Democracy, the only solution

 

“The only way to reach a peaceful international order

 is to promote democracy”

Fernando Vallespín

“El País”, January 23rd 2022.

 

The cornerstone of all human rights is equal dignity. This is already stated in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union of year 2000, which has seemingly not been read carefully by most of today’s European leaders. In 1945, at the end of a horrendous war during which the most abominable methods of extermination were used, the United Nations was founded –“We the peoples”…”- and, just a few months later, the UNESCO whose Constitution states that "democratic principles" - justice, equal dignity, freedom and solidarity - should guide governance, and education should contribute to the breeding of "free and responsible" people. Educated people, that is, people who act by virtue of their own reflections and not based on the dictates of someone, and are neither bound nor terrified by dogmas, threats, blind obedience....

The essential objective of education should be to breed a “free and responsible” citizenship which - as stated in the first paragraph of the Universal Declaration of Human - “shall get rid of fear”. Cease to be subjects and become citizens. Individuals who are able to fully exercise the unique capacities of human beings: thinking, imagining, foreseeing, inventing their future, which should never be accepted as irreversible. Fanaticism and dogmatism must be eradicated so human beings may soar high in the endless space of spirit, once their wings are released from every attachment or burden.

The equal dignity of all human beings has progressively been achieved, but the global hegemony of large oligopolies and the war-industrial complex still remains.

Until very recently, mankind had always been dominated and tamed by absolute male power. A few men held the reins of our common destiny in their hands. We have been impassive spectators instead of actors; mere recipients of often biased information, instead of issuers; witnesses afraid to intervene. Muted, silent. Since they were territorially and intellectually confined, human beings lived in subjugation, and had no option but to offer their own lives to fulfil the plans of the most powerful. Without any possible discussion.

Now, since a few decades ago, "We the peoples” - at last men and women on an equal footing - have progressively earned the right to demonstrate, to express our objections and proposals.  We are facing multiple and urgent transitions which for the first time in history may be tackled with some prospects of success: global awareness, free expression and, particularly, a progressively higher percentage of women in decision-making.

The solution is a true democracy at a personal, local, national, regional and international scale. This is why it is of the utmost urgency to quickly proceed to the refoundation of the United Nations System, and the eradication of the G7, G8 y G20… One of the worst omens that are threatening today us is the return of racism and xenophobia. I have said many times -bearing in mind particularly years 1936 to 1939- that supremacism gives rise to hate and confrontation. And it kills. This is why I’m in favour of zero tolerance and active citizens -instead of impassive spectators distracted by the huge power of the media- because “tomorrow might be too late”. It is most disturbing to see how supremacism, racism, fanaticism, dogmatism are sprouting everywhere... without anyone seeming to recall what happened not so long ago... We cannot tolerate this new outbreak of the same scourges because they are the greatest source of confrontation, the greatest source of victims throughout history, a history that must not be repeated. All human beings are equal in dignity; this is the foundation for peace and justice.

Given the neo-liberal drift towards the same attitudes of the 1930s, a great popular mobilisation in the streets and in the cyberspace is needed to eradicate the plutocratic groups and strengthen the United Nations, as a genuine multilateral organisation whose Charter begins with these wise words "We, the peoples...". Faced with current perspectives of various kinds (ethical, political, economic) the speedy re-foundation of a United Nations System endowed with the necessary personal, technical and financial means would be excellent news.

Concerned, committed, undaunted citizens, who know how to overcome the fear that grips so many wills, could make come true - through a “global movement” - a United Nations General Assembly soon supported by 50% of civil society, which would then adopt a Universal Declaration of Democracy (https://declaraciondemocracia.wordpress.com/). Democracy is the sole context where it is possible to imagine a “new beginning”, the new era of a world in which  governance shall be inspired by justice, equality, liberty and solidarity, that is by the “democratic principles” so wisely set out in the UNESCO Constitution, rather than by the markets, by the great military, energy, financial and media powers that still try today to satisfy, through the "great dominion", their ambitions for power, which have produced so many negative results.

