Establishment of a Global Commonwealth
The imperative of establishing and perpetuating the general peace of humankind
is a central component of Bahá'í teachings. In the latter part of the
nineteenth century, Bahá'u'lláh called upon the world's rulers to reconcile
their differences and to
"lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace." He
proclaimed that
"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." In
doing so, He outlined a number of steps that would lead to permanent stability
in international relations. At the heart of His vision was a set of new social
structures based on participation and consultation among the world's peoples.
These new institutional mechanisms would eliminate conflicts of interest and
thereby reduce the potential for disunity at all levels of society. A number
of international institutions were envisaged: a world legislature with genuine
representation and authority, an international court having final jurisdiction
in all disputes between nations, and an international executive empowered to
carry out the decisions of these legislative and judicial bodies.
These institutions would have the means to ensure and maintain a general
disarmament by applying principles of collective security. They would neither
usurp nor suppress the basic autonomy of nations, would safeguard
the personal freedom and initiative of individuals, and would protect
long-cherished cultural traditions of the world's peoples. The system of
governance outlined by Bahá'u'lláh emphasizes the importance of grassroots
decision-making that is democratic in spirit and method, but also provides a
level of coordination and authority that makes cooperation possible on a global
scale.
