Russell surely disproves the
common established notion about philosopher, that, they are absent-minded and
always busy their heads in making speculation, when he meditates on the
possibilities regarding “The Future of Mankind”. He has done so, because of his
high sensitivity and deep concern towards human beings. He was called as a
traitor to his country because of his anti-war stand during the first World war.
But his only concern was towards humanity. Later he was awarded a Noble Prized
for his contribution towards peace. In the Words of Erich From”
“Bertrand
Russell fights against the threatening slaughter ,because he is a man who loves
life.”
Russell discuses three
possibilities about “ The Future of Mankind.” According too him, one is the
complete extinction of human life on earth ,the second is that human life will
be reduced to barbarism and the final is that there will be a world Government
that will control all nations and countries. Among these the first possibility
which he describes, is the complete extinction of all human beings. This might
happen after the Second World War in which the atomic weapons will be used.
Russell deals it logically, for he says, if still there will be some life after
the end of that war, there would soon be another war, for there would such
’diehards’ in the super powers, who would prefer the extermination of life,
than surrendering to the victory of the power. And if any man would
miraculously be able to escape from the death, he may consider himself to be
the emperor of the whole world, but his reign would not be long and his
subjects would be only dead bodies and Russell says:
“With the death
the uneasy episode of life will end, and the peaceful rocks will revolve
unchanged, until the sun explodes.”
The Second possibility ,which
Russell discusses, is the reversal of civilization to its primitive conditions.
Russell suggests if the Second World war fails to eliminate all sign of life,
still that destruction would take world to the age of “barbarism”. For in the war,
the major cities and industrial areas would be destroyed and the
bacteriological warfare would destroy crops and cause famine, Russell says
there may be few libraries and laboratories and scientists. But the people
,might kill the remaining few scientists, in hope of some “Golden age”.
“Extreme hopes
are born of extreme misery and in such a world hopes could only be irrational.”
The third possibility, according
to Russell, is the establishment of universal Government all over the world. He
discusses the idea in more than one ways in which it could occur. The one is
the victory of America ,
in the second world war. Other is the victory of Russia , or the world government,
would emerge as a result of mutual agreement. The best among these ways is the
idea of mutual agreement.
Russell view of the World
Government has been criticized greatly. People have raised arguments
considering it as a “Utopian Ideal”. Most of the people think that such an alliance cannot be brought peacefully, for no
nation would surrender her liberty. Russell also admits that the chances of
world government in a formal ways are
extremely remote.
He thinks that World Government, would not be formed
voluntarily, but it would have to be brought about by force.Some object that there is no need
of a world Government, because the wars are a part of human history and
civilization but still humanity has survived from them. Wars create heroism and
are necessity of life, without which human beings would feel frustrated. To
refute this argument, Russell has given his logical reasoning, that the present
condition of cold war would certainly lead to a dread atomic war and eventually
it would bring a complete devastation. And now modern wars are very different
from the wars in the past. Russell says;
“There
lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge and
wisdom shall we instead choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels ?
Then he visualizes the “new
World” after the emergence of either of the two super powers i.e Russia and America , as a victor of the war. Russell perceives a secure peace
prevailing in the long run. Though there would be occasional murders and minor
revolts but in such a state, any large scale rebellion would be out of question.
Russell prefers America to control the world government and he
has given many reasons for his preference to America but his preference has no
political or ideological basis, but it totally depends on the probable
condition of people under these states. The major reason to prefer America is
that, she respects the values of civilized life like freedom of thought,
freedom of inquiry and humaneness. But on the other hand, in communistic
countries like Russia ,
there is not liberty for individuals and government has a strict hold on the
common masses. The Russell says:
“ Its only aim
is to promote the mindless repetition of party slogans and to have the ability
of shifting sides rapidly, so as to be always on the side of received
opinions.”
Moreover there is considerably
less orthodoxy in America
than in Russia .
There scientist, authors and philosophers can choose any subject regardless of
state interest. While in Russia
such things are also influenced by official views.
Russell suggests yet another way
to prevent a horrible war. In his opinion, America would make an alliance with
the British common wealth nations and with other European nations who want to
join them. All the military power, of these countries, and weapons should be
united and then they should declare war on the nation. In this way Russia might
also be agreed to join the alliance just by the threat of war. But still he
does not leave the possibility of Russian refusal.
In such an alliance, there should
also be a legal check on the power of the leader, by other nations, so there
would not be a “chance of corruption”, which is sure to accompany Tower”. In
other cases, it would be such a combination of states.
“ where force is
not a prerogative of private individuals or nation, but is exercised only by a
neutral authority in accordance with rules laid down in advance.”
Among the Many advantages of
single world government is that the defense expenditures of every nation would
diminish and by this way human beings would be more happy than before.
But a little earlier than this,
Russell’s suggestions did not seem to be implemented to the world. For China
has emerged as a world power with nuclear weapons and it would certainly not
like America as the only dominant nation to control both, East and West.
But now, after, nine-eleven, once
again Russell’s idea of the world government seems to be possible, for, America and Britain has started to dominate the
poor nations of the world, only in order to establish their hold on the world.
However, Russell’s chief concern
in all this discussion was his good will and sincere concern towards peace and
survival of mankind. We can surely conclude that he was a true optimist,
pacifist and humanist.
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