A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics

by Kung, Hans

• ISBN13: 9780195122282
• ISBN10: 0195122283
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-04-16
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

As the twentieth century draws to a close and the rush to globalization gathers momentum, political and economic considerations are crowding out vital ethical questions about the shape of our future. Now, Hans Kung, one of the world's preeminent Christian theologians, explores theseissues in a visionary and cautionary look at the coming global society. How can the new world order of the twenty first century avoid the horrors of the twentieth? Will nations form a real community or continue to aggressively pursue their own interests? Will the Machiavellian approaches of the past prevail over idealism and a more humanitarian politics? Whatrole can religion play in a world increasingly dominated by transnational corporations? Kung tackles these and many other questions with the insight and moral authority that comes from a lifetime's devotion to the search for justice and human dignity. Arguing against both an amoral realpolitik andan immoral resurgence of laissez faire economics, Kung defines a comprehensive ethic founded on the bedrock of mutual respect and humane treatment of all beings that would encompass the ecological, legal, technological, and social patterns that are reshaping civilization. If we are going to have aglobal economy, a global technology, a global media, Kung argues, we must also have a global ethic to which all nations, and peoples of the most varied backgrounds and beliefs, can commit themselves. "The world," he says, "is not going to be held together by the Internet." For anyone concerned about the world we are creating, A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics offers equal measures of informed analysis, compassionate foresight, and wise counsel.

Author Biography

Hans Kung is President of the Global Ethic Foundation, and author of Global Responsibility, Judaism, Credo: The Apostles Creed Explained for Today, and many other works.

