The Commonwealth of Nations: A Force for Democracy in the 21st Century?
Posted by ZoeWare - 19/07/09 at 01:07 pmAmitav Banerji, Director of Political Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat, says ‘promoting democracy is a powerful raison d’etre for the Commonwealth in the 21st century’.
In his article, printed in the December 2008 issue of The Round Table, The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, Amitav Banerji explains that the 1971 Singapore Declaration of Commownealth Principles, the Harare Declaration in 1991, the formation of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in 1995, and its election observation missions and ‘good offices’ role, all make the Commonwealth a ‘contemporary force for democracy’.
But he concludes that democracy and development are organically inter-related: ‘If the Commonwealth is to be a force for democracy in the 21st century, it must therefore also be a force for development in that century’.
Why not read a full, free version of Amitav Banerji’s article here, on The Round Table website. And then let us know what you think by commenting below. . .
Category : Democracy & Good Governance
Tags: CMAG, democracy, development, election observation, good offices
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July 25th, 2009 at 11:19 am
”..promoting democracy is a powerful raison d??tre for the Commonwealth..”
Yes, democracy leads to international peace and order, global economic development and the rule of international law that leads to the security and prosperity of mankind(Harare Declaration).
Please remember it’s DEEP VERSION of democracy as spoken by Rt Hon David Miliband.
Just as professionals are expected to undergo Continuing Professional Development in this fast-changing world, national leaders have to review themselves and undergo DEEP Personal Development because that is what becomes the strength of states and thus of the Commonwealth:
At the risk of losing the monumental support of the anti-Muslim Congress sympathisers, Mahatma Gandhi once said: ”No cabinet worthy of being representative of a large mass of mankind can afford to take any step merely because it is likely to win the hasty applause of an unthinking public. In the midst of sanity, should not our best representatives retain sanity and bravely prevent a wreck of the ship of state under their care?”
July 27th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Commonwealth of Nations to become a force for DEMOCRACY in the 21st century?
Then each and every Nation must try to put as many of the Harare principles into practice as possible.
The Nations must prod each other for greater compliance, and not collude with each other in violation, of the principles.
Otherwise, the gap between the oppressed and the oppressor will keep growing.
Then we’ll have more and more protests around the world…. more and more ”investigations” or ”commissions” … ….. then more nad more organisations to ”rectify” the situation … ….. …….
July 27th, 2009 at 7:54 am
THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS: A FORCE FOR DEMOCRACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, THE ROUND TABLE, VOL. 97, NO 399, 819-823, DECEMBER 2008
is not available in English. Will the RSC help the users of the website access the article in English PLEASE. Thanks.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
The article is available in English – just click through the link to the Round Table page, and click the ‘View Article (PDF) in English’ half way down the page. I hope you can access it!
August 20th, 2009 at 8:51 am
In some commonwealth countries ”internal colonialism” has replaced external colonialism as far as ethnic minorities are concerned. To bring justice to ALL is a challenge for any ”Commonwealth of Nations” if it wants to be a ”Force for Democracy in the 21st century”.