The Future Of Mankind By Bertrand Russell 

Q.        Russell seldom takes refuge in fantasies yet his idea of the world government seems to be quite farfetched. Elaborate from his works, especially ‘Unpopular Essays’. (2010)

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Q.        Uphold or refute Russell’s advocacy of World Government in his ‘Unpopular Essays’, especially in view of the turn history' has recently taken. (2005)

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Q.        Do you think Bertrand Russell’s proposal for the establishment of a world government is desirable, or even tenable?                                                (P.U. 2004)

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Q.        Uphold or refute Russell’s advocacy of ‘world Government’ in his ‘Unpopular Essays’, especially in view of the turn history has recently taken.                 

(P.U. 2005)

Ans:    Russell surely disproves the common established notion about philosophers, that, they are absent-minded and always busy their heads in making speculations, 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 Prize 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 to 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 other power.

And if any man would miraculously be able to escape from 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 his 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 signs 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 a few libraries and laboratories and scientists. But the people might kill the remaining few scientists, in hope of some “Golden Age”, for:

“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 a universal government all over the world. He discusses this 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’s 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 a 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 dreadful 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 the government has a strict hold on the common masses. Thus Russell says:

“It’s 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 nations, but is exercised only by a neutral authority in accordance with rules laid down in advance”.

Among the many advantages, of a single world government is that the defence 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.

Points to remember:

1.         The effects of Second World War.

2.         Three possibilities.

3.         Complete extinction of all human beings.

4.         The reversal of civilization to its primitive conditions.

5.         Establishment of a universal government.

6.         World government an utopian idea.

7.         Two super powers of Russia and America.

8.         Russell’s preference for American domination.

9.         Alliance with British common wealth

10.       Defence expenditures will be diminished.

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