Today for the first time in history, remote participation is possible thanks to modern communication technology.

Let us put into practice without any further delay the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Let us all demand that 2022 be the beginning of the reduction of armaments, of the culture of force and violence, in favour of the culture of encounter, conciliation and dialogue.

The time for silence and submission is over. The duty to remember and the duty to take action: implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, in order to further reduce the ecological degradation whose effects are becoming more intense and more frequent; swift global agreement on the elimination of nuclear weapons; immediate regulation of military organizations who actually represent the hegemony at a global scale in some countries, as well as the huge networks of military bases all over the world; regulation of trafficking and consumption of illegal drugs; elimination of tax havens and plutocratic groups...; a new concept of "human" security, so that the inhabitants of territories that are so well “protected” by defence mechanisms may have access to the five priorities of United Nations: food, drinkable water, quality health services, caring for the environment, and education for everyone during the whole life; promoting science and the advice of those having the required expertise; reinforcing preventive measures, especially in the field of health, with the immediate example of vaccination for everyone and not only for the inhabitants of the most prosperous countries; ensuring the independence of justice; personal commitment to invent the future and, resorting to our boundless resilience, never again accept impositions, dogmatism, supremacism... Every unique human being capable of creating, there lies our hope.

15th of September “International Day of Democracy”

The "International Day of Democracy" is the right time to think out loud about democracy, what means, what represents as everyday behaviour at a personal, local, regional and international scale, how the “democratic principles enshrined in the UNESCO’s Constitution in 1945can be better respected and implemented worldwide as the best solution   to face the present challenges.

 The situation is especially complex and difficult, especially in Europe, where have been the markets that have conditioned the political action to the point of, in the cradle of democracy such as Greece and Italy, to appoint the governments without elections. It was a terrible mistake allow to the “neoliberal globalizers” to substitute the ethical values by the market laws and the United Nations by plutocratic groups (G-6, G-7, G-8… G-20).  The systemic crisis is so profound that a “new beginning” is to be promptly envisaged. 

This year “leit motiv” of the International Day is “to reinforce voices in favour of democracy”. “In the heart of democracy –has written the Secretary General of the United Nations- lies the capacity to express the voice of the people to decide the way in which is to be governed”.

Today is possible, for the first time in history, the on-line participation thanks to modern communication technology. Use it, join voices, thousands, millions of voices, in order that "formal" democracy loses weight and genuine democracy, taking  into account permanently the citizens that represents, is strengthened.

I will never forget when, talking one day about "true" democracy, my father said to me: "Democracy is based on sharing". Those who have more, those more fortunate must show solidarity and offer equal opportunities to those who have less. Those who accumulate, those that evade their tax responsibilities, must not forget this: democracy is to share, to take permanently the others, specially the most vulnerable, into account.

The Charter of the UN, which was adopted on behalf of the «Peoples of the United Nations», reaffirms the «faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small»… However, the term “democracy” is not used in any of its provisions.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights only mentions democracy once in Article 29.2: “…human rights based mainly, but not solely, on the requirements “of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society”.

During the “cold war” democracy took shelter in the regional Organizations (the European Council, the Organization of American States and, some time later, the European Union). Since 1989 democracy has continuously been dealt with   by international Organizations: United Nations, the African Union, the Inter-Parliamentary Union… which this year, precisely, promotes the celebration of the International Day in all its associated Parliaments in 162 countries.

Democracy can only exist if human rights are respected and protected, while human rights may in turn only flourish within a democratic regime.

For all the reasons mentioned above, some years ago we drafted –with Karel Vasak, Juan Antonio Carrillo Salcedo, Mario Soares, Edgar Morin, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, François de Bernard…- one project of a “Universal Declaration of Democracy” that was presented in October 2012 in the European Council and, afterwards, has incorporated important remarks and comments from many specialists. The Declaration has right now a very important number of signatories (http://www.fund-culturadepaz.org/democracia_esp.php ).

