that the possibility of a conflict comes to the fore. The concept of equality nullifies all conflicts. Equality of all nations followed by a common economic and political order would override the possibility of a conflict in the world.
Conflict in the Gulf arose when, as a part of the US policy, the US asserted its right to use military force anywhere in Iraq. It can do so in any part of the world, at any time it chooses, against any country it believes to be, or it believes may at some point become, a threat to American interests. No other country in modern history, not even Nazi Germany at the height of Hitler’s madness, has asserted such a sweeping claim to global hegemony—or, to put it more bluntly, world domination—as is now being made by the United States.
The US refuses to respect, as a matter of international law, the sovereignty of any other country, and reserves the right to get rid of any regime, in any part of the world, that is, appears to be, or might some day become, hostile to what the United States considers to be its vital interests. This seems to be a very distinct sort of internationalism that proclaims that what’s good for America is good for the world!
The wars against small and defenceless states that the United States is now preparing—first of all against Iraq—will prove to be the preparation for military onslaughts against more formidable targets. All this and more proves that the flavour of anti-unity is rapidly developing in the minds of men around the world. This is where world unity education could work wonders.
It would negate and nullify the dominance of a particular nation in terms of economy and warfare. A united world would stand at the hem of peace where Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD) being accumulated by nations would find their way to being dismantled because there would not be any use for such weapons.
The attacks on the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001 resulted in the US waging attacks on Afghanistan in retaliation and on grounds of rooting out alleged terrorists. The war against terrorism again resulted in huge depletion of resources of the US. Wars have resulted only in mass destruction and mayhem. Nations need to dissolve all differences to avoid wars or conflicts. Wars don't lead to any solutions. Rather, they create problems. Such destruction and problems can be avoided if the world comes to common terms on contentious issues.
Suspicion of the possession of chemical and biological weapons led the US government to wage another war against Iraq in 2003. The attack on Iraq was initiated without the consent of the UN. The UN could not do anything to prevent or even to control the attack upon Iraq by the combined forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland, Australia, and Denmark. The UN had once again displayed its inability to control any sort of conflict or strife between nations. Prevention of conflict and elimination of discord between two and more nations would require something more significant than only the UN. The UN has failed at all quarters at all such occasions that require the solution of mutual problems between nations.
Nations today need something more powerful than the UN. The UN was meant to be a solution to the problems the world faces at large. It was meant to unite the world, but its functioning has been corrupted ever since its inception in 1945 due to the presence of six veto powers in the UN Security Council. The veto powers hold the power to nullify any resolution without stating any logic or reason. The proposal for a world government was vetoed in the United Nations by a veto power in………… a world government cannot be formed until and unless veto powers are removed from the United Nations, or they are stripped of their powers.
The contemporary world needs a solution more powerful than the UN. The UN has failed to unite the world, the world needs to come to common terms for the solution of its problems. The world needs to come to common terms on the problems that confront all the nations of the world. The world should unite to solve these problems. It should not wait for adversities to strike till it comes together to help each other. The public should be educated about the merits of a united world. This should be done before the world destroys itself by virtue of the venom it has accumulated in the guise of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. We should begin at the grassroots level and imbibe the spirit of unity in the hearts of children. This could be achieved by imparting world unity education in schools.
World unity education emphasises on uniting the whole world under one common banner. It is against the use of force or weapons against any nation or individual for any purpose. This would negate the possibility or even the need of accumulating weapons of any sort. Nuclear weapons collected by nations is a sign of their dissonance towards peace and unity.
Peace and unity could be established only if these weapons are dismantled with immediate effect. These nations could be convinced to do so only if the virtues of world unity and world peace were explained to them in detail. Since world unity education aims to inoculate the concepts of peace and unity in everybody's hearts, it could prove to be the saviour of mankind from all these and other problems. All the nations of the world who have amassed these weapons need to dismantle them with immediate effect. The dangers of nuclear holocaust that the contemporary world confronts would be a story of the past only when the 36,000 nuclear weapons amassed by countries all over the world would be dismantled.
These weapons could be dismantled only by the concerted efforts of all the countries of the world. All the nations of the world need to come together under a common umbrella and work for the amelioration of the plight of humans. All problems like poverty, draught, famine and flood could be countered amicably if the world comes together. The economical problems that nations face could be resolved if there were just one common economic order in the entire world. The world should have a common economic order just as the European Union has one common economic order for the EU, the Euro. The nations should also come to have a common economic order rather than different economics that has brought differences among the nations of the world. This would enhance the concept of equality among the nations of the world, and equality would enforce unity. A united world would reduce the chances of a conflict, there would be no wars or conflicts in the world, the world would be a peaceful place to live in.
