Page:Neurath O. (1942) International Planning for Freedom.pdf/16

Rh Wishful thinking is no argument, but sometimes a scientific stimulus.

Nations who had gained a certain freedom for themselves often became the oppressors of others, and their governments had no great objections to alliances with governments which suppressed many of their citizens and were far from being democratic. Therefore, we cannot expect that peace movements alone will be in a position to end war before far-reaching changes in the  'societas societatum'  have been achieved. Who will be prepared to initiate such changes?

The governments of the victorious Allies will perhaps be greatly interested in avoiding a repetition of Germany's, Italy's, and Japan's dangerous aggressions and therefore incline to reduce a possible aggressiveness of these states. 'Democratization' seems to be one of the suitable measures together with international planning. But that does not imply that these measures will be applied. Versailles did not lead to any creative reconstruction of Europe. Will the second World War become a source of personal freedom?

At first sight, a world state seems to be unlikely. We may rather expect that the principle  'cuius regio, euis religio'  - translated into 'secularity' - will rule. But all oppressions which may remain would be softened if all people had the right to migrate and if a way were found to enable them to immigrate into at least certain territories. After the abolishment of unemployment, such a possibility is not very remote.

In an organized  'societas societatum'  - long before a world-commonwealth is founded - something like a world citizenship would presumably arise, even if no international passport were to be created. In the last decades, millions of people abandoned their homelands, Armenians and Assyrians, Jews and Greeks, Turks and members of other nationalities. They had either to becomes citizens of their host countries or to remain without protection - the Nansen passport helped only a relatively small number of people. This world citizenship would loosen the old ties in Europe where the problem will be particularly acute and support the rise of comprehensive democratization as an element of peace. Proposals such as those of a world police force are useful because they point in this direction: the states will perhaps remain but not omnipotent as they have been so far. Some of the organizations of the Middle Ages survived but without their military power. We know the gradual decrease in power that occurred.