Is World Unity Finally Within Reach?
DRUGS
TERRORISM
SELFISHNESS
WAR
NATIONALISM
HATRED
CRIME
WORLD unity! What a blessing it would be for mankind! But is there anything to indicate that it is more than just a Utopian dream? Or has it perhaps finally been brought within reach?
If you have ever traveled extensively, you may have experienced the frustration of keeping your finances straight. Likely you had the challenge of converting your Japanese yen into German marks, then into Italian lire, over into English pounds or maybe American dollars, all the while trying to figure out what this or that would cost “in real money.” Thus, no doubt you can see the advantage that world unity would bring in just such a small matter as common currency.
Or what about those endless passport and customs controls? What an inconvenience and what a loss of time! These, too, would cease were world unity a reality. No more: “Would you open your suitcases, please? How long do you plan on staying? Where?” and sometimes even “Why?”—almost as though you were not really wanted.
Of course, these are minor inconveniences when compared to the really BIG problems that world unity would solve. Gone would be the political differences, faultfinding and name-calling that only too often escalate into trade embargoes, currency restrictions, disruption of diplomatic relations and sometimes climax in war itself, with all its needless misery and suffering.
If people could resolve their political differences, think of the tremendous amount of money, presently set aside for national defense, that would immediately become available! This money could provide everyone with decent housing and dignified employment and working conditions. It could make desolate areas habitable, build roads and hospitals, and improve the educational system. Why, the list of possibilities is almost endless!
In view of the benefits brought about by unity, it is understandable that repeated attempts to achieve it have been made. On a small scale some of these attempts have been successful. Groups of people have been united into strong nations. Consider, for example, the Holy Roman Empire, the British Empire, or, more recently, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Other attempts, although not necessarily with political integration as their goal, have nevertheless brought about increased unity of thought and action between groups of nations. The League of Arab States is one example, as is the United Nations organization.
Some consider world unity, however, as purely Utopian. Why even the Holy Roman Empire and the British Empire broke up with time, they will point out. Even stable federal governments are having problems, like the government of Canada, which is concerned that Quebec might break away from the rest of the country.
So although desirable, there seem to be heavy undercurrents running against world unity. Abba Eban, former foreign minister of Israel, once said: “A paradox of our times is that the proliferation of small nation-states goes hand in hand with a search for wider forms of integration, as exemplified in the United Nations, the European Economic Community, the Organization of American States and the Organization of African Unity.” The intervening 14 years since these words were spoken only serve to verify them, because during this period many new nations have come into existence: Angola, Bangladesh and Botswana to mention only three. Now, 150 nations are members of the United Nations, the most ever.
In view of this strong trend toward nationalism, can we realistically speak of world unity? Yes, we can. We feel that world unity is, not only desirable and achievable, but inevitable! And we feel that it will bring about benefits of which man today cannot even dream.
But still the question remains: How will it be achieved? Western Europeans may see progress toward a proposed “United States of Europe” as a step in the right direction. Could this, if achieved, prove to be the big breakthrough? Would it finally put world unity within reach? Let us consider the evidence.