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Preferred State:
Access to democratic decision making processes for 100%
of humanity
Problem State: Hundreds
of millions of people governed by autocratic dictatorships
Strategy 18: Building and Strengthening Democracy Throughout
the World
Even with all the above strategies, there is yet another
step needed to insure a peaceful world. We need to reconceptualize
the notion of national security. In a world where a fourth
or more of the population exists in a state of abject poverty
and has no means of influencing either the macro, micro or
global economic processes that effect change, much less controlling
their destiny other than through violence or self-destruction-no
one is safe, including the wealthy and "powerful." In the
long term, and in a sustainable and least-cost/most-economical
view, the removing of injustice and providing opportunities
for all the people of the world will have a lasting impact
of increasing the strength, depth and resiliency of peace.
One of the most efficacious ways of setting in motion these
processes is through democracy. Democracy has great value
in controlling the worst impulses of ethnicity and nationalism.(125)
Coupled with a "Bill of Rights" that guarantees basic human
freedoms and an independent judicial system, democracy has
demonstrated an enormous capacity for furthering non-violent
social change.
History also discloses that democratic governments do not
go to war against one another.
Strategy 18a: International Democratic Election Fund
An International Democratic Election Fund for financing voter
education, registration and multi-party campaigns in countries
making the transition to democracy would help insure that
the democratic process had a better chance of flourishing.
Funds would be directed at grassroots legislative campaigns
as well as national elections. With $1.5 billion per year
for ten years such a fund would help foster grassroots democracy
throughout the world.
Strategy 18b: Global Polling Program
A Global Polling Program, funded at the rate of $490 million
per year for ten years, would act to strengthen the linkages
of global humanity by making more visible what we, as a global
species, think about important global issues. Through regular
(four times per year), global polls that ascertain what people
from all over the world think and feel about key global
issues, the people of the world would "get to know" each
other as a global phenomena. "Do you think landmines should
be outlawed? Do you think there should be fewer travel restrictions
between countries? Should we stop destroying rainforests?
Should all the governments in the world get together and eliminate
starvation (illiteracy, lack of health care, etc.)? What would
you be willing to pay to eliminate starvation in the world?
Do you think everyone in the world should have freedom of
speech? Should there be freedom of the press? Of religion?"
These questions are a mere sample of the type that could
and should be asked of the world's people. (A prototype of
the Global Polling Program could be started on the Internet.
But because there are over two billion people on the planet
who have not even made a phone call, much less had access
to the Internet, it is imperative that the polls access a
truly global representation of humanity through other, more
traditional interview-type of polling procedures.) A key feature
of the Global Polling Program would be the opportunity for
anyone to submit a polling question. As time went on, the
people of the world would learn more and more about what we
all thought about different issues, thereby giving voice to
the will, values and desires of the citizenry of the planet.
Strategy 18c: Global Problem Solving Simulation Tool
A Global Problems Solving Simulation Tool funded at $10 million
per year for ten years that would enable everyone from high
school students to corporate executives and government leaders
to Non-Governmental Organizations and concerned citizens to
propose, develop and test strategies for solving real world
problems would enable more creativity, intelligence, compassion
and problem-solving abilities to be focused on the current
problems of the world. The open access to the vital statistics
of every country and the world would encourage cooperation
and democracy. "Winners" of the problem-solving simulation
would be the team or individual that had the most cost-effective
and sustainable solution to a particular problem. This Internet-based
tool would help people see connections between and among countries,
regions, climates, cities, cultures, resources and needs as
well as problems and potential solutions. It would include
a comprehensive inventory of the world's resources, trends
and needs as well as a catalog of field-tested, cost-effective
solutions to different problems of the world. All the "moves"
of all the global simulations would be stored for review by
subsequent players so that even better solutions could be
developed-and tested and implemented in the real world. In
one sense, the Global Problem Solving Simulation Tool would
enable the creative high school student or class to "compete"
against real-world leaders in developing ever more effective
ways of dealing with the problems of the world. As such it
would not only help focus more attention on the world's problems,
it would foster a democratic sensibility among the citizens
of the world by giving them a tool and a forum for interacting
with the global system.(126)
Costs for all three programs would be less than that of one
B-2 bomber or 0.025% of annual military expenditures or about
.08% of the current $225 billion in subsidies to US industries.
What the World Wants Chart >
Eighteen Strategies...
...for tackling the major problems confronting humanity:
1. Eliminate Starvation and Malnourishment >
2. Provide Health Care & AIDS Control >
3. Provide Shelter >
4. Provide Clean Safe Water >
5. Eliminate Illiteracy >
6. Provide Clean, Safe Energy: Efficiency >
7. Provide Clean, Safe Energy: Renewables >
8. Retire Developing Nations Debt >
9. Stabilize Population >
10. Prevent Soil Erosion >
11. Stop Deforestation >
12. Stop Ozone Depletion >
13. Prevent Acid Rain >
14. Prevent Global Warming >
15. Remove Landmines >
16. Refugee Relief >
17. Eliminating Nuclear Weapons >
18. Build Democracy (current page)
*Sources:
The What the World Wants Project
is by Medard Gabel and the research staff of the World Game
Institute. The material in this section of Media Hell is quoted
directly from that research. Credits, Major References & Footnotes > |
