I have this radical conviction that World Peace is inevitable. In this article I’ll be exploring the Bahá’í Perspective on Achieving World Peace starting with a look back at the the history of humanity’s attempts to foment peace, the current state of the United Nations and the potential future of the United Nations.

League of Nations and United Nations

One of the earliest attempts at a world government was The League of Nations. Formed by Woodrow Wilson after the First World War, its main purpose was to prevent future wars. During the period following World War I, many people at the time believed it was the war to end all wars. The First World War was even known as The Great War because nobody at the time could imagine a worse war ever happening. President Wilson knew that without preventing the root causes of World War I another war was inevitable. His idea to remedy this was that of the League of Nations or a “government of governments”. This League would act as an international peacekeeping force to settle the issues of nations peacefully rather than with the use of armies. He also tried to convince the leaders of the world to address some problems he thought would cause future wars, such as poverty. Although the intent of the League of Nations was admirable the execution of the League was flawed. One of the most notable reasons that led to the demise of the League was the absence of the United States. The most powerful country’s absence was due to congress’s fear that the US would give away its sovereignty and be dragged into another war. The inaction of the League during the Japanese invasion of Manchuria China in 1932 is an example of a major failure of the League. It took the League one year to make a report on the situation that included plans for action, by then it was too late to do anything about the invasion. This and other public failures of the League showed dictators like Hitler that they could do as they pleased because the League wouldn’t stand in their way. It was due to the League’s inability to act, among other things, that allowed the rise to power of Germany thus causing World War II (See Article by the BBC: The League of Nations and the United Nations. With all the horrors of World War II, the spirit of the League of Nations’s desire for peace was rekindled, and a more inclusive institution called The United Nations was formed. This newly created United Nations was a significant step forward, as it fostered the creation of many international institutions. It created a forum that allowed all nations to discuss their issues, and this time all major powers were part of this organization. As with the League it had its problems. The major powers (called the Big Five) were given special status and the veto power made effective actions hard to come by. The United Nations Charter was only given the mandate for peacekeeping and was not given the power to enforce international order. This is the source of another one of The United Nation’s criticisms that it is “all talk and no action”. Just how the League of Nations evolved into the United Nations I believe in order for a successful World Government to take hold another evolution to the United Nations will have to take place.

Collective Security as the Foundation for World Government

What might the next iteration of the United Nations look like? A World Governance system that incorporates institutions capable of enforcing collective action is vital to preserving international peace. The establishment and operation of a Collective Security framework which requires complex interactions between nations seems to be the next logical step in the United Nation’s evolution. Collective Security was one of the basic operational principles within Woodrow Wilson’s fourteen points and the League of Nations and should be the foundation for a future World Government.

Definition of Collective Security

Collective Security is a specific new mechanism to maintain peace and is in contrast to the old system of balance of power. The term Collective Security has been severely overused and its meaning has mostly been lost. Many associate the term with alliances with other nations to prevent war, this couldn’t be further from its true meaning. Collective Security is the “System for the maintenance of international peace” as a “replacement for the system commonly known as balance of power.” This new system “is designed to prevent or suppress aggression by any state against any other state by presenting the potential aggressors” with the “reliable promise of effective collective measures” to enforce peace. If one country attacks another, other countries would collectively try to counter-act the aggression. This could be summarized in the simple idea of an “alliance with nobody in particular but with everybody in general.” Its main purpose is “intended only to forestall the arbitrary and aggressive force and use of force, not to provide enforcement mechanisms for the whole body of international law.”. So if one country started arbitrarily being aggressive and attacked another country, all other countries would then attack the aggressor. An example of this happening in a one-off manner is when Iraq invaded Kuwait. The rest of the countries all not only condemned this action but fought Iraq’s aggressive behavior. This is the whole idea behind collective security, an attack in one part of the world threatens the security of the entire international community. This is contrasted with the current system in place previously mentioned as the Balance of Power. In the Balance of Power system countries have alliances with other countries and if some external threat attacks the alliance the alliance, in turn, will defend itself. A modern-day example of the balance is NATO, specifically formed to combat the external threat of Russia. In a system with Collective Security in place this balance of power system is obsolete. In an interconnected world, all threats are internal, there is no external threat, there is no “us versus them.” The collective community of nations purpose is to safeguard its unity and enforce its peace and protect itself from disunity that occurs within. The concept of loyalty is redefined. A country’s loyalty and allegiance are only to the Collective Security system not to any particular country.