Peace and harmony in the world is threatened by the activities of terrorists who threaten to shatter the fabric of peace for no other purpose but to create havoc and terror in the minds of the layman. Terrorist activities have been on the rise all over the world since the dawn of civilisation. Terrorist organisations have been on their toes to create destruction and devastation in countries all over the world. Several nations have been accused of harbouring terrorist organisations and terrorists.
4.2 Terrorism and International law
Terrorists are believed to be nurtured and bred in terrorist training camps in a few countries. They usually launch terrorist attacks on other countries, and get away with their crimes because the legal systems of different countries are different. The world does need to evolve a common legal system that would be applicable to all countries of the world. Criminals should be dealt with the same stick all over the world. the world should be governed by one common international law which would be applicable to all the nations of the world.
The US government's insistence that Iraq and Afghanistan harboured terrorists led to repeated attacks on the two countries. These attacks had significant effects on the US's economy as well as the environment. The depletion of resources and the detrimental effects of the weapons was vast in both the invasions. So much so that the entire economical set-up of the United States went to the gutter. Since the world's major economies are affected by what happens in the economy of the US, several countries witnessed a severe economic downturn. The wars caused a lot of destruction in both the countries. Wars deplete a vast amount of resources that a nation possesses. Both the wars resulted in a lot of destruction and deaths.
4.3 China and the world
No country in history has emerged as a major industrial power without creating a legacy of environmental damage that can take decades and big dollops of public wealth to undo. The truth remains that there is a race for gaining industrial and economic power in the world in the name of development. Countries all over the world are busy in producing Weapons of mass destruction only to show their power and might, many countries can be found to be manufacturing these weapons at an alarming pace.
China’s problem has become the world’s problem. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides spewed by China’s coal-fired power plants fall as acid rain on Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo. Much of the particulate pollution over Los Angeles originates in China, according to the Journal of Geophysical Research.
It is time that we realised that changes and difference in one part of the world do affect and impact things in another part of the world. To avoid all such instances recurring, the only solution would be the different countries of the world uniting under one umbrella to solve these and several other problems that the individual countries face.
Individual countries as China have contributed their share to polluting the atmosphere just as most of the other countries of the world have. The speed and scale of China’s rise as an economic power has no clear parallel in history and the same is true for the rate at which it has succeeded in polluting the environment. Environmental pollution has emerged as a huge problem.
The problem of pollution has shattered all precedents. Environmental degradation is now so severe, with such stark domestic and international repercussions, that pollution poses not only a major long-term burden on the Chinese public but also an acute political challenge to the ruling Communist Party. It is not clear whether China can rein in its own economic juggernaut that is leading to severe environmental degradation and other environmental problems.
Environmental problems that are considered catastrophic in some countries are the order of the day in China: industrial cities where people rarely see the sun; children killed or sickened by lead poisoning or other types of local pollution; a coastline so swamped by algal red tides that large sections of the ocean no longer sustain marine life.
China is choking on its own success. The economy is on a historic run, posting a succession of double-digit growth rates. However, the cost that the country has to pay for this is quite big. The growth emanates from a staggering expansion of heavy industry and urbanization that requires colossal inputs of energy. Almost all of this is from coal, the most readily available, and dirtiest source. China's biggest achievement has now become its biggest problem. The roughest side of the picture is that the problem has now started showing itself on the global level: those affected by pollution spread by China inhabit the entire world.
Chinese leaders argue that the outside world is a partner in degrading the country’s environment. Chinese manufacturers that dump waste into rivers or pump smoke into the sky make the cheap products that fill stores in the United States and Europe. Often, these manufacturers subcontract for foreign companies — or are owned by them. In fact, foreign investment continues to rise as multinational corporations build more factories in China. Beijing also insists that it will accept no mandatory limits on its carbon dioxide emissions, which would almost certainly reduce its industrial growth. It argues that rich countries cause more global warming and should find a way to solve it without impinging on China’s development. Differences arise right from the outset, but the solution would arise only by uniting the world.
4.4 Unite at all costs
The world has always come together to help each other for some reason or the other.
We should not wait for such severe calamities and disasters to strike us before we come together. There is no magic potion for the problems that plague humanity as of today. Problems like terrorism and smuggling have assumed proportions beyond the purview of individual nations.
Terrorism has already spread its tentacles around the globe. Terrorists threaten to shatter the fabric of peace all over the world. Bomb blasts are the order of the day in almost all the countries around the world. men kill men for petty reasons. Each bomb that explodes, each missile that is fired, each bullet that escapes a gun speaks the language of the thousands of poor and destitute who contributed to its making. Time has always provided us with examples of how and why peace has been shattered in the world.
