The greatest revelation I ever experienced occurred in January 2001. One of my most interesting projects while working for the Canadian government occurred when a number of representatives from several Western countries (USA, Canada, Poland, Spain, and Belgium) spent a week talking to 30 senior Ukrainian government officials. The discussion covered how certain aspects of the western democratic system works, including free enterprise, government allocation of taxable resources, the operation of the military, the coast guard, and so on.
It was sponsored by the European Union as part of its objective to bring the Ukraine up to standards that would allow it to someday join the EU. I gave a brief summary of how the free enterprise system operates and then introduced the participants to benefit/cost analysis. While the week of instruction and discussion was very interesting, my epiphany occurred on the weekend before we started the presentations.
Representatives of the EU from Belgium spent Saturday giving us some background information about the Ukraine and the reasons for creating the EU in the first place, and for continuing to expand its borders to bring some lasting peace to Europe. While this in itself was a revelation, the three-point peace formula presented to us was the real eye-opener.
Up to 1945, Europe had suffered through a war about every 20 years. The First World War ended in 1918, and 21 years later WW II started. The 1800s saw many, many wars including the Franco-Prussian, the Crimean, and the Napoleonic.
When the EU was formed it was decided there were basically only three essential conditions for peace: democratically elected governments, public education, and a free enterprise economy.
A democratically elected government allows citizens of a country or union to change their leadership without having to resort to rebellion and/or war. When a dictator and his supporters rule a country, there is no peaceful way to make change. Yet humankind has always needed a way to change their rulers should they become dissatisfied with them.
Although elected representatives have problems, we can still hope to get it right in the next election. And democratically elected governments are much more likely to introduce human rights for their citizens than are dictatorships—which helps minorities become part of their nation and avoids rebellions. Up until 1945, many European countries were run by dictators, whether they were individuals, minorities, or religious groups. While democracy is not a perfect system by any means, to paraphrase Britain's war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill, "there is nothing better."
Public education, defined by the members of a democratically elected government, is very important if a country or union is to stay internally peaceful and not start external wars. When religious groups or minorities provide education to children, they can easily indoctrinate them in ways that can later lead to war and rebellion. It is also important to emphasize that all peaceful religions and minority organizations must be allowed to exist in a democratic country or union if peace is to survive—but no particular one of them must control public education.
Finally, if a country or union is to remain peaceful, everyone must have the opportunity to succeed economically, something a free enterprise system can provide. This is especially important for young people who are trying to start their careers and raise families. While not a perfect system, when combined with some essential controls, such as monetary, fiscal, and social policies, free enterprise is the best we have. Russia and the eastern European countries have certainly demonstrated that communism is not a workable alternative.
Many countries that have adopted these three principles—such as the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, and some Scandinavian nations—have not seen any internal wars or rebellions for a century or more. Although the U.S. adopted all three principles when it became an independent nation in the late 1700s, it failed to apply the three principles to its Afro-Americans, with the result that a civil war broke out in the late 1800s in order to resolve the issue. Unless everyone has the right to run for government, try to earn a reasonable living in any chosen job or profession, get as much education as possible, belong to any non-violent organization or religion of their choice, etc., long-term peace is unlikely.
There has not been one war in the EU since the union was formed with just six countries in 1951, although some European nations not in the EU—the former Yugoslavia, for example—have had considerable problems. Even China has introduced at least one of the three principles, free enterprise, which will keep the younger generation occupied and happy. But eventually the other two principles will have to be added for peace to become lasting.
Peace will never be brought to the Middle East, Iraq, or Afghanistan by simply signing a peace agreement. The unemployed young men and women must be given the chance to obtain jobs, they must be allowed to change their rulers peacefully when they wish, and public education must not be biased by religion or certain power groups.
The EU has 27 countries in its peaceful union, and is presently working to add more countries situated on its eastern border. Given enough time, the EU and other countries with similar high principles will hopefully bring peace and prosperity to the entire world—there appears to be no other workable way.