Table of Contents

Wanted -- A Vision	xviii
A. Global Politics between Real Politics and Ideal Politics	1	(154)
I The Old Real Politics Again?	3	(26)
1. Global politics in the old style: Kissinger	4	(10)
(a) The power-play of diplomacy	4	(3)
(b) Power politics as `geopolitics'	7	(1)
(c) Politics without `moral feelings'	8	(2)
(d) Ethics subordinate to politics?	10	(4)
2. Sovereign disregard of political morality: Richelieu	14	(7)
(a) No universal values, but reasons of state	14	(3)
(b) Machiavellianism realized	17	(2)
(c) The alternatives: religious fanaticism or political cynicism?	19	(2)
3. The embodiment of real politics: Bismarck	21	(8)
(a) Not ideas, but interests	21	(2)
(b) In place of a vision of the future, will to power	23	(2)
(c) Power -- the supreme criterion in politics?	25	(4)
II No Moralizing Ideal Politics	29	(30)
I. An attempt at a new politics: Wilson	29	(8)
(a) A new peaceful order	30	(2)
(b) All an idealistic illusion?	32	(1)
(c) The victory of the `realists'	32	(3)
(d) Crusade for democracy	35	(2)
2. A dispute over political science: Morgenthau	37	(12)
(a) Politics as management of power	37	(4)
(b) Where does the power politics theory come from?	41	(2)
(c) The unresolved ethical question	43	(3)
(d) In search of universal values	46	(3)
3. The conflict between power and morality	49	(10)
(a) Man, the ambivalent being, and power	50	(1)
(b) Inventions to counter the abuse of power	51	(3)
(c) `Scientific' disregard for ethics	54	(3)
(d) The irresolvable tension between politics and ethics	57	(2)
III Responsible Politics	59	(32)
I. Outlines of a new paradigm of politics	59	(10)
(a) Identification of interests -- but how?	59	(3)
(b) Identification of interests -- being ethically responsible	62	(2)
(c) The middle way between real politics and ideal politics	64	(3)
(d) From national to international responsibility	67	(2)
2. Ethics -- a challenge for politicians	69	(10)
(a) More semblance than reality?	69	(2)
(b) Immoral if need be?	71	(3)
(c) May politicians lie?	74	(3)
(d) What is power for?	77	(2)
3. Ideals and realities	79	(12)
(a) Is ethics inefficient?	80	(2)
(b) Can one win elections with ethics?	82	(3)
(c) A realistic human rights policy?	85	(3)
(d) Successes in human rights policy	88	(3)
IV A Global Ethic as a Foundation for Global Society	91	(23)
I. Challenges and responses	91	(8)
(a) Key questions and principles	91	(2)
(b) Universal ethical standards	93	(1)
(c) The quest for the universal: truth and justice	94	(3)
(d) Humanity: the Golden Rule	97	(2)
2. Not only rights but also responsibilities	99	(6)
(a) Human beings have responsibilities from the beginning	99	(2)
(b) Not all responsibilities follow from rights	101	(1)
(c) What would rights be without morals?	102	(3)
3. A first formulation of a global ethic	105	(9)
(a) How should a global ethic be made specific? Criteria	105	(3)
(b) How should a global ethic be made specific? Content	108	(2)
(c) The core of a global ethic	110	(1)
(d) The obligation to truthfulness	111	(3)
V World Peace -- A Challenge for the World Religions	114	(41)
1. A clash between the civilizations -- or peace?	115	(16)
(a) The depth dimension of global political conflicts	115	(4)
(b) Religion -- the missing dimension in statesmanship	119	(2)
(c) The warning example: Yugoslavia	121	(6)
(d) War for the sake of peace?	127	(4)
2. What holds modern society together?	131	(12)
(a) Diagnoses of the time	132	(1)
(b) Divisive forces in society	133	(5)
(c) Three models of Europe	138	(4)
(d) Ethics no substitute for religion	142	(1)
3. Confidence-building measures between the religions	143	(12)
(a) Religion in the network of states	144	(1)
(b) How are Islamism and fundamentalism to be dealt with?	145	(3)
(c) What is to be done in regional, national and international conflicts?	148	(4)
(d) A personal postscript by a Christian for Christians	152	(3)
B. The Global Economy between the Welfare State and Neocapitalism	155	(122)
I Questions about Globalization	157	(27)
1. Globalization -- a structural revolution in the world economy	160	(10)
(a) Globalization is unavoidable	160	(2)
(b) Globalization is ambivalent	162	(3)
(c) Globalization is unpredictable	165	(2)
(d) Globalization can be controlled	167	(3)
2. The Welfare state in crisis	170	(4)
(a) The Swedish model	170	(2)
(b) Not dismantling the welfare state, but restructuring it	172	(2)
3. Neocapitalism -- not the solution either	174	(10)
(a) The American model	175	(4)
(b) Only the profit motive?	179	(5)
II What Global Plan for Economic Policy?	184	(36)
1. Pure market economy?	184	(12)
(a) Economic ultra-liberalism: Milton Friedman	186	(3)
(b) A freemarket and restrictions on the state	189	(1)
(c) Domestication of ethics by the economy	190	(2)
(d) The liberal market economy -- simply a law of nature?	192	(4)
2. Social market economy	196	(12)
(a) Social liberalism: Ludwig Erhard	197	(3)
(b) Free market and social equilibrium	200	(2)
(c) Times of crisis	202	(3)
(d) The new challenges: ecology and ethics	205	(3)
3. A global market economy requires a global ethic	208	(12)
(a) No economic imperialism	208	(3)
(b) The market economy in the service of humankind	211	(2)
(c) The primacy of ethics over economics and politics	213	(2)
(d) The tasks of a global economy	215	(5)
III Responsible Economics	220	(30)
1. An ethically motivated policy for world order	220	(14)
(a) Are declarations and proclamations useless?	220	(3)
(b) Human rights and human obligations: The International Commission on Global Governance	223	(4)
(c) Development, not just economic growth: The world Commission on Culture and Development	227	(4)
(d) Humanity in concrete: The InterAction Council	231	(3)
2. Outlines of a new paradigm of an ethic for the economy	234	(8)
(a) Constants and variables	234	(2)
(b) No ethic of conviction based on idealistic views about economics	236	(2)
(c) No realist ethic of the economy devoid of conviction	238	(1)
(d) An ethically responsible way of engaging in business	239	(3)
3. Sustainable development and a global ethic	242	(8)
(a) Provisions for the future: on what basis?	242	(3)
(b) Aim and criterion: human beings in an environment worth living in	245	(2)
(c) The problem of motivation	247	(3)
IV Ethic, Business and Managers	250	(27)
1. Principles of a business ethic	251	(10)
(a) Not just for shareholders but for all involved	251	(2)
(b) Basic values and basic attitudes	253	(1)
(c) Asian versus Western values	254	(3)
(d) Inconvenient questions, practical suggestions	257	(4)
2. Ethics -- a challenge for managers	261	(8)
(a) Where does strong management come from?	261	(2)
(b) No business culture without personality culture	263	(1)
(c) Business consultancy: Machiavelli for managers?	264	(3)
(d) Financial and political scandals	267	(2)
3. Has ethics a chance in business?	269	(8)
(a) Beyond good and evil?	269	(2)
(b) The chances of doing business morally	271	(2)
(c) From creed to cash: the `Singapore dream'	273	(1)
(d) Strong leadership with a basic ethical and religious attitude	274	(3)
Conclusion	277	(1)
Notes	278	(26)
A Word of Thanks	304	(2)
Translator's Note	306	(1)
Index	307