We should not wait for time and fate to provide us with another reason to come together to help each other out of our problems. We already have a common denominator in the form of children. Childhood is the best part of one's life, and all efforts must be made to make a complete use of it. They form a very important part of the population of the world. They are the base of all of humanity. The entire humanity is known to have evolved from children. Children are the most innocent and tender beings on earth. They are untouched by the evils of differences as religion, caste, or boundaries between nations that divide the world. Children have always contributed to the factors of peace in the world. They serve to be the common concern of all the nations of the world. All the nations of the world are concerned about their welfare and proper development. It is their future that has to be secured to ensure a peaceful world. Peace in the entire world would ensure proper growth and development of the children, and hence the proper development of humanity. Humanity can prosper and everyone can be happy only if the future of the world's two billion children and the generations-yet-to-be-born is secured.
A secure and bright future could be assured to children only if the nations of the world dissolve all existing differences like those of religion, colour and race. The world should realise that we are the creations of the same God, and that we are all he same irrespective of the colour of our skin or our birth. Differences are aggravated by the differences between the nations at the individual level.
The culprit that emerges at the end of the day is not just China or any individual country, but all the countries of the world. All the different nations of the world should melt their differences and come to common terms for the sake of the two billion children that form an important part of their populace.
4.5 Questionnaire:
Choose the best:
1. The common concern of all the countries of the world that could bring the world together is
a. bread and butter
b. children
c. natural disasters
d. none of the above
2. The nations of the world must unite to
a. solve their mutual problems
b. have a picnic
c. discuss marital issues in their countries
d. play cricket matches
3. ……….is a prerequisite for happiness in the world.
a. world unity and world peace
b. nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles
c. alleviation of poverty
d. none of the above
4. Tremors of an earthquake hit Bhuj, Gujarat on………
a. January 26, 2001
b. August 15, 2001
c. October 2, 2001
d. December 25, 2001
5. The attack on Kuwait by Iraq was to
a. assert its dominance over Kuwait
b. acquire control over a larger geographical area
c. acquire control over the oases of Kuwait
d. acquire control over the oil fields in Kuwait
6. The concept of equality of all nations
a. negates the concept of hegemony of a nation over others
b. commands control over all the nations
c. means that all nations can accumulate nuclear weapons
d. legalizes differences on the basis of caste, colour and gender
7. World unity education can work wonders where
a. differences are rife
b. children are separated by a metre
c. children of equal ages are taught in one classroom
d. everyone is treated equally
8. ………resulted in attacks on Afghanisgtan and the consequent war on terrorism
a. racial attacks on Americans in Australia
b. attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001
c. the disagreement between Russia and Afghanistan
d. none of the above
9. The US attacked Iraq in 2003 because
a. Americans hate Iraqis
b. Americans employed in Iraq did not get their salaries for three months
c. the US suspected Iraq of accumulating Weapons of Mass Destruction
d. Saddam Hussain had an affair with Hillary Clinton
10. The UN has failed to live up to the expectations of the world's countries, it has failed to unite the world because
a. its Security Council is corrupted by the presence of five veto powers, who can nullify any proposal
b. it does not represent the entire world
c. it does not believe in the concept of world unity and world peace
d. none of the above
11. The US asserted its right to attack any country it wants to by attacking
a. Libya
b. Iraq
c. both of the above
d. none of the above
12. ……..has a dominance in the fields of economy, warfare, political and social matters.
a. The US
b. The UK
c. Japan
d. China
13. Wars have served to
a. unite the world
b. widen the rift between nations
c. create greener pastures for cultivation
d. none of the above
14. The concept of equality all nations
a. negates and nullifies the concept of hedgemony of a nation over other nations
b. would help bring peace in the world
c. would help in the amelioration of poverty, disease and misery from the world
d. all of the above..
15. The common denominators of the world are
a. children
b. weapons of mass destruction
c. poor
d. all of the above
16. All kinds of conflicts are known to originate from
a. women fighting with each other
b. minds of men
c. children fighting with each other
d. all of the above
17. Things could be different in the world
a. if world unity education is imparted in schools
b. if sports education is imparted in schools
c. if the children are not given any sort of education at all
d. if world unity education is not imparted in schools.