It is the first time that democracy is dealt with in all its facets: political, economic, social, cultural and international democracy.

I think that is interesting to quote here the following articles of the Declaration:

“Article 1.     Democracy is a political, economic, social, cultural and international regime, based on the respect for human being, the supremacy and independence of justice and law, as well as on the possibility for any individual to participate in the life and development of society, in freedom and peace and in a favourable natural and cultural environment, being always fully conscious of the equal dignity and interdependence of the human beings”.

“Article 11.1 Democracy shall develop economic systems based on social justice, to which all the other aspects and dimensions of the economic life will be always subordinated, in a context of competence and fair and free cooperation,  in order to achieve a human and sustainable economic development  growth, shared prosperity, the promotion  of employment and labour, and a rational use of economic, nutritional, natural and energy resources, with the main objective of ensuring  to  everybody  to  have  access to  the goods and   services - particularly health services- necessary for a dignified life”.

Since it is based on freedom and human rights, the democratic regime is indeed the best guarantee for national and international peace, combining the efforts of all actors in social life: States, individuals, public and private organizations. Only in such conditions can a transition from a culture of imposition, domination, violence and war to a culture of conversation, conciliation, alliance and peace take place. Summing up: from force to word.

Real Democracy, Now!

I think this is the best banner carried by those belonging to the emerging but now unstoppable movement that, thanks to new information and communications technologies, will progressively promote their protests and proposals and, given the number of adherents that they will be capable of achieving, will truly influence the government’s decisions. Distance participation will undoubtedly strengthen democracy.

Democracy is the only context in which it is possible to envision a “new beginning”, a new world era in which governance will be rooted in justice, equality, liberty and solidarity, in summary, in the “democratic principles” so lucidly set forth in the UNESCO Constitution, instead of the markets and the great military, energy, financial and media domain, which through groups of plutocrats presently seeks to maintain its ambitions of domination that have already produced so many negative results.

Real Democracy, Now! It’s that clear. That’s what we have to strive for. A second draft of the Universal Declaration of Democracy has been released. In a few weeks a final draft will be ready, which we may all sign after receiving contributions that may be warranted for its improvement.

Real Democracy, Now! I hope this will be the great banner waved by all of those who from the Puerta de Sol to Cyberspace have filled the horizon with a desire for change.

Democracy = Sharing

My father was a man of clear and precisely-expressed ideas. He was a “self-made man” with only an elementary education. A tireless worker, after many years of lost sleep while studying at home he progressed from being an unskilled worker in a factory in Tortosa, in the lower Ebro valley, to the director general of an important antibiotics manufacturing plant. 

One day, while discussing “genuine” democracy, I’ll never forget what he told me: “Democracy is rooted in sharing”. Those who have the most, the most fortunate, must show solidarity and offer equal opportunities to those who have less. 

Let all of those who feel no solidarity take note: democracy is sharing.

Safeguard Democracy!

“We won’t allow the post-neoliberal era to become the post-democracy era” (President Dilma Rousseff, January, 2012).

The local and global solution is to perfect democracy so it reflects the will of the people at all times. For the first time in history distance participation is now possible, thanks to modern communications technology. Let’s use it. Let’s join together with thousands, millions of voices to urge “formal” democracies to change their ways, while strengthening genuine democracy that permanently takes into account the citizens it represents.

The situation is particularly alarming, especially in the “old Europe”, where the markets are dictating political policy to the extent of having appointed governments without elections in “symbolic countries” such as Greece and Italy.

In other cases the absolute power of parliamentary majorities sometimes seriously perverts the democratic process.

Democracy is in danger. Let’s take President Dilma Rousseff’s advice!

Dare to do it!

"They were despised because they could have done so much,
yet dared to do so little "
Albert Camus

-Dare to know

I remember when I went to Oxford in 1966 to work in the Department of Professor Hans A. Krebs, I was impressed that the seal of the County bears the saying from Horace "Sapere aude". Dare to know! Without knowledge, without a true knowledge of reality, we cannot preserve it, protect it or change it when warranted.

