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Shaping change through social democracy in the next millennium
A Short Speech by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and Member of Parliament for Kepong at the meeting of the Council of the Socialist International, SI, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 25 & 26 June 1999.

 
This is my first visit to the metropolitan city of Buenos Aires with its beautiful boulevards. I have heard of Argentina football, beef, polo, Eva Peron and tennis. I hope that we shall see more of social democracy, the peaceful path to overcome irrationalities and injustices, in Buenos Aires.

As social democracy and other ideologies are in a state of flux, the main theme, shaping change, is appropriate. SI is determined to usher in the new century meaningfully.

Briefly, I shall talk about first the modern conquest; secondly, the furtherance of universal values and, thirdly, is SI a messianic movement?

First, the modern conquest

This is a genuine concerned. It may not be apparent to some SI members. I hope you will look at it. Similarly, I wish the people in the less developed world study the perception of the people in the developed world.

For those from the less developed world especially the former colonial territories, social democracy is often perceived as a product of Western Europe. It may be used as a tool to re-colonize the Third World.

Since we are in South America, let me remind you that it was in the 15th and 16th centuries that the ideas of Renaissance humanism, human qualities, appeared in Europe. Yet, the dark side of Renaissance was evident: the introduction of compass, firearms (gun powder) and the printing press from China, gave the European military superiority over American and Asiatic cultures, resulting in the brutal conquest. Argentina is a product of this conquest.

Rapid progress in communications including the Information Technology, IT, is shaping the modern world. Internet and e-commerce are increasingly available in more developed areas such as cities and towns of the world, erasing the borders and boundaries-a border-less world or wonderland. What is powerful for good is also powerful for evil. The poorer regions have been and will continue to be left out. The gap between the IT haves and the IT havenots is widening. SI has taken cognizance of this.

Whether we like it or not, the 13 social democratic members of SI that have formed governments in Europe (and America) are perceived as using the propagation of social democracy to bring about a modern or seemingly invisible conquest of the less developed world. This is reminiscent of the brutal conquest of the Renaissance.

We condemn ethnic cleansing as a crime against humanity. Whatever the reasons, Nato's war with the Serbs over Kosovo, costing Yugoslavia over US$30 billion and many lives has created the image of

America and European Union as the world's policemen.

In shaping change, I hope SI will always be sensitive to these aspects.

Secondly, Universal Values

Reasserting humanitarian values is always necessary as the human race has done for over three thousand years. These universal values are found in the Eastern and Western civilizations, whether Confucius or Socrates.

The humanists of antiquity such as Socrates and the French Enlightenment philosophers like Voltaire and Rousseau advocated humanitarian values. The human rights as seen in the French Assembly in 1789 have repeatedly been flouted all over the world.
John Locke and Montesquieu propounded the principle of the division of powers to prevent tyranny. As Lord Acton says, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Many countries have not implemented this principle.

In this century, there were two world wars and countless other wars including the recent war in Kosovo and Yugoslavia.

To appeal to people's reason by universal principles and values conflicts with many interests and power factors. It is dangerous because mighty powers fight back to save themselves.

Promoting responsible government, SI should create atmosphere conducive to indigenous social democracy. It would have to consider the size, population and background of each country. China is a conundrum to SI.

Thirdly, is SI a messianic movement?

SI is a major voice in international politics. It has no executive power, but it goes on carrying the universal message. It emphasizes the national, regional and international aspects.

People in all continents continue to suffer. The yokes of poverty, oppression and other forms of irrationalities and injustices persist.

Dictatorial regimes come and go. There are promising signs such as the fall of a dictator in Indonesia and the holding of a relatively free general election. The tides ebb and flow.

With the worldwide free flow of information, education and continuous reassertion of universal human values, there are and will be demand for peace, love, food for the poor, justice, democracy, human rights and good governance.

People in many countries are seeking salvation. Economic crises appear from time to time. Even in Western Europe, the dark side of the welfare state and unemployment will loom large.

Given the demise of the command economy and totalitarianism as well as the cries for freedom, is SI playing the part of the messiah? If not, what is its new role to shape the change in the next millennium?

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

 

 
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