Forging More Perfect Unions
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The Journal of Bahá'í Studies 5, 1-11Abstract: The author believes that, to avoid disintegration, social advances toward more inclusive political structures must be accompanied by a moral advance toward more universal values. This article discusses the three stages of humanity's global political unification as described in the Bahá'í writings: confederation, federation, commonwealth. Since these forms of government are outer expressions of inner levels of collective unified consciousness, each of these forms of government also marks a stage of humanity's deepening inner unification. Of particular note is the discussion of the changing concept of competition. If human beings are to create a united world, they must stop competing selfishly and instead compete selflessly to forge cooperative structures that will benefit all humanity.
The author believes that, to avoid disintegration, social advances toward more inclusive political structures must be accompanied by a moral advance toward more universal values. This article discusses the three stages of humanity's global political unification as described in the Bahá'í writings: confederation, federation, commonwealth. Since these forms of government are outer expressions of inner levels of collective unified consciousness, each of these forms of government also marks a stage of humanity's deepening inner unification. Of particular note is the discussion of the changing concept of competition. If human beings are to create a united world, they must stop competing selfishly and instead compete selflessly to forge cooperative structures that will benefit all humanity.