Читать книгу The State of the World Atlas [ff] - Dan Smith - Страница 13

These are all risks – the potential is there. Even so, if the United Nations as an

organization and those governments that have been particularly committed

to the work of ending armed conflicts can stay focused and keep their efforts

properly resourced, there is every reason to expect a reasonably successful

record of building peace to continue.

RIGHTS & RESPECT

This is the ninth edition of this atlas. The last one before this came out in

2008. At that time, 43 per cent of the world’s population lived in established

democracies. In this atlas, it is recorded that in 2012 48 per cent live in

established democracies.

For all its flaws, viewed from the perspective of ordinary citizens and their

shared interests, democracy is by far the best, most stable, and freest political

system. It is based on a bargain that concedes power to the state as long

as it is accountable to the people. It is a system in which the social and

economic elite has to accept constraints on its power. When it works properly,

it protects us from the negative consequences of our own short-sightedness

and tunnel vision. And it does so on the basis of our consent. It is the system

that has, on average, been associated with the most successful economies.

It is, however, like peace, a trend and benefit that needs safeguarding; it

cannot be taken for granted. Achieving democracy is perilous, and is closely

associated with violent conflict. And when it is well established and the

struggle to achieve it has been forgotten, it often seems barely to be taken

seriously by those who could most benefit from it. In countries that have

recently entered a democratic transition, there will always be false friends

of democracy, ready to try for power that way if that’s all that's possible,

but to grab and hold it against the democratic will if that becomes possible.

Similarly, in the established democracies there are always economic and social

elites who are content with democracy as long as they can rig its rules in their

favour, but are ready to cry foul if it ever threatens to rule against them.

These fake and shallow supporters of democracy reveal themselves by trying

to call the language of rights into service for one segment of society and not

for others, or by claiming exemptions from national and international legal

responsibilities whenever it suits them.

HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE

Without our good health, what can we do? Providing for our own and each

other’s health is fundamental to us, both as individuals and as social beings.

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