Knowledge as an initial requisite... but then it is necessary to use the knowledge acquired appropriately. The essential part of the diagnosis is timely treatment. We have to decide without delay. In our Laboratory for the Detection of Neonatal Neurological Disorders, which cause irreversible brain damage, it was essential to act before the point of no return.

In the book "Tomorrow is Always Too Late" I wrote in 1987: "Risk without knowledge is dangerous, but knowledge without risk is useless".

-In addition to daring to know, it is essential to know how to dare.

In this turbulent and confused era in which we live, which is the consequence of having committed the immense error of replacing democratic principles and ethical values for the laws of the market, it is essential and urgent to change our present course, to cure so many ills, to stop the dramatic worldwide loss of direction and to accelerate the evolution of events in order to prevent the revolution on the horizon.

Dare to do it. Reject the hounding from the great (economic, military, energy, media) powers and make things crystal clear.

Cease to make vain promises and react, especially in Europe, as follows (and merely as an example):

- Immediately restructure NATO, endowing the EU autonomy in security matters, and ceasing to acquire unnecessary and outdated military equipment.

- Fiscal and economic federation, and the emission of Euro Bonds, being careful not to exaggerate attention toward certain “locomotives” that run the risk of losing freight cars and passengers.

- Reasonable postponement of deficit deadlines, regulation of financial flows and the definitive elimination of tax havens.

- Balanced industrial relocalization.

-Incentives for R&D and innovation.

-Immediate return to multilateralism, endowing the United Nations system with the required human, technical and financial resources.

- Restoration of democratic principles and human rights at the center of all levels of government...

Dare to do it. It can be done. Rise up. Let’s not warrant the disdain of the coming generations to whom we owe a less somber future.

“Not one more day”

The West’s drift off course, hounded by the markets, must stop immediately.

The front page of the Sept. 3, 2011 “El País” announced that “the ghost of recession in the U.S. and the EU once again prompts drops in the markets” in those States such as Spain which, in order to safeguard them, have been obliged to introduce urgent changes, even in the Constitution, essential for intra-European unity but at quite a price in authority and prestige for the politicians subjected to the mandates of the global “great domain”.

On the 4th, the European Central Bank warned Berlusconi that he needs to make further adjustments… and former president José María Aznar, always so positive and opportune (!), declared that “Italy and Spain must admit that they have been saved”. It’s bewildering to think that the former president and current advisor to Murdoch may once again be able to influence national politics.

On the 5th the headline was “Fear of recession collapses the markets”. And on the 7th, to really prompt speculative attacks, the president of the World Monetary Fund, such a bearer of good news, warned of an “imminent global recession”.

Antonio Machado declared that “only fools confuse value and price”. Many government leaders were very foolish when they agreed to replace the values of democracy and justice with the laws of the market.

These articles, with their references to the sad public images of government leaders, hounded by biased stock market fluctuations that require adopting measures to reestablish the ethical principles that good governance requires, are accompanied by alarming photographs of the leaders of Europe and their associates dividing up the skin of the Libyan bear even before it has been captured, often with the percentages already calculated and with the sinister horizon of Sharia law, instead of a widely proclaimed democracy.

“The Italian ENI prepares for its return to Libya”… “The multinationals are once again fighting for a piece of the Libyan energy industry pie” (ABC, Aug. 29, 2011). “China is afraid of being excluded when the Libyan loot is divvied up” (“Público”, Aug. 31, 2011). “The struggle for oil sullies the Libya Summit in Paris” (“Público”, Sept. 2, 2011)…

…And “The UN agrees to release frozen Libyan assets”.

The United Nations sought to save the lives of the Libyan rebels. Through NATO this “protection” has grown into to an overt and decisive participation in the struggle. The Sept. 2 “El País” announced that “The world gives its blessings to the new Libya…”. “The world” means the countries convened by President Sarkozy… and among them, the Secretary General of the UN. Contrary to what would be desirable, it isn’t Sarkozy in the UN but rather the UN in Sarkozy!