Requirements of Collective Security

The theory of Collective Security is a dramatic departure from the Balance of Powers system we have today. This new system has to meet several prerequisite requirements in both the structure of current countries and the mental attitude of its citizens. Meeting these requirements is essential to the continued success of the Collective Security system. A Radical change in the national sentiments and a transformation in the moral attitudes of its citizens is also necessary for this new system to take hold. Collective Security requires that governments and its citizens recognize that the world has become so interconnected that disunity anywhere threatens chaos everywhere. As Immanuel Kant said “ increasing intercourse between nations of the earth has now extended so enormously that a violation of right in one part of the world is felt all over it” this sentiment must also be universally acknowledged to further ensure the security of the system. Nations must see their destinies as part of the overall destiny of mankind, not as individual competing entities. The technological requirements for Collective Security imply the ability to quickly the detect violation of international laws, and to organize swift military action by all countries in the collective; in order to prevent war from beginning in the first place. One of the flaws of the League of Nations and even the UN in some instances is the failure of acting quickly when a disruption to the peace occurs. A technology would also need to be available to even detect the threat of attack before it occurs so that the collective can have a response when it happens. Another requirement for the implementation of collective security is the belief by the majority of its members, that the system of collective security will actually work. The international system mirrors the attitudes of its members. If members of the system of collective security have doubts that the system will work the system as a whole will not work. Countries in the collective need to trust that one another will come to their defense if the peace is ever breached. Lastly in order for Collective Security to replace the antiquated system of Balance of Powers control of one’s military would have to be given to the collective. If countries pick and choose whether to participate in military action based on how it might affect them, the whole system stops working. By allowing the collective to respond to a breach of the peace in unison requires relinquishing control of one’s military in order that the response is quick and without any bias to whom is being attacked.

Pros and Cons of Collective Security

This System of Collective Security has many benefits over the current Balance of Powers system in place today. The Balance of Powers system is flawed because it allows countries that don’t have allies to be pushed around and be taken advantage of by countries that are backed by more powerful countries. In the system of collective security system every country is treated the same, as Inis L. Claude writes “a breach anywhere threatens disintegration everywhere.” The alliance is only to the collective itself not to any other specific country. This presents its own advantage over the current system since everyone’s alliance is to the current system, there is no worry of alliances changing. Countries can always count on the collective coming to their assistance instead of worrying that their allies might change sides or abandon them. Perhaps the greatest benefit to collective security besides the prevention of wars is the elimination of a global arms race. Currently, every country across the globe is building up its arsenal to not only protect themselves but also dominate in the next global war. In the Collective Security system, the desire is eliminated because of the certainty that any aggressive behavior will be stopped. Countries would only need to have enough of a military to protect internal order within their domain, relying on the collective for protection. This lack of motivation to produce a deadly military would reduce overall military spending around the globe allowing countries to invest in infrastructure, education, the social and material sciences among other things. There are some possible drawbacks to this system, however. The biggest drawback to this system of Collective D|Security is the attitude of nationalism in the global society. The idea of giving control of one’s military to the collective could be seen as a blasphemous act by many people of any country today. To many countries, the military is seen as their national pride, their freedom. To willingly give this up to protect others around the globe is a big decision that will leave many nations hesitant. Also, the very concept of Collective Security would entail the end of many alliances that have lasted for centuries. In the Collective Security system if the United States was the aggressor in a certain instance the UK, Canada, Australia, along with the rest of the world would have to come together to stop the aggression. This also brings up another shortcoming in the Collective Security model, that if one nation is significantly more powerful then the combined forces of the other nations this system wouldn’t work. In the Cold War, for instance, a collective security model wouldn’t have worked because of the tightly-knit alliances and the significant power centers of both the USSR and the United States. Overcoming these mental and physical barriers isn’t easy and is an evolutionary process. But once the pain from wars caused by the current balance of powers system increases exponentially, we will be forced to make the necessary changes to create a peaceful world.

