The European system ... Brics and Commonwealth … One Family
The European system ... Brics and Commonwealth … One Family
1 The European system … empires
Revolusi … Dutch Empire
Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow, UNESCO, 1921-2024 … French Empire
British Empire … slavery … USA
Russia … Russian Empire … Rus … Byzantine Empire … Orthodox Church
2 The Brics and Commonwealth meetings
World conceptions: all and some; self and other, positive and negative
Modi at Brics
Brics
Modi meets Xi
3 Commonwealth … British Empire … Britannia
India, Nigeria and Malaysia
4 Report: One Family
Policy Exchange
1 The European system … empires
Revolusi … Dutch Empire
“We the people of Indonesia, hereby declare the independence of Indonesia. Matters relating to the transfer of power etc. will be executed carefully and as soon as possible.”
August 17, 1945
“… a global crossroads, one of the most important in modern history: the junction after which colonised people confronted occupying nations.
… the first country to declare post-war independence … pointed other nations towards self-determination.”
Revolusi. Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World. David van Reybrouk, trans. David Colmer and David McKay. Bodley Head. 2024.
Review. “The bloody birth of ‘invisible’ Indonesia. Dutch arrogance and Japanese brutality forged this nation of 280 million people.” Elizabeth Pisani. The Times. Saturday Review. October 26 2024: 14.
Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow, UNESCO, 1921-2024 … French Empire
As the first black African Director-General to lead a big UN agency, his legacy was opening up UNESCO to the third world. His goal had been to move UNESCO away from its Eurocentric tendencies. He believed that too much of the world’s media is centred in the northern hemisphere and that the flow of news to and from Africa is dominated by the western media. The media systematically stresses the phenomena of tension or violence in the countries of the third world. He supported the idea of a new world information and communication order. He proposed licensing journalists and giving governments the right to control information and news.
….. Critics said that this was at odds with UNESCO’s constitutional duty to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”. Under Reagan and Thatcher, the US in 1984 and the UK in 1985 withdrew from UNESCO – the UK returning in 1997 under Blair; and the US returning in 2003 but leaving again from 2017 to 2023 (Biden). In the 1980s a Times commentator said he was now the head of a mill for Parisian Marxist rhetoric where once UNESCO had stood for advancing literacy and rescuing Nubian monuments.
Back in 1950 he had said: “what was most important for Africa was to have intellectuals who liked into their past, who revalued Africans cultures and who could awaken the interest of young people in their history and in the problems of the world.”
“Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow. Self-assured but divisive and controversial general secretary of Unesco.” Obituary. The Times, October 16, 2024: 49.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-pays-tribute-amadou-mahtar-mbow-1921-2024
British Empire … slavery … USA
“ ‘Time to talk’: Commonwealth leaders’ slavery reparation call.”
The Observer, October 27 2024: 23.
“John Amos. Actor who played THE SLAVE Kunta Kinte in the award-winning television miniseries Roots, which helped to combat racism in America.” Obituary. The Times, October 16, 2024: 49. 47
Russia … Russian Empire … Rus … Byzantine Empire … Orthodox Church
… state and church … nation and empire
Patriot. A Memoir. Alexei Navalny. Trans. Arch Tait and Stephen Dalziel. Bodley Head. 2024.
Review. “So brilliant [,] Putin had to kill him. Alexei Navalny’s bravery, spirit and humour come out in this memoir, posthumously published after he was murdered in a Siberian prison this year. … ‘We are fighting for the hearts and minds of those who simply stare at the table and shrug’ …” Owen Matthews. The Times. Saturday Review. October 26 2024: 11.
Georgia. “Young voters set sights on a future free from Moscow. Elections pit pro-western opposition forces against a ruling party under Russian influence.” The Times. October 26 2024: 42.
… a “symphonia” of church and state “dating back to the Byzantine Empire” …
The Baton and the Cross. Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin. Lucy Ash. Icon. 2024.
Review. “Handmaidens of the Kremlin. The misogynistic, money-grabbing Russian Orthodox church has sold its soul to serve Russia’s cynical rulers.” Edward Lucas. The Times. Saturday Review. October 26 2024: 15.
“All hell breaks loose in fight to control Ukraine’s largest Church.” The Times. October 25 2024: 28.
“Romanian Orthodox priests carry relics of Saint Dimitrie Basarabov, patron saint of Bucharest through the city …” The Times. October 26 2024: 44.
2 The Brics and Commonwealth meetings
World conceptions: all and some; self and other, positive and negative
Modi at Brics
“ Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, cautioned against Brics being seen as in binary opposition to the West . “We must be careful to ensure that this organisation does not acquire the image of one that is trying to replace global institutions.” He said, adding, “We support dialogue and diplomacy not war.” ”
The Times, October 25, 2024: 27. Tom Parfitt.
The quotation rather nicely introduces the concepts I wish to discuss. Modi looks at the relationship between Brics [the self] and global institutions [the other]. He is concerned with the image of Brics [conception of self] and the image of the relationship between self and other that it should not be seen as being the negative relationship of replacing the other. The positive relationship of dialogue and diplomacy is supported - as opposed to the negative relationship of war. Parfitt’s phrases this as “Brics being seen as in binary opposition to the West”. The notion of a binary distinction contrasts with that of a continuum.
A final point is raised by Modi’s phrase “global institutions”. I suggest here that there is a distinction between an international organisation with some of the world’s nations as members and an international organisation with all of the world’s nations as members. There are organisations that contain all and there are organisations that contain only some. For example the UN started in 1945 as an alliance of some nations in opposition to certain other nations and is now a grouping of all nations.
Table basic concepts
relationship
self, other
conception
positive, negative
some, all
binary, continuum
Brics
“Putin hosts Xi and Modi at summit to rival G7.” The Times, October 2024: 30.