18. The world unites under
a. adversities like earthquakes and tsunamis
b. occasions like the coronation of the US President
c. the UN
d. all of the above
State true or false:
1. All problems like poverty, draught, famine and flood could be countered amicably if the world comes together.
2. The concept of the Euro brings the economies of all the nations of the world together.
3. International law and its enforcement would help bring down the incumbent crime rate in the world.
4. Wars waged by the US against Iraq and Afghanistan brought peace and security in the world.
5. Wars waged by the US against Iraq and Afghanistan took the American economy for a ride.
6. Industries can always be functional without disturbing the ecology of the state.
7. The problem of pollution is now a world wide phenomenon.
8. Different problems could be solved by creating differences between nations.
9. Terrorists get away because of the different legal systems of different countries. We need to have one legal system all over the world.
10. Adversity unites.
11. Oil fields in Kuwait were the target of attention for the entire world including the US and Iraq.
12. The concept of world unity negates the concept of the dominance of a particular nation over all other nations.
13. Accumulation of WMD could be detrimental to the concept of world unity and world peace.
14. Wars are fought to resolve mutual conflicts, but at the end of the day, no one emerges the wiser.
15. Children are the common denominator whose concern can bring the world together.
16. All kinds of conflicts emanate from the minds of men.
17. The society can be made a better place by imparting world unity education.
18. adversities like tsunami or an earthquake have served to create differences in the world.
Chapter 5. The solutionThis generation dances to a tune different from the ones we danced to, it sings tunes different from the ones we sang. This generation is entirely different from us, but it could be brought to our levels if we moulded them in a definite direction. They should be moulded in a direction favourable to us right from the outset. The concepts of peace and unity need to be imbibed in their minds. Our children could be the elements of the desired change in the world. The change that must be brought in the society is that a fervour of unity and peace must be inculcated in the minds of the masses. The change would best be initiated in the society if we begin at the grassroots, if we begin when life begins, if we begin where the future of the nations is moulded, if we begin with the children in the society. CMS is an institution that attempts to change the society by changing the mindsets of children.
Children could prove to be the catalysts for the reaction that would be required to unite the world. They could always be the driving forces for the desired reaction. Children are the ambassadors of peace for this world. They hold the potential to change the world. The world could be changed by imbibing the virtues of world peace and world unity in their tender minds. It should be borne in mind that a change in the society begins with a single individual, a revolution always begins within a single mind, a single child can change the entire set-up: if one child changes, the entire world changes.
A change is urgently required in the contemporary society. The society needs to shed its mentality of hatred and differences. We need a social set up that does not accept differences of caste, creed, sect or religion. The change that is required in the society is that the mentality of the masses needs to be changed, we need to change the mind-sets of the masses: the thinking of the masses needs to be changed.
The change could be ushered in by changing the educational system in the world. The exigencies of modernity demand that education must act as a powerful instrument of social transformation. Education must be directed at changing the minds of children, a change could be brought in the world by directing the minds of children towards peace and harmony. Children are the future of the world. Children would evolve as the masses tomorrow. The mentality of the masses must be dealt with by changing the educational system of the country. The educational system in schools should be aimed at creating good humans. Education in modern schools should be directed at liberating mankind from the venom it has accumulated through its acts of atheism, through its ignorance, its confusion and its conflicts.
Education in schools all over the world should be the same and with the same goals and objectives. Modern schools could thus prove to be the lighthouse of the society. Schools are one of the most important institutions of our society because they show the way to humanity. A school is virtually a building where the future of the society is developed. It is a place where the destiny of man and mankind is given a definite shape, the school is where children learn the lessons of life. A school is as important as the home of the child because children are given the messages of life in the school and in their homes. They are the real places of worship for every child on earth. The school could thus become a beacon of hope for those contemplating on uniting the world.
The world would remain divided by differences if we continue to accept divisions of caste, colour, religion, race or language. We would be honouring divisive forces operative within the society in this manner. For the advocates of peace and unity, there lies a different track to be trodden upon. The beaten track should not be trodden upon, we should not take the trek taken by those who resort to violence and destruction, we should walk on a different track from our comerades who advocate war and destruction. We need to walk on a different track. A different future would certainly await our children and the generations-yet-to-be-born if we think in a different manner. We must inoculate novel concepts in the hearts of the present generation. Children should be taught the importance and significance of these concepts. This way they could evolve as mature and responsible adults.
The problem boils down to the veracity that the present educational system should be revamped. Children should be provided with the fundamentals of unity and fraternity from their formative years. It is time that we realised that every child is potentially the light of the world, every child possesses a pure, kind and radiant heart. We should realise that each child should get an adequate dose of material, human and divine education in the formative years in school.
Material education is aimed at arming the students with adequate knowledge of the world. It aims to enable children to emerge as victors in all professions. An adequate knowledge of the world is a prerequisite for success in the modern world. This would be of no use unless the child fosters respect and love for his fellow humans at all levels, so children ought to be brought up with human education too. At the end of the day, all efforts at giving the child a good upbringing would be fruitless unless he is properly connected to the Divine Creator. Children should be provided with education that concerns all religions.