World Government is the Next Logical Step

Different types of governments have been attempted since the dawn of civilization, from monarchies to dictatorships to somewhat more recently democracies. I believe that a world government is not only the next logical step in the evolution of the types of government but also a necessary step in ending the pointless suffering of peoples around the world. There have been many ideas of what a world government might look like, the world government I’m envisioning incorporates Collective Security with three branches of government that most countries have today. The World Government would need a sort of congress or parliament with representatives elected from each country. It would also need a world supreme court and an executive branch to help deal with disputes amongst the different regions of the world. The logistics of how to make this happen and what it might look like are important, but what I find more important is why we need a world government in the first place. If the Cold War taught us anything it was that we came so close to total destruction because of weapons we created. Looking at the current trajectory of the world, it is only a matter of time before more and more countries get their hands on nuclear weapons. The nuclear genie is out of the bottle and there is no putting it back. I predict that within the next 50 years the number of countries with nuclear weapons will have doubled from the number of nuclear countries that exists today (from around 10 countries to around 20). With this increase in nuclear powers comes a global increase in military spending, and the creation of more alliances ever increasing militaries will inevitably end to another Cold War, if not a World War. This cycle of military spending, to war, to military spending, has to end. The amount of military around the world spending could be used on social programs designed to get people out of poverty. Without the world coming together and realizing the cycles of war and Cold War only leads to suffering, a world government won’t happen. As stated several times before a system based on collective security can only happen if the majority of countries implement it and believe in the system. The current world based on the balance of powers system is flawed but every country seems complacent because it isn’t falling apart right now.
To explain how I see the state of the world simply, I will use the following metaphor: Let’s say somewhere in the Pacific Ocean there are two islands called Peace and War. On the Island of War, there is an active volcano and surrounding this volcano live all these different villages with different peoples and cultures. These villages don’t get along but live somewhat peacefully under the shadow of this luminous volcano. Every once in a while this volcano erupts, with each eruption being greater and more catastrophic than the last. When each eruption occurs many villagers die and lose loved ones due to the volcanic lava and ash. After every major eruption, the different villages come together to discuss building a boat to reach the Island of Peace. Some progress to building a boat is usually made after each major eruption, but then the different villages become complacent and go back to the pointless quarrels they had before leaving the boat abandoned. If actions are not taken, the volcano’s eruption will be so large none of the villagers will survive. It is up to the different heads of the different villages to come together and build this boat before the volcano engulfs them. This boat to the Island of Peace is called World Government and it was built by all nations coming together in unity. Each of these major eruptions represents a world war. If for instance after the first eruption, an attempt is made at building the boat but the boat doesn’t float, does that mean the necessity for the boat goes away? Of course not, regardless of what the villagers do, the necessity for the boat will always be there. In order for the “Boat of World Government” to be built, either the people have to take proactive measures and have a vision into the future, or need to experience the pain of inaction.

Bahá’í View on World Government

The Bahá’í Faith is one of the world’s newest religions that has a progressive belief system that envisions the development a world government and adoption of a Collective Security system as a means to establish and maintain international peace. Bahá’u’lláh foreshadowed the evolution of humanity into a peaceful international community of nations. He had a utopian view of the future as well as a realistic view of the pain needed to get to a peaceful society.

The Utopian View

He stated that this evolution will have two distinct stages, “The Most Great Peace” and the “Lesser Peace". The “Most Great Peace” is that utopian peace where humanity has reached the stage of maturity and would imply the spiritual as well as physical unity of the human race. This famous quote by him refers to that end goal, the Most Great Peace.

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
(Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)

“Lesser Peace” is that physical peace created by nations to establish an international order. In his letter to rulers of the world in the 1870s, he urged nations to implement collective security and warned against the consequences of ignoring his advice. Here is an excerpt where he indicates the need for a world government and collective security

“Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.

The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories.”
(Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 249)

One can think of Lesser Peace when separate parts of the world evolve into a single body and the Most Great Peace is when the spirit enters the united body, indicating the spiritual and physical unity of humankind. The reasons (written in 1875) given or the need for collective security were the development of dangerous weapons and military expenditure.

“In this way the entire population would, first of all, be relieved of the crushing burden of expenditure currently imposed for military purposes, and secondly, great numbers of people would cease to devote their time to the continual devising of new weapons of destruction and would instead bend their efforts to the production of whatever will foster human existence and peace and well-being, and would become the cause of universal development and prosperity.
“In this way the entire population would, first of all, be relieved of the crushing burden of expenditure currently imposed for military purposes, and secondly, great numbers of people would cease to devote their time to the continual devising of new weapons of destruction and would instead bend their efforts to the production of whatever will foster human existence and peace and well-being, and would become the cause of universal development and prosperity.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 65 1875)

Bahá’u’lláh in the 1880s even predicted the development of new yet undiscovered weapons that can contaminate earth’s atmosphere.

