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Prism: A Humanist Management Policy |
Several issues have been raised so far in this document which alone amount to nothing more than local issues, such as local dams in one country, ((Turkey) and the downriver effect in another country (Iraq) to be resolved, but collectively it becomes clear they are not being resolved alone, and in fact could be compounding the problem in future years (Russia - gas pipelines). In the Terrorism section I have alluded to the roots of terrorism, and efforts on how we could address those issues, through the International Court of Justice for example ( Summary of Conclusions). Below adds some meat to the skeleton already offered thus far.
The development of modern terrorism, probably stemming from the 1899-1902 Boer War, also developed a realization of how a single executive decision from one nation, or group, nowadays can cause mass global destruction. This realization has been a driving force behind the previously exclusive secular policies of humanist groups ( Nuclear Age Peace Foundation). The radical 1960s offered more of an inclusive movement towards a myriad of dimensions in which many groups have looked through a prism and seen the light, but perhaps in the wrong direction, each group selecting a diverse strand, rather than the focussed beam. (Also see Greenpeace International World Monuments Watch WDM Business Ethics Magazine)
The Prism of Humanist Management
The definition of Humanism can be described as, "man is the measure of all things" (Scruton 1996: 224) in which man has at least an equal foot in the global environment.
Summary
The growth of terrorism since the days of the Boer war, throughout the 20th century has evolved alongside new technology allowing weapons of mass destruction. Those terrorists wielding weapons of mass destruction undoubtedly offer a severe threat to the future of world peace. Reasonable action, including force, against such a threat is wholly justifiable. (Terrorism)
The root causes of future terrorism also needs to be addressed within the prisms of humanist management, above, to determine that all reasonable avenues have been explored and addressed before major projects commence. The oil trade, for example, has an almost universal environmental impact survey (EIS) done whenever it explores for oil, this author offers the view that there should also be an ethical impact survey (ETHIS) too.
Government, Businesses, Religious Leaders, Cultural groups and individuals could all recognise a global standard (see Bendix (1969) or O'Neill (1993), The Sigma Project or Conversation Ecology), and feel they have met their responsibilities in full by adhering to an ETHIS survey, providing for confidence in decision making on those universal norms for the new consumerism
Taking together the initiation of Bendix (1969) gathered with the International Opinion Research, such as MORI, and collating it with the Prisms of Humanist Management, could develop an improved and safer ethical and environmental background for the future. In the words of Marx:
"A whole society, a nation, or even all simultaneously existing societies taken together, are not the owners of the globe. They are only its possessors, its usufructuaries, and like bona patrea famillas, they must hand it down to succeeding generations in an improved condition." (Marx cited in O'Neill (1993: 423)
The World Gateway to Social Responsibility, CSR Europe and DTI - Corporate Social Responsibility offer a range of publications on such diversities as educational programmes, community development and responsible behaviour in developing countries, following a variety of polls MORI- New Study Pinpoints What Consumers Want From Corporations demonstrated how public opinion had more faith in such ethical groups as Greenpeace International than they did in their own Governments.
Some businesses have already taken up the sword of morality, here in the UK The Co-operative Bank for example proffers:
"Business does not operate in a vacuum. Activities lead to a whole series of ecological and social impacts. The Partnership Report is a detailed analysis of the Co-operative Bank's "footprint" on society."
Governments have suffered from scandals, in the UK we had the spy scandals of Blake et al in the 1960s. Corporations are currently under the spotlight after boardroom level scandals at Enron, Andersons etc. The Catholic Church too has seen its share of scandal with the sexual abuse claims against former Catholic priests now formally being recognised. In essence all of the groups aforementioned within this provide role models for our young and confidence from the more mature. Lack of confidence in Government leads to apathy, and the danger of extremism. The corporate scandals in the US are currently affecting the economic markets, and therefore the returns to investors. Within religious circles we have seen a vacuum of morality and social conscience from diminishing attendances at Church.But the message is clear, that all our actions have consequences and whilst there is accountability issues to voters, shareholders or faithful followers there are other issues which need to be addressed outside too in the wider world, for example Governments only issuing voters rights to their own citizens, allowing only diplomatic voice to those to whom a Government is not accountable to. Corporations too, are only responsible to their own shareholders, giving them potential licence to destroy another's environmental, political, economic and social harm without redress as George Soros did notoriously with damage to the pound currency, forcing Britain out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism.
Culture defined includes norms, values, habits, language, customs and societal expectations which its citizens either adhere to or rebel against. (Yukio Tsuda on linguicide) Creating inequality and discrimination by ignoring the role of culture in society contributes to the conditions in which terrorism flourishes. The time has now come for Governments, Corporate, Religious, Cultural and individual leaders to issue new guidelines based upon a Global Social Responsibility (GSR) rather than the time honoured tradition of blaming each other. The ETHIS and GSR goes some way towards the development of a "trickle down effect" of planning and leadership.
Copyright S Coleman 2002 14/07/2002
| Bendix, R (1969) Nation Building and Citizenship: Studies of our Changing Social Order
Doubleday Anchor Business Ethics Magazine CSR Europe Conversation Ecology DTI - Corporate Social Responsibility Greenpeace International MORI- New Study Pinpoints What Consumers Want From Corporations Nuclear Age Peace Foundation). O'Neill, J (1993) Ecology, Policy and Politics Routledge London Scruton, R 1996 A Dictionary of Political Thought (2nd ed) Macmillans London The Sigma Project Tsuda, Y The Hegemony of English and Strategies for linguistic pluralism: proposing the ecology of language paradigm WDM World Gateway to Social Responsibility World Monuments Watch |
| House
of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee Roddick, A (2002) Business as Usual on Monday http://www.nds.coi.gov.uk/coi/coipress.nsf/2b45e1effe090ac802567350059d840/67f |
| Co-operative Bank World Gateway to Corporate Social Responsibility |
| Christian Ethical Investment Group Muslim Peace Fellowship |
| Conservation Ecology- Index World Monuments Watch |
| The Fairtrade Foundation GreenNet Services Human Rights Watch |