Religion should be projected as an agent of uniting the society and not as a divisive force. Religion is primarily aimed at purifying and uniting the hearts of humanity. God has revealed Himself before humanity in various forms since the dawn of time, He has given several messages through messengers from time to time. His progressive revelation is something that has been denied by us in various forms down the ages but it has been revealed again and again for the same reason. Each revelation has followed from the other emphasizing the message of unity and peace. These progressive revelations are the truths revealed by God progressively and cyclically over time through a series of messengers. The messages of all these messengers are tailored to suit the needs of different ages and places of their appearance. The essence of the matter remains that all religions aim at unity and peace. We seem to forget this message in our daily interactions with the world. World unity education aims at reviving the essence of these teachings of world unity and peace.
World unity and peace education can work miracles in the world. World unity and peace education aims at dissolving our mutual differences by changing our mentality. It is against the use of any kind of action or force. It aims at uniting the conflicting factions of the world under the umbrella of a world government. A united world would be the antithesis to all sorts of conflicts and friction in the world. The world would become a beautiful place to live in if all sorts of conflicts are resolved amicably.
Conflicts have emerged in the society because of the differences of caste, colour sect or religion. It is high time that we accepted these differences as part of our lives. Our lives are replete with differences: though the rainbow has only seven colours, yet our lives are vibrant with as many colours as in a kaleidoscope. Despite all the differences, all of us are one as all of us live on the earth as one humanity. Our mutual differences only serve to enhance the need of unity in the world: we need peace to live in the world just as we need food and water for our survival.
Survival in the world does not mean merely living a healthy life, but it also translates as transmitting the message of unity and peace to the next generation to follow us. At the end of the day, the purpose of our survival comes out to be the concern we have for the present generation and the generations-yet-to-be-born. It is the concern for the survival of humanity that would force us to dissolve differences. Somewhere down the line, we would have to realise that all of us belong to one family: the entire humanity is but one family. These are the voices and the source of strength of the underprivileged as well as the strong. Unity and consensus are the remedies to the problems that we face. The advocates of the concept of unity in the world are the new-age freedom fighters who are driven by an innate sense of fairness. It is only by following these ideals and virtues that humanity can achieve its goals, we need to imbibe these virtues into our lives, we need to make them a part of our daily lives. The ideal of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam would become a reality then.
Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam was a slogan given by Mahatma Gandhi and adopted by CMS as a guiding principle. Literally, it translates as 'one world family'. This means that the world is but one family and the entire humanity is its member. CMS strives to inculcate these principles within the tender minds of the children. World unity education is all about the slogan, Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam. Students of CMS are brought up with the thought and feeling of being members of a single united family rather than ones separated by differences of caste, colour, religion, or sect. Education imparted at the institution is the same for all regardless of his or her caste, colour, or religion. This is what unity is all about. This way, CMS strives to spread the message of unity and fraternity all over the world.
For the world to be united, we need to realise that the concept of world unity education is the idea of a world where equality, justice and peace are not just empty promises, but a reality. These concepts are a reality in CMS. All this has been made a reality by the continuous and untiring efforts of Mr Jagdish Gandhi and Dr Bharti Gandhi. Fifty years down the aisles of time, the couple has made every possible effort to make this dream a reality. Mr Gandhi was highly inspired by the ideals and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, the founder of the nation. These ideals and philosophies form an important part of the day to day life in the institution formed by Mr Jagdish Gandhi.
Sixty-two years after the death of Mahatma Gandhi, there are still a few people who tread his path to accomplish the goals the great man had set forth. Ordinary people like Mr Jagdish Gandhi are people with an innate sense of fairness, justice, unity and equality in their minds, they have continued to struggle against time and society for the clichéd greater common good. For people like Mr Gandhi, unity is not just a concept that is dusted off every peace march when fervour of unity is on a high and usually brought up by nonstop unity songs on loudspeakers. It is about translating the concept into our lives every day and every minute. This is where the concept of world unity education steps in.
World unity education is only a part of the battle fought by CMS. There are still plenty of battles to fight, there are still a lot of milestones to cover, the concept of unity is constantly, gradually, and slowly evolving. The perfect world is still a distant dream. There are plenty who still go to bed hungry, There are hundreds who don't have enough clothes to wear, gender, racial, and social inequality is still the way of life for most of us.
There are miles to go before we relax, miles to go before we sleep, but there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. These are some of the voices that are loud, clear, passionate and strong. They refuse to give up on unity. The fireballs of change only need to be ignited.
