Revival: Democracy and Diplomacy (1915): A Plea for Popular Control of Foreign Policy by Ponsonby Arthur

Author:Ponsonby Arthur [Arthur, Ponsonby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781138555808
Google: cHQ8twEACAAJ
Goodreads: 42363053
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2018-10-18T00:00:00+00:00

Notes

1 W. Bagehot, “The English Constitution.”

1 See Chapter VIII of H. N. Brailsford’s “The War of Steel and Gold.”

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS

The influence of Democracy would be pacific: because the people have come to realize more and more that their highest interest is peace; they are not inspired by any racial animosity, their combative instincts are normally in abeyance, and they are more than ever inclined to concentrate their efforts and their energies against social evils and the forces of reaction.

The pacific inclinations of the people are at present ignored by Governments in time of peace, while the Jingo clamour of the mob is encouraged in time of war.

Democracy is not mob rule. The blatant outbursts of bellicose passion in the rabble is not an expression of national sentiment. “Sheer blatancy, at all times a power, in war time is supreme” (J. Morley).

When war is declared national unity can be secured by telling the people the country is in danger and the enemy must be crushed.

Democracy is anti-militarist: because the people as a whole do not believe any advantage, moral or material, can be gained by war. Unfortunately, they have neglected to exercise any supervision over the authority which controls the issues of peace and war. A State will become militarist in proportion to the degree in which it can succeed in eliminating the democratic element.

The people are not ignorant, but in foreign affairs they are either uninformed or misinformed. Their supposed ignorance was one of the favourite arguments used against their having any voice in the control of domestic affairs.

A well-informed Democracy would not be misled by an unscrupulous Press. Their enforced ignorance at present leaves them at the mercy of any scaremonger.

The moral sense of a nation resides in the people, not in the Governments. If the standard of national morality is low, it is because the people are not yet allowed to be articulate.

A growing spirit of internationalism has begun to manifest itself among the people, more especially the working classes, but has not reached their rulers.

Public discussion is the best means of educating a people. At the same time democracy will become more alive to the necessity of studying and inquiring into foreign questions.

Publicity is the healthiest method by which the affairs of a nation can be conducted. In foreign affairs frankness and publicity are the best securities for peace. A Government can only be frightened of publicity if it is engaged in negotiations of which the country would be ashamed or would disapprove.

The causes which may lead to war should be fully understood by the people in order that every opportunity may be afforded them of exercising a pacific influence before it is too late, and in order that they may know clearly what they are fighting for if war comes.

The tradition of diplomacy is secrecy, because the method of diplomacy is a relic of autocratic and aristocratic rule. Secret diplomacy has failed.

Diplomatic secrets are for the most part fictitious, and only exist because Ministers, diplomats, and officials desire to keep complete control in their own hands.

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