World government
The Bahá'í Writings envision a future world government and call for steps to achieve it.
Documents[edit]
- World Order of Bahá'u'lláh
- Secret of Divine Civilization
- Recommendations to the U.N.
Topics[edit]
Global security pact[edit]
Rules to unitedly reduce arms and rise up against any who takes up arms[edit]
"O rulers of the earth! Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions. Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the All-Knowing, the Faithful.
"Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, sec. 119, p. 254)
Need for all-embracing assemblage of rulers and kings to reconcile for peace and if another arises against another, all to arise to prevent him; not to have more arms than needed for internal security[edit]
"The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, sec. 117, p. 249)
Need for binding treaty to clearly fix frontiers of each nation, principles of relations laid down, and size of armaments limited, justifying destroying government[edit]
"True civilization will unfurl its banner … whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns … [shall arise] … to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. … In this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve, with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure."
- ('Abdu’l-Bahá, Secret of Divine Civilization, pp. 64-5)
The nations of the world must enjoy equal status in any World Federation[edit]
"...just as the American Constitution does not allow one state to be more autonomous than another, so must the nations of the world enjoy equal status in any form of World Federation."
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-86, section 173)
