It was indeed fortunate that America initiated the Grand Moral
Strategy, with its abolition of war and reduction of communal
violence. Religious violence diminished in the Middle East and the
Indian subcontinent after the several peace initiatives. But a number
of the artificially created nation-states of Europe and Africa were
falling apart. Yugoslavia separated into a confederation of Croatia,
Slovenia and Serbia. Czechoslovakia divided into its component Czech
and Slovak states. The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and
Estonia were allowed to leave the Soviet Union. In South Africa
finally recognition was given to the tribal divisions of the country,
and the white "tribe" agreed to share power with the Zulus and the
other tribal communities. As people all over the world demanded more
cultural and economic independence, their tribal or ethnic domination
over their own territories was recognized. This trend was beneficial
for minimizing conflict and diminishing the military capabilities of
the various countries. To provide counterbalancing benefits, the
Grand Moral Strategy promoted the setting up of peace confederations.
These superregions of the new or existing states merged cultural
independence with the benefits of larger, more competitive economic
regions. Soon the European Economic Community of Western Europe had
its counterpart in the rest of Europe: a confederalized Soviet Union
and the Danubian Confederation of Central Europe.
Paul's Department of Peace and their colleagues at the State
Department were kept busy with providing guidance and financial aid
to the new political entities. There was much concern among some of
the European Economic Community countries that the new federation
will be controlled by the economic and financial might of Germany.
Formally converting the European Community into a peace confederation
eliminated these concerns. The danger of German economic power
becoming a military power was prevented. It also gave a higher
purpose to the new federation. The reduction of military expenditures
provided greater prosperity and supplied the resources for helping
the development of the Third World.
Paul now took the leadership in persuading countries to formally
abolish war and militarism. Costa Rica was the first nation that took
this action in 1949. Now other countries were given the opportunity
to become a "peace nation," one that reached the next highest level
of civilization by abolishing war. Many European countries quickly
accepted the challenge, since the international situation stabilized
and the danger of conquest disappeared. To Third World countries it
was possible to use the incentive of increased aid and the offer of
protection through the superpower peace consortium. The United States
provided technical and other assistance is converting existing
military establishments into New Model Armies. Peace nations
eventually had only Non-Lethal and Peace Forces, to provide the
minimal internal violence prevention needed.
The Peace Department was busy churning out super-optimum solutions,
to resolve the problems of ethnicity, religious conflicts, cultural
and class differences and other remnants of the tribal mindsets of
humanity. Now the promise of a brighter future started to develop a
feeling of common humanity. The generous economic aid provided under
the World Development Plan was the ultimate motivator of the process.
And the abolishing of war supplied the resources needed.
Cutting down on our unsustainable levels of military spending started
a healing process of the economy. A start was made toward reducing
our excessive levels of debt. America also started to modernize its
manufacturing and service technologies. Computer-aided methods and
robotics were applied to the flexible manufacturing systems, the
fully automated production lines. The product life cycle generation
methods of ideas, invention, innovation and imitation -- so
successfully practiced by Japanese industry -- were adopted by
America. In addition, leadership by the United States succeeded in
restructuring the global financial system.
Following the lengthy recession of the early '90s the American
economy rebounded. Improved products and processes greatly reduced
the labor, natural resources, energy and services needed. As
economically wasteful military spending was reduced, greater
investments were possible in the civilian sector of the economy. The
World Development Plan also started to make substantial progress. The
Third World debt was refinanced. Major environmental problems were
attacked, such as deforestation, topsoil loss and desertification.
Plans were made to eliminate the shantytowns of the large urban areas
in the developing world. The building of new homes, schools and
hospitals; water and sewage disposal facilities; new roads and
transit systems were made possible by eliminating the unneded,
redundant armies.
New economic structures throughout the world created new
opportunities, but also potential dangers. In the Pacific basin,
economic collaboration between Japan and China was intensifying.
Japan also gained much influence through massive aid and investments
in many developing countries. The United States was falling behind
Japan, until finally the New Transformation started to shift military
spending into export-generating productivity.
In Europe the integration into the European Economic Community was
proceeding on schedule. Again there was some danger that America will
be locked out behind the trade barriers that were being erected.
Although a North American Free Trade Zone was set up with Canada and
Mexico, this arrangement could not match the economic opportunities
of the European trading bloc. In East Asia, a similar economic
powerhouse was emerging, with Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, Thailand
and Indonesia participating. It was anticipated that by the year 2000
the aggregate gross national product of this trading combine would
reach that of Europe or North America.
The World Economic Plan changed the threats into opportunities. The
stated goal of America to help the Third World to modernize through
the World Development Plan increased the need for cooperation among
the new trade blocs. It was difficult politically to justify selfish
protectionism, when America was lowering trade barriers and provided
generous assistance. And finally, the abolition of war effort
resulted in substantial savings in military expenditures. A part of
this savings was converted to development aid, which created further
business opportunities and markets. The on-going reduction of trade
barriers further stimulated the growth of the Third World economies,
and of the trading blocs themselves. Finally it was realized that all
countries were customers of each other. They must all continue to
grow and prosper so that they continue to be customers. There was no
greater stimulus to human cooperation and the reduction of enmities
than the abolition of war and the growth of the national economies
busily exchanging goods and services. Thus it was only natural that
American industry and business became partners of the European and
Pacific trading blocs, rather than competitors. The barriers among
countries were breaking down, bringing prosperity and opportunities
to billions.
Paul and his Department of Peace did not overlook the proper role of
the military in the emerging Warless World. Working with the
Department of Defense gradually new roles were carved out for the
professional military. A global satellite surveillance and monitoring
service was set up to keep track of the remaining military threats. A
World Constabulary Force was also established, consisting of
specialized units of the United States and its allies and the Soviet
Union. This organization replaced the previous informal arrangements
of the superpowers. The Constabulary Force was to be deployed against
the remaining sources of war and violence. These included clandestine
armaments by military holdouts, and actual or threatened hostile
military moves. A genuinely international force also was being
established. The Gurkhas of Nepal, once among the most feared of
mercenary soldiers of the British Army, were now recruited to perform
police-type missions with non-lethal weapons. The Gurkhas formed a
new elite force within the organization, to ensure impartial
enforcement of world law against terrorists, drug dealers, arms
smugglers, and other disturbers of the tranquility of the planet.
Perhaps the most important functions of the converted military forces
involved the combat engineering functions. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and their counterparts in the other major armies were now
available for developing and repairing the transportation
infrastructures of many regions. Roads, canals, dams and bridges were
restored or constructed, utilizing the millions of unemployed or
underemployed young men over the world. The same skills and
management capability also became available for environmental
protection and restoration programs. Billions of trees were planted,
soil erosion and flood control projects were undertaken, and other
needed activities were initiated. Great progress were made toward one
of the objectives of the Grand Moral Strategy: Save the Earth!
Continue
Return to
Contents