A dynamic group that will shape the future of the international order.”
Alexander Gabuev and Oliver Stuenkel, Foreign Affairs.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/battle-brics
The terms Bric and Brics had already been in currency for some time to signify the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa but was formally established in 2009 and 2010. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates will join this week. The group has 40% of the world’s population and 35% of its GDP. Thirty other countries are waiting for full or partial membership.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRIC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRICS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_O%27Neill,_Baron_O%27Neill_of_Gatley
[even before O’Neill I think.]
Modi met Xi
The Chinese Global Times:
“The world is entering a period of multi-polarization, and emerging economies like China and India are crucial players in this process, so if they can properly manage differences and boost mutual trust and unity, they could bring significant changes to improve or reform the international order that is facing the impact of Western-dominated unilateralism and US hegemony, Li noted.”
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202410/1321738.shtml
Times of India:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/114519050.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
3 Commonwealth … British Empire … Britannia
While Modi was embracing Putin in Russia, Indian minister of parliamentary affairs, Kiren Rijiju, was shaking hands with King Charles III in Samoa …
Earlier, in the UK:
“It’s time for the Commonwealth to show its clout. This club of nations usually stays out of conflicts but it could provide a crucial counterpoint to Moscow and Beijing. … Only a minority want to spend time making up for sins of the past …An alliance committed to freedom needs to look like it means it.”
The Times, October 19 2024: 25. Trevor Phillips.
“Common interests. The Commonwealth summit provides an opportunity to promote democratic values.” Editorial. The Times, October 21 2024: 27.
India, Nigeria and Malaysia
India, Nigeria and Malaysia have appeared together recently in a number of ways:
.(1) India attended the Brics meeting in Russia this week and Nigeria and Malaysia are waiting for full or partial membership.
.(2) India, Nigeria and Malaysia are members of the Commonwealth … and will attend this week’s meeting
.(3) India, Nigeria and Malaysia were three of the five countries surveyed and reported on in the Policy Exchange report One Family
.(4) India and Nigeria were two of the countries viewed at least somewhat negatively by people in the UK in the same poll.
4 Report: One Family
Harnessing the strategic potential of the Commonwealth
October 17 2024; survey UK 17-19 May 2023; other countries in summer 2023
Policy Exchange has produced a report on the Commonwealth entitled One Family.
The report makes use of a survey carried out in the UK, Australia, Malaysia, India and Nigeria. Thus three of the five are Asian or Australasian.
https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/one-family/ gives access to report and to data tables.
Here we focus on just four of the questions in the survey:
1 Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
“In general, the UK as a country does more good than harm in the world.”
Agree/disagree, mildly, strongly, neither.
The net more-harm-than-good percentage was 30%*, with India somewhat more positive and Nigeria somewhat less positive.
*minimum to maximum percentage is -100% to +100%
The UK results showed a difference between parties: Conservatives at 50% and Labour at 20%, possibly in part reflecting the fact that the Conservatives were in government at the time of the survey but also relating to the Conservatives identification with Britannia.
2 “The UK Government and its allies [/ “a number of governments”] have expressed growing concerns about China’s intentions for the future of the international order, its rapid military build-up, and its efforts to use its economic might to influence and coerce developing nations. However there are concerns about the repercussions of challenging China on the world stage. To what extent do you support of oppose the Commonwealth being used to challenge the international influence of the Chinese government?”
Support, oppose strongly somewhat neither
The net more-harm-than-good percentage was 30%*, with Nigeria and Malaysia somewhat less positive, 17% and 8%.
*minimum to maximum percentage is -100% to +100%
3 “Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Commonwealth should aim to limit the international influence of Russia as one of its objectives.”
Agree disagree; somewhat strongly; dk
There was a gradient of support: UK 57%, Australia 54%, India 38%, Nigeria 36% and Malaysia 21%.
*minimum to maximum percentage is -100% to +100%
4 [UK survey only] “What best describes your view on the following countries?”
positive or negative, very or fairly, neither
New Zealand 70, Canada 67 and Australia 66 had the highest scores; Ukraine 43, Germany 41 and France 25 were next; USA had just 7; negative were India -8, Nigeria -21, China -50 and Russia -76.
There were political group differences: Conservatives gave USA 40 whereas Labour gave USA 9; Conservatives gave France 12 whereas Labour gave France 37.
Policy Exchange
“Policy Exchange’s status as the UK’s most influential think tank is widely recognised. Conservative Home has declared that “If anyone was to draw up a list of the top twenty most influential think tanks in Westminster, can anyone seriously doubt that Policy Exchange would be at number one?” ” Their research has four main themes: People, place, prosperity & patriotism.
https://policyexchange.org.uk/
One Family
Harnessing the strategic potential of the Commonwealth
October 17 2024; survey UK 17-19 May 2023; other countries in summer 2023
Policy Exchange has produced a report on the Commonwealth entitled One Family. The Introduction was written by Prime Minister Stepehen Harper of Canada; and the
Advisory Board was:
Samantha Cohen, former Deputy Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth,
Alexander Downer, former Australia Foreign Minister of Affairs
Rosie Glazebrook
Robert Hardman, royal biographer and commentator
Gairi Issar Kumar, High Commissioner to India
Mohmmer Nasheed, former President of Maldives
Trevor Philips
Dr Rakib Ehsan is a British academic of Bangladeshi and Indian origin who is a senior adviser at Policy Exchange. He has authored work and been interviewed by the media on the Commonwealth of Nations, particularly on the role of the British monarchy and political dynamics within the association. Specialising in matters of democracy, politics, and governance, he authored the Policy Exchange report ‘Small-Boats Emergency: Fixing the UK’s Broken Asylum System’ which was published in July 2023.
THE END