Candles in the Dark: A New Spirit for a Plural World

Chapter 14: The Moral Power of the United Nations

CHAPTER 14 THE MORAL POWER OF THE UNITED NATIONS Jacques Baudot The world needs a more powerful United Nations. First and foremost, peace and security, more than any other time in history, require the organized cooperation of national governments under a legitimate global authority. A great number of increasingly deadly weapons are available to States, organizations, and individuals with aggressive aims; Determined terrorists have horrendous capacity to inflict death and destruction, as tragically experienced by the United States, on the11th of September 200l. Threats to the integrity of the planet and the pressing need for collective measures provide the second reason for a strengthened United Nations with capacity to promote and enforce international treaties for disarmament, and the environment. And, the globalization of the world economy, made possible by technological innovations and currently shaped by a few public and private actors, also calls for a United Nations with some attributes of a world government. The vast power of the private international economic and financial actors.leading the process of economic and cultural globalization must be balanced, regulated, and directed towards the common good of humanity by universal democratic institutions, such as the United Nations. 261 JACQUES BAUDOT The United Nations has the general mandate and the potential to effectively address the global problems of the 21sl century. It has a quasi-universal membership. Its Charter, with some adjustments in the composition and functioning of its principal organs, remains an inspiring document.l It has a dedicated and competent international civil service, and many idealistic, young people dream of giving their .enthusiasm and energy to such a benevolent and potentially effective international organization. To play an effective role in meeting the international and global issues of the day, the United Nations needs some of the same legislative and executive capacities that are currently exercised by nation states and by some regional organizations. It also needs a judicial branch. The laborious establishment of the International Criminal Court is an important step in this direction. It may even need a permanent police force and a permanent military force to prevent violence and stem conflicts, domestic and international, and to act rapidly when necessary. But "power," for a universal institution built on high principles and intended to serve humanity with reason and wisdom, cannot be reduced to elementary components. Judicial and military "arms" will not insure the effectiveness of an organization whose essential mandate is the betterment of the human condition. They are, as yet, inadequate instruments to address the symptoms of the diseases of an imperfect world. If these instruments were granted to the United Nations and used in a manner not fundamentally different from that of a nation-state, this institution would lose its raison d'etre and its soul. The United Nations is not and should not be a super-state-to be looked upon with awe and fear. It derives its legitimacy from its moral power. It will enhance its ability to bring some harmony into this chaotic world if it deepens its message of peace and solidarity, if it cultivates its ethos of equality and cooperation , and if it conveys to the people the image of an organization dedicated to the pursuit of the common good. Such moral power of the United Nations has three elements of critical importance: intellectual rigor, ethical clarity, and political imagination. 262 THE MORAL POWER OF THE UNITED NATIONS Intellectual Rigor In all aspects of its work-peace and security, international law, development, human rights, humanitarian relief-the United Nations needs scrupulous respect for facts. Itneeds the perspectives of a variety of disciplines to capture the diverse facets of the issues on its agenda, and its needs careful attention to the language it uses. These qualities-objectivity, versatility, and attention to language -define the intellectual rigor that should be one of the sources of the moral power of the United Nations. Early in its existence, the United Nations acquired a remarkable capacity for assessing issues and objectively measuring demographic , social, and economic trends. Its demographic and statistical publications and its global and regional economic and social surveys rapidly gained a reputation for excellence and objectivity. Likewise, its legal work and publications. Later, efforts were made to develop similar capacities in political affairs and security matters. These efforts were less successful because of the complexities involved in quantifying and measuring such matters and because of the paucity of financial resources and personnel. Since...