Joseph Cardinal Höffner CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ... - Ordo Socialis

§ 2 Difficulty of Organizing Effectively the Community of Nations
l. The plan to institutionalize the community of nations by law, which was already suggested
in the ‘Holy Alliance’ (l8l5), was realized for the first time in the „League of Nations“ (l920l946),
which was replaced by the organization of the „United Nations“ after the Second World
War. The institutions created in the name of the community of nations will, of course, be successful
only if the greatest and most powerful part of the various states profess their loyalty to
them. Smaller countries will have to submit. But as soon as there is a question of decisive
disputes between the great powers or entire blocks of states, the danger always threatens that
the community of nations will split up into parties. „From this point of view,“ thought Pius
XII on December 6, l953, „world history with its uninterrupted series of power struggles
could make the aim of establishing a juridical community of free states appear utopian.“
2. In spite of all failures of the past, and in spite of the irreconcilably opposed powers of the
Eastern and Western worlds today, the necessity of effectively organizing the community of
nations is more urgent than ever today, especially in view of the threat to mankind posed by
CBR weapons. In addition, world peace could be more dangerously threatened in a few years
by the passionate flaring up of the starving nations than by the East-West opposition, and
hunger will easily be tempted to unite itself to the communist ideology. The scandal that hunger
in the
developing states is confronted by wealth in the industrial states can only be eliminated by the
collaboration of all nations. The common good of all mankind demands that the community
of nations give itself an „order which corresponds to modern obligations, particularly with
reference to those numerous regions still laboring under intolerable need“ (Gaudium et spes,
84).
CHAPTER THREE: THE CURRENT AGENDA FOR THE COMMU-
NITY OF NATIONS
Preliminary Remarks:
The competencies assigned to institutions of the community of nations up until the Second
World War were essentially of a preventative and defensive nature: the settlement of international
disputes, the prevention of wars, and the like. These concerns are of a fateful importance
for mankind today also. But since the Second World War, the community of nations is
confronted with a new task, one that is no longer negative and defensive, but positive and
constructive, one that appeals to the solidarity of nations. It is usually termed ‘development
aid’. Since this in-itself great operation is overshadowed by the after-effects of colonialism, it
is recommendable first to characterize colonialism briefly and then to present the problems of
development aid.
§ 1 The Legacy of Colonialism
1. Periods of the colonial age
l. Five periods of the colonial age are usually distinguished: the period of the colonial domination
of the Portuguese and Spanish (l492-l598), the Dutch period (l598-l688), the period of
Anglo-French disputes (l688-l783), the period of the colonial domination of England (l783l870),
and the period of worldwide colonial imperialism in the proper sense (l870-l940). At
the beginning of the twentieth century, the European nations ruled almost all the politically
weaker nations on earth, which had been converted into colonies, or protectorates, or treaty
territories. But decline set in simultaneously. In an elemental independence movement, which
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