World Problems and the Commomwealth

World Problems and
The World Commonwealth

The threat of political terrorism would disappear with the establishment of a new democratic world, but, initially, it would continue to exist unless dealt with very severely. High above all other aims of democracy is the safety of individual people. Each person has the right to be free from harm from others. Indiscriminate shooting and bombing of the innocent should be severly punished. Political terrorism should be made an unequivocal capital offence where death or physical injury is caused. However, to create a climate where terrorists know their actions can decide when the death penalty is carried out, the following procedure could be established.
An International Court of Justice, comprised of a panel of judges drawn from all the countries of the Commonwealth would try all terrorists arrested in the Commonwealth. The death penalty is commuted to imprisonment for life, but the convicted terrorist remains on 'death row', figuratively speaking, with no possibility of release. Whenever a death caused by political terrorism occurs, an execution follows immediately, one for every death. A terrorist killing, or the death of an innocent person in the course of a terrorist action carried out by a particular terrorist group would trigger the immediate execution of a convicted terrorist belonging to that group. Failing the presence in prison of such a group member, another terrorist would take his or her place before the firing squad.
A harsh system, but it would be effective in discouraging international terrorism. Terrorists would know that their actions would destroy their own kind as well as the innocents they have harmed. The terrorist prison would be in a remote place, well defended, and considered to be World Commonwealth territory, not that of the country it is physically within.

Refugees from non-Commonwealth countries would be dealt with as a Commonwealth problem, not as an individual country's problem. Shelter, food, clothing, and medical aid would come from the Commonwealth Development Fund. Refugees would be placed in an environment as similar as possible to their homeland. The host country would not have to bear the burden of cost, except in in its share of the Development fund. Refugees would be placed in self-sufficient communities within a country, the expectation being that when Democracy came to their homeland they would return as people still strong in their own culture, but educated in democratic ways. They would then be a strong force in the building of a new democratic country.

Famine has been a regularly recurring feature in many coumtries. A people can not develop democratically if it is blighted by famine. The Democratic World Commonwealth would deal systematically with this scourge. Countries that have a history of famine would require special assistance, but this assistance would be part of a global plan to alleviate and prevent famine. A new greening of the earth can not take place with band-aid measures. It can not be done from the outside with aid packages. It can not be spread using the latest technological innovations. If it happens it will be through organized local communities working together to create a solid economic base for these communities.
Water and land have always formed that economic base. Water lies in quantity under the surface in all countries, even the driest, waiting to bee located. The Commonwealth would make it a priority to search for water. Wherever it is found in usable quantities a village settlement should be established. To ensure survival, Democracy must be built into these communities from the ground up. Imposition from above works for a time but does not instill re-creative strength. A well-founded community with its strength based on a free system of self-government will become a healthy, happy environment for its people. When these people feel a sense of community, that feeling can spread to link with other communities to form a true 'nation'.

Natural disasters strike without reference to national boundaries. The need to work for the 'common weal' in the Democratic World Commonwealth means that we must accept the fact that a disaster that destroys the fabric of one part of the world diminishes the fabric of the whole world. Accident of birth should not be a reason for having to suffer accidental physical loss. World Emergency relief should be an integral part of the Commonwealth's activities. The Commonwealth would have trained personnel, equipment and supplies ready to be transported to a disaster site whenever they were needed.

Disease can spread swiftly across national boundaries. The World Commonwealth would need a Medical Emergency Force that would be able to get expert help to people in health-related danger. This emergency assistance would be mainly available to developing peoples within the Commonwealth. There would be a health education facet to this organization that would help to prevent emergencies from happening. To keep yourself healthy you must ensure that people around you are healthy. This translates to people of the World.

A Democratic World
Commonwealth

The D.W.C. versus the Rest of the World

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