Russell’s View on World

Government in his Essay The

Future of Mankind
Russell’s View on World Government
Bertrand Russell surely disproves the common established notion about
philosophers, that, they are absent-minded and always engage 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
contribution towards peace. In the words of Erich From:
“Bertrand Russell fights against threatening slaughter. because he is a
who loves life.”
Russell discuses three possibilities about “The Future of Mankind.” According
to him, one is the com 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, describes, is the complete extinction of all human beings.
This might happen after the Second World War in 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
“die-hard” 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 government in
a formal ways are extremely remote. He thinks that a world government,
would not be for voluntarily, but it would have to be brought about by force.
Russell prefers America to control the government and he has given many
reasons for his preference to America but his preference has no political and
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
humanness. 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.

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”.

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

defense expenditures of every nation a 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 on to control both, East and West.

Also Read:
 Summary of Russell’s Essay, Knowledge and Wisdom
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.