“An infernal engine hath been devised, and hath proved so cruel a weapon of destruction that its like none hath ever witnessed or heard. Incline your ears unto the Call of this Wronged One and adhere firmly to the Lesser Peace. Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are hidden from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and their contamination would prove lethal” (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 68)
“An infernal engine hath been devised, and hath proved so cruel a weapon of destruction that its like none hath ever witnessed or heard. Incline your ears unto the Call of this Wronged One and adhere firmly to the Lesser Peace. Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are hidden from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and their contamination would prove lethal” (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 68)
With words quoted below, outlines the subjective requirements and the consciousness needed for peace and adoption of world government.
“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens…*Regard the world as the human body”
“[The] purpose underlying this most mighty Revelation is none other than the rehabilitation of the world and its nations; that perchance the power of utterance may prevail over the power of arms, and the world’s affairs be administered through the potency of love.” (*Bahá’u’lláh, Trustworthiness).

The role of women in bringing world peace is minimized by many, but Baha’i writings put a lot of emphasis on this.
“So it will come to pass that when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world, when they enter confidently and capably the great arena of laws and politics, war will cease” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace).
“So it will come to pass that when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world, when they enter confidently and capably the great arena of laws and politics, war will cease” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace).

The Realistic View

Bahá’u’lláh was not naive and was fully aware of the pain and difficulty needed to push humanity towards maturity. He compared the process towards peace as to a woman going through birth pains and a world which is on fire.
"The whole earth is now in a state of pregnancy. The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits”
"Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire,"
“Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation. Meditate on this, The day is approaching when its flame will devour the cities”

Bahá’u’lláh’s son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote the following after League of Nations was formed:
“The President of the Republic, Dr. Wilson, is indeed serving the Kingdom of God for he is restless and strives day and night that the rights of all men may be preserved safe and secure, that even small nations, like greater ones, may dwell in peace and comfort. *As to President Wilson, the fourteen principles which he hath enunciated are mostly found in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. Now is the dawn of universal peace” “The President of the Republic, Dr. Wilson, is indeed serving the Kingdom of God for he is restless and strives day and night that the rights of all men may be preserved safe and secure, that even small nations, like greater ones, may dwell in peace and comfort. *As to President Wilson, the fourteen principles which he hath enunciated are mostly found in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. Now is the dawn of universal peace” He was realistic as he saw the creation of League of Nations as the “dawn.” It takes a long time for the sun at dawn to reach its zenith at high noon. According to the Bahá’í view, the path to world peace is an evolutionary process where humanity has a choice, to either develop an international system peacefully or let the fires of the world wars weld humanity itself over time into a single united unit.

The current state of the world may not be open to the idea of a world government but it doesn’t mean it will always be this way. We have seen acceleration towards a world government after conflicts. League of Nations was born after World War I, United Nations after World War II. The cycle of war is a prevalent cycle in the world that can only be broken once people decide that enough is enough. In the past humanity may not have been in a stage of maturity to be able to have a functioning world government, but times have changed, now we can, it is a matter of will. Implementing Collective Security into the fabric will not only prevent wars but would also prevent the smaller nations from being pushed around from other larger nations. Alfred Nemours, the representative of Haiti in the League debate concerning Italian aggression against Ethiopia expressed this by saying: “Great or small, strong or weak, near or far, white or colored, let us never forget that one day we maybe somebody’s Ethiopia” This quote perfectly epitomizes the flaw in the current Balance of Power system, alliances shift, someday a nation is our friend, another day they are our enemy; nobody is safe from being the victims of aggression. The establishment of a world government would require a significant transformation in the attitudes of peoples and their respective governments. To reach this stage would signify the coming of age of humanity. The path to a World Government won’t be easy, but we have no choice.

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Originally Written for a University Class in 2018. I’ve decided to republish on The Overlap so this paper finally has a place to live. I’m leaving the paper mostly untouched besides changing the intro paragraph to be more aligned with The Overlap and fixing any typos and small formatting changes.