Mankind Yearns for a New World
THE yearning for a new world has never been greater than now. The past eight decades of wars, riots, famines, pestilences, crime, and pollution have been a nightmare. Humanity wants to awaken to a new world of peace. Responding to this desire, world leaders have begun speaking about creating such a world.
No doubt you have heard or read speeches by prominent men proclaiming that a new world is on the horizon. U.S. president George Bush said in a speech in September 1991: “Tonight, as I see the drama of democracy unfolding around the globe, perhaps—perhaps we are closer to that new world than ever before.”
As evidence that a new world is near, world leaders point to the end of the Cold War between Eastern bloc and Western bloc nations. Indeed, the world breathes a little easier as disarmament programs are implemented. The reduction of nuclear weapons strengthens the hope of many people for a new world of peace and security.
In April of this year, George McGhee, under secretary of state during the administration of the late U.S. president John F. Kennedy, declared: “We now have the chance—indeed, the necessity—to draw up a blueprint for a new world system based on new security concepts.” He added: “The most promising hope for a successful new world system lies, I believe, in strengthening the bonds of the international community.”
McGhee said that France’s suspension of nuclear tests through the end of 1992 was “a bid to persuade other nuclear powers to follow suit.” He also pointed to Russian “initiatives in downsizing nuclear arsenals and standing down from the razor’s edge of operational readiness for strategic nuclear forces.”
Further, at a meeting of world leaders in London in July 1991, seven of them declared that the Persian Gulf war coalition “affirmed the international community’s ability to act together ‘to restore international peace and security and to resolve conflict.’”
What Kind of New World?
All of this sounds encouraging. But ask yourself, What kind of new world do the nations hope to create? Is it a weapons-free, war-free world?
McGhee answers: “America must retain enough armed might to contribute its share to any future united military effort, or prevail if war is unavoidable.” So world leaders are not advocating total disarmament, nor are they ruling out military effort if, as McGhee said, “war is unavoidable.” Governments simply cannot promise a war-free new world. Realistically, they know that they cannot create such a world.
For example, look at what has already happened. Under the title “The New World Order” in the May 17, 1992, New York Times, columnist Anthony Lewis wrote: “Watching the television pictures of shells falling on [Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina,] and civilians huddling in fear, I thought that civilization had not advanced since Nazi bombs fell on Rotterdam. Some new world order.”
Yet, besides the elimination of war, there are many other problems that need to be solved in order to create a satisfying new world. Consider the insidious pollution that is slowly ruining our air, land, and seas; the powerful crime syndicates and drug cartels that rob millions of their possessions and health; the wanton destruction of rain forests that contributes to soil erosion and eventually leads to floods that destroy crops.
Moreover, still awaiting cures are terrible physical afflictions, including heart trouble, cancer, AIDS, leukemia, and diabetes. And what about the problems of poverty, homelessness, food and water shortages, malnutrition, illiteracy, and depletion of the ozone layer? Indeed, the list goes on and on. These critical problems are like a pile of ticking time bombs. Man must defuse them now before they explode in a chain reaction of disasters that could lead to his extinction. Can he set up a new world in time to do this?
For years organizations and conferences have been working hard to remedy earth’s problems. Yet, not only have the problems escalated but newer and more complicated ones have developed. Does man’s inability to solve these mean that mankind’s yearning for a peaceful, secure new world is in vain? We can confidently answer no! Please consider why we say this.