There are many things which we take for granted in this
world, and ships being able to move freely on the seas is one of them. However,
this assumption has been sorely shaken in recent times. A conflict in the
Persian/Arabian Gulf led to a position in which many hundreds of cargo ships
and oil tankers have been marooned in the Gulf, unable to sail out through the
Strait of Hormuz, while other ships have been unable to sail in the opposite
direction in order to arrive at Iranian ports. Many countries found that their
oil or gas supplies did not arrive. Many agricultural businesses have similarly
found that the chemicals for producing fertiliser did not arrive. This has led
to difficulties for many forms of transport and for many farmers. Both have led
to increased difficulties for segments of the world’s population, particularly
those in poorer countries.
There are many different factors which have contributed to these problems, but
one of the underlying causes is the sudden shift in world politics away from a
“law-based” order towards an unpredictable situation which can’t really be
called “order” at all!
In recent decades, the world has been steadily establishing agreements,
treaties and institutions under which countries, companies and individual
enterprises have been able to function. The Law of the Sea, for example, gives
all ships the right of free passage through straits. So any legitimate merchant
ship can pass through narrow waterways such as the English Channel, the Malacca
Strait, the Corfu Channel and – until recently – the Strait of Hormuz, without
political hindrance. Many aspects of our lives are affected by such agreements,
treaties and institutions, to the degree that we do not even notice them in our
daily lives. For instance, the Universal Postal Union helps letters and parcels
move between countries – when they arrive in another country, it is agreed that
they are delivered without any further charge. The World Trade Organisation
exists to make trade easier between different states – something which has not
been respected by all parties recently. There are many other such agreements,
including those on the environment, some of which are still in the process of
development. The current conflicts in the world are all showing the continuing
need for such agreements and international institutions. Unfortunately, not all
leaders seem to understand the vital and fundamental importance of these
agreements. They ignore these as it suits them, thereby undermining trust
between nations.
In contrast to this, the Bahá’í Faith has consistently promoted the idea of
closer integration. Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed: “This earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.” Addressing mankind, He announced: “Ye are
the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with
another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship… So
powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
Among the Bahá’í teachings are: the creation of global institutions, a fairer
economic system, a world free trade area and a world currency. Bahá’u’lláh also
gave a detailed plan for a universal peace conference, which should lead to a
lasting peace and a permanent end to war. He also laid out a new pattern for
the governance of the world. A form of world federation should be created,
within which the right to wage war would be renounced. If any government were
then to attack another, all the others would rise against that government.
Bahá’ís have always promoted measures which lead in the general direction of a
united world, as well as looking towards a world order based on spiritual
principles. Writing in the 19th century, well before the two World
Wars, Bahá’u’lláh wrote: “The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every
direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily
increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned,
inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective.”
Not wishing this state of affairs to continue to deteriorate, He continued: “I
beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may graciously awaken the peoples of
the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct may be profitable unto them,
and aid them to accomplish that which beseemeth their station.”
He went on to state, with conviction and certainty: “Soon will the present-day order be
rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead.”
In order to achieve this, we need to redouble our efforts to bring positive
goals to the minds of the world’s citizens – goals which centre on integration,
on co-operation, on world unity, and which will bring peace and prosperity to
all.
