The Way of Oz: A Guide to Wisdom, Heart, and Courage

18: Democracy and Serving the Planet’s Peoples

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried. Winston Churchill (1874–1965), British statesman, author, artist The Land of Oz was hardly a democracy as Frank Baum portrayed it in his original book and as it appeared in the 1939 film. In Baum’s thirteen Oz sequels , Ozma is a benevolent dictator, one who honors diversity and cares deeply about her subjects. She ensures life (every creature is immortal) and happiness (all worthy subjects are guaranteed freedom from want). But of the three defining principles of our American democracy, the central element of liberty is missing in Oz. In France, the three defining democratic principles are liberty, equality, and fraternity. The Canadian constitution guarantees the rights of life, liberty, and security of person. The defining objectives of the European Union are freedom, security, and justice. Collectively , these elements are intended to ensure equal treatment and protection from discrimination and caring for one’s neighbor in the spirit of fraternity and brotherhood. Baum’s Ozma might not explicitly grant freedom to her subjects, but she assures their happiness, albeit in a fairyland construct. The principles of democracy should serve as touchstones to all who embrace the Way of Oz. 18 Democracy and Serving the Planet’s Peoples The Way of Oz and a Focu< on the Future.........................184 A View from the World’s Stage Many of the Western world’s former leaders do not spend their retirement playing golf and discussing their scores. Most of them contribute to democratically oriented organizations and causes. Consider the Club of Madrid, for example. Founded in October 2001 following the 9/11 catastrophe, the organization brings together nearly ninety national leaders from more than fifty countries, leaders who are dedicated to “democratic leadership, governance , human rights, and the rule of law.” Its members meet yearly, usually in Madrid, Spain, where they hear reports and discuss action plans developed under the group’s major initiatives, such as democracy, security, and terrorism; energy and democracy; shared societies: democratic leadership for dialogue, diversity, and cohesion; and women’s leadership for peace and security. The Club of Madrid members and sitting governmental leaders around the world pursue these initiatives through their personal interactions. They help to shape planning and policy making globally, especially in the developing world. The Club of Madrid is a wonderful example of how many world leaders value democracies and globally recognized democratic principles, but it is not the only organization pursuing such initiatives . Many other organizations do beneficent work consistent with democratic principles, including unstinting devotion to human rights, the rule of law, justice, and economic development: the United Nations and its affiliate agencies, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO; a host of nongovernmental organizations, such as Médecins Sans Fronti ères, or Doctors Without Borders, the recipient of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize; the Grameen Bank, winner of the 2006 185.........................Democracy and Serving Nobel Peace Prize, along with its founder Muhammad Yunus, for promoting credit as a human right and establishing financial microlending programs in the developing world; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent; and the Rockefeller Foundation, in its work to alleviate world hunger and poverty . So we can say that many of the world’s leaders devote great portions of their lives and energies to the components of the Way of Oz. Reaching Out to the Developing World Recall how traveling, especially through study-abroad programs, can spark special learning opportunities that can lead to changed perspectives and insights . Consider how travel and outreach influence human and economic development in America and abroad. When these ideas are directed toward democratic and economic reforms in the developing world, they take on new dimensions. If you have not traveled in developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and certain nations in southern and eastern Europe, or studied the human and institutional conditions in these lands, your knowledge of the majority of the world’s citizens is deficient. Here is a statement from UNESCO: “Working to create conditions of genuine dialog based on respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture. This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based on the observance of human rights, mutual respect, and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and activities.” How can an emerging leader who is a proponent of the Way of Oz contribute to a more sustainable, just, and economically viable world that ensures the dignity and basic necessities of the planet’s citizens? The answers are not easy, but there are opportunities for even the youngest devotee of the Way of Oz to contribute to what UNESCO calls “sustainable development based on the observance of human rights, mutual respect, and the alleviation of poverty.” These opportunities begin with understanding through study and travel; volunteer efforts through religious, social, or benevolent nongovernmental organizations; study-abroad and servicelearning programs; along with a sense of personal responsibility. ...