More democracy and less “marketocracy”, in the clever but also correct reference to the ever-increasing impact of “the markets”. It is clear that the unemployment rates won’t drop in the U.S., Europe and Spain (especially due to the enormous real estate bubble, prompted by “the greed and irresponsibility of a few”, in the words of President Obama) because all of the cuts work against the creation of employment (not to mention the excessive delocalization of production).

How can they “stimulate consumption” with budget cuts, privatization and decreases in public investment?

How can we regain confidence, if the markets only allow us to continually reduce margins and possibilities for citizen initiatives?

How can the WMF demand greater stability when its predictions immediately prompt instability?

But of course, the wealthy take advantage of these fluctuations to buy low and sell high when the markets have logically recovered from their losses…

It is essential – not one more day!- to make an about-face:
1) In the EU:
i) autonomy in security matters and an urgent reduction in military spending; allies of the U.S., yes, but not subjects of the U.S. through NATO.
ii) economic and fiscal federation, creation of a European rating agency, issue of Eurobonds and outright elimination of tax havens;
iii) agreement on major plans for renewable energies and regulation of oil consumption and prices;
iv) joint international cooperation projects to contribute to providing all human beings with access to food, water and sanitation and health services;
v) moderation of the delocalization of production, with strict control of working conditions and respect for human rights in the manufacturing countries;
vi) coordination of human and technical resources to address natural and manmade catastrophes at the regional level;
vii) proclamation of the democratic principles that should guide political action, promoting participation and listening to the people, particularly through virtual communications media (cyberspace), ensuring not only unrestricted freedom of expression, but also access to accurate information for all citizens, regulating the standardizing excesses of the huge media powers…
2) In the U.S.
i) In the bitter decline of hegemonic claims, promote alliances, particularly with regional associations, and share experience and knowledge to guarantee world governance through an urgently-reinforced United Nations.
ii) Urgently lead nuclear disarmament, to facilitate a future free of atomic threats, and rapidly reduce arms sales, especially of those intended for past conflicts, developing new security technology that reflects present needs.
iii) Fully integrated within the new United Nations System, endow the WMF, WB and WTO with the necessary authority to put an end to speculative attacks on the dollar zone, euro zone and the yuan zone, promoting a world economy based on sustainable development, so that those who still cling to the idea of maintaining the “great domain” will be convinced of the inexorable need to contribute, now, to the commencement of a new era…
3) At the global level
i) As I have already often had the occasion to underscore, we can no longer delay an emergency meeting of all countries to re-found the United Nations, to make it capable, with the authority conferred upon it by the support of the great majority of nations, of efficiently addressing the great challenges that arise at any time: Libya, Syria, Yemen… the Israel /Palestine conflict… terrorism, supranational trafficking in arms, drugs, people…
ii) With the United Nations at the helm, “a new beginning” would commence, characterized by agreements and alliances. China, India, Latin America, Africa… must play a role that will brighten the horizons of our future generations.

This is our greatest commitment.

Not one more day.

LIMITLESS INSULTS?

Democracy should not tolerate such abuse

In today’s ABC, Gabriel Albiac published a column entitled “An Honorable Exit”. It was devoted to the President of the Government, to whom he referred in different paragraphs of his article as a “smiling nobody”, a “fool armed with resounding nonsense” and the “dumb one in the tribe”. He ends the article by saying, “I don’t know whether it’s true that he is planning to resign now, after having botched everything in both word and deed, to later return home as if nothing had happened. In his place, the least I would do would be to blow my brains out. With dignity.”

This is intolerable. This final paragraph borders on the criminal, and demands rectification and apologies.

Mr. Albiac should not have written this. ABC should not have published this.

As a tireless promoter of a culture of peace, I respect all types of criticism –and praise!-, all points of view and all opinions, although they may be radically opposed to my own. But violence, no. Imposition, no. Threats, no. Given the extent of this defamation, it is obvious that Mr. Albiac’s brain isn’t functioning properly. I trust that his mental disorder will only be temporary.