New world order (Baháʼí)

For other uses of "New World Order", see New World Order (disambiguation).

The phrase "new world order" in the Baháʼí Faith refers to the replacement of the collective political norms and values of the 19th century with a new system of worldwide governance that incorporates the Baháʼí ideals of unity and justice for all nations, races, creeds, and classes. The idea of world unification, both politically and spiritually, is at the heart of Baháʼí teachings. This idea can be regarded to be related to utopianism.

Baháʼu'lláh taught that the future order will be the embodiment of God's scheme for mankind, the end goal of which is the emergence of the "Most Great Peace". Later on his successors, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, interpreted "unification of mankind" as the eventual establishment of a world commonwealth, later as a democratic elected world government based on principles of equity and justice.

Apolitical

This vision of a world commonwealth is regarded by Baháʼís as having no particular partisan political agenda. The members are not supposed to get involved in politics. Shoghi Effendi, great-grandson of Baháʼu'lláh and the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957, has stated that the structure, importance, implications, benefits and possibilities of the new world order cannot be understood at the current time, but that only through time will it become obvious. Instead, he states, only the guiding principles underlying the new world order can be generally outlined.

World government

In World Order of Baháʼu'lláh, first published in 1938, Shoghi Effendi describes the anticipated world government as the "world's future super-state" with the Baháʼí Faith as the "State Religion of an independent and Sovereign Power."

According to Shoghi Effendi, "The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baháʼu'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system."

Baháʼí author Joseph Sheppherd emphasises the balance between unity and diversity in the Baháʼí system, stating that in the New world order "the cultural identity and diversity of individuals must be protected, respected and valued as integral to the whole" so as to avoid the extreme of unity leading to uniformity.

Principles

Some of the principles outlined in the new world order include:

• universal peace based on global collective security;
• the unity of religion;
• the setting up a world government which could enact laws required to satisfy the needs of all people;
• an elected world parliament;
• a world code of law: based on justice for individuals and justice for nations.
• a binding world tribunal;
• a world police force;
• a universal bill of human rights;
• the universal right to education;
• the setting up of an auxiliary universal language;
• the continued diversity of culture;
• a world currency;
• a system of world commerce through the establishment of an equitable economic system where the economic security of the individual is assured;
• elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty.

Process and stages of unfoldment

Shoghi Effendi has articulated that the new world order of Bahá’u’lláh will gradually unfold across decades and centuries via two parallel and complementary twin processes of integration and disintegration that guide the development of social order. Each process will cause humanity to transition through several stages of development and will yeild fruit related to the principles of the new world order mentioned above.

Disintegration

Disintegration is the natural process that occurs when the momentum of inherent flaws in existing societal systems attain climax breaking points. The resultant social instability that is generated causes the gradual or sudden breakdown and collapse of society, following which humanity responds with endeavours to build back better without the inherent flaws of previous versions of the world system. The disintegrative process will produce two main stages in the development of global order. The first will be the establishment of the Lesser Peace, which will serve as the foundation for the eventual emergence of a World Super-State.

Lesser Peace

The first hallmark stage is the attainment of the "Lesser Peace", a condition of perfect unity and peace between countries, states and nations which is the natural culmination of the process of disintegration and for the most part will occur independently from the endeavours of the worldwide Bahá’í community who may only have an indirect influence. Shoghi Effendi wrote:

"... It must, however long and tortuous the way, lead, through a series of victories and reverses, to the political unification of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, to the emergence of a world government and the establishment of the Lesser Peace, as foretold by Baháʼu'lláh and foreshadowed by the Prophet Isaiah."

(Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, 1947)

World Super-State

Subsequent to the establishment of the Lesser Peace, the world's nations will eventually find motivation to agree to a binding universal treaty or covenant that serves as the founding constitutional document for the establishment of a world super-state with governing organs. Shoghi Effendi wrote:

"The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baháʼu'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded…"

"A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation—such is the goal towards which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving."

(Shoghi Effendi, The Unfoldment of World Civilization, 1936)

Integration

Integration is the conscious process that occurs both in direct response to the disintegrative process, as well as the result of the ongoing endeavours centred within the worldwide Bahá’í community to develop the institutional, communal, and individual capabilities and characteristics that will assist in bringing about the end goal of the new world order that is envisaged.

Great Peace

The signal attribute that marks the attainment of the "Great Peace" is that the “clamour of religious fanaticism” and “the flame of racial animosity” will be entirely eliminated. The attainment of this stage of development will be directly influenced by the endeavours of the worldwide Bahá’í community's engagement in building community, society, and civilisation.

Most Great Peace

The capstone stage of global human development is the achievement of the Most Great Peace, which is co-terminous with the complete fulfilment of Bahá’u’lláh's prophetic vision of world order and the golden age of Bahá’u’lláh's Dispensation, in which the complete and justified global unity of nation, race, and religion has been achieved. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá believed that the West, with its views on equality and philanthropy, would lead the rest of the world to the Most Great Peace:

"I am ever anticipating joyous news from America... These people are distinguished in all qualities; they have pure intentions; they are truthful to all humanity; they are trustworthy; they exercise kindness toward all mankind, and with heart and soul and life they are engaged in service... Their greatest and highest desire is that bias may be removed from among the nations and sects of the world; that all mankind may be united with each other; ... that the standard of universal peace or the Most Great Peace shall be raised..."

(ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, A Heavenly Feast, 1909 pp. 7–8)

Shoghi Effendi wrote:

"The Most Great Peace... a peace that must inevitably follow as the practical consequence of the spiritualization of the world and the fusion of all its races, creeds, classes and nations..."

(Shoghi Effendi, World Order of Baháʼu'lláh, 1936)

Sources

The phrase "new world order" was first used in the sacred texts of the Baháʼí Faith by its founder Baháʼu'lláh in the late 19th century. In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, considered the most holy of the Baháʼí Faith's many texts, Baháʼu'lláh states,

The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System – the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.

In another text, Baháʼu'lláh stated,

Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead.

See also

• Baháʼí International Community
• Democratic globalization
• Futures studies
• Global justice
• New world order (politics)
• The Promise of World Peace
• The Secret of Divine Civilization
• Utopia
• World federalism