The Call to Solidarity

~by Geletaw Zeleke

The Fundamentals of Solidarity in the International Perspective. 

1.) Coexistence

The world came into existence by the coming together of elements. Constituents endure in a harmonious way because of the natural laws that bind them.  Likewise human beings are also governed by the laws of nature.  Man kind employs the law of solidarity in order to insure coexistence.  Not only is solidarity a means to live on the face of this planet in coexistence but it is also a vital force for the betterment of human life.  In the twenty-first century the threats to planet Earth can be overcome by the solidarity of nations.  Our world is threatened by the growth of nuclear weapons technology and high carbon emissions; as a result, we face problems such as global warming, advanced ecological destruction, lack of good governance, terrorism and poverty.  To tackle such failures of men, nations from the four sides of the world should come together to insure that the planet Earth can and will be a safer place to live in, in the years to come. 

2.)  Moral obligation

In all world cultures and religions the values of love, respect and responsibility are esteemed and honored.  These important elements of human experience are the pillars of solidarity.  Major world religions including Bahia, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, Atheism, and Zoroastrianism show that solidarity is a morally obligation through their call to strengthen one’s soul by engaging with others in relationships of love, respect and responsibility. So, we can see from this solidarity is justified. Working together is not only incidental but it is a prerequisite.

3.)  Safeguard human rights

The concept of human rights goes beyond all boundaries of human identity.  It embodies instead the core of every human being.  Humanity is the origin of all nations.  Therefore whenever human rights violations have occurred in some part of the world it should pain the other parts of the world in return.  The concept of humanity does not distinguish color or race.  It again supersedes all of these external factors.  The owner of our universe is the human being not an individual nation or race.  Safeguarding the highest form of existence, which is the human being, is the task of all nations.  Nations have to build a guard to ensure human rights, where ever justice flourishes on our planet people maximize their potential.  In so doing humanity can trust that the planet Earth will be a better place to live in. 

4.)  Interdependency of development

After the Industrial revolution our world became a “hot” marketplace.  The core principal of marketing which is buying and selling brings about interdependence.  In order to maintain their mutual growth, both buyers and sellers should optimize their capacity.  Supply and demand should grow parallel in order to maintain sustainable growth in the world. However, unfair markets and unfair economic distribution slows down world development.

According to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program 2011) in the twenty-first century, ironically, 660,000 people survive on less than 2 United States dollars per day.  385 million people live a saddening life with less than one dollar per day.  1.4 million Children less than age five die every year due to a lack of clean drinking water.  1.3 billion People live as dependents of their livelihood which implies a waste of much of the world’s productive manpower.  Billions of the world’s citizens have no access to the world’s modern sources of energy.  More than one fourth of the world’s population, in fact, does not even have access to electricity.  Nearly one billion people living in the modern world, today, are malnourished.  In low income countries 27.8% of persons under the age of 5 were malnourished between the years of 2000 and 2007 (World Bank 2010).  These phenomenons bring about regional and national instability while at the same time they weaken the stage for international stability.  All nations have the potential to provide for their members by themselves.  Their failures to do so are only the result of man made obstacles.  Needy people are angry people and such feelings and attitudes can have a negative impact on world peace and world development on every level.

5.)  Common Good

The concept of good is relative in some cases however there are jump boundaries or absolute goods which can be considered non-relative.  In all cultures and religions, regardless, common positive rights should always include the right to food, clothing and shelter as well as the protections of peace and freedom.  These are the common interests of all human beings.  Humankind should get together in order to secure these common interests.  These common do not exist outside of the concept of solidarity.