Tony Blair gave his
farewell speech to the World Economic Forum at
Davos on Sunday. According to the
Washington Post, he will probably step down as
Britain’s Prime Minister this summer. In his speech, he outlined the need for global government based on “global values” in order to combat three of the world’s biggest challenges: world trade, climate change, and
Africa.
Blair’s speech is compelling. He is an astute global leader and he defends the neo-conservative nation building agenda far more eloquently than most of his American counterparts.
But just what are the values on which he proposes to base the wielding of power by global alliances? Blair acknowledges what he calls “narratives” that are opposed to “tolerance, freedom, openness and justice for all.” Two of those are the “perversion of Islam” championed by al-Quaeda and other radical terrorists and the other is national selfishness.
Not every country in the world wants what Blair and Bush have to offer. It is naïve to think that if international institutions were fine-tuned, suddenly the United Nations would have the power to impose democratic self-government in countries gripped by generations of poverty and dictatorial leadership. If Iraq has taught us anything it is that you can’t force a nation to make good decisions.
