Dignity
Dignity: "Ultimately, of course, each country will have to develop its own form of governance based on its unique circumstances and cultural heritage. Yet, for a state to remain stable, a government will need to ensure that basic prerequisites are met, whereby the dignity and equality of each citizen is being guaranteed." (STABILITY OF STATES: The Nexus Between Transnational Threats, Globalization, and Internal Resilience by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, et al., page 55)
"It is therefore important to take a state’s unique cultural, ethnic, and religious particularities into account when trying to devise a suitable political system that is able to ensure stability, security, and the dignity and economic well-being of each citizen." (STABILITY OF STATES: The Nexus Between Transnational Threats, Globalization, and Internal Resilience by Nayef Al-Rodhan, et al., page 116)
"There are many ways to govern to achieve stability, as long as basic values of human dignity, equality, and justice are upheld." (STABILITY OF STATES: The Nexus Between Transnational Threats, Globalization, and Internal Resilience by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, et al., page 127)
"Freedom from fear implies that people’s human rights and dignity should be respected, both of which require a recognition of people’s inherent worth." (SYMBIOTIC REALISM: A Theory of International Relations in an Instant and an Interdependent World by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 117)
"Dignity has at least two meanings. First, it can be understood as a sense of self-worth. To have a sense of dignity implies that one is able to appreciate oneself to a sufficient extent to withstand pressures or attacks on one’s self-esteem. Second, it may also be understood at the community level, in which case inclusion may be seen as endowing people with a sense of dignity. Inclusion may be considered the essence of dignity, because to be included by others implies that one is valued by others and, therefore, considered worthy of integration into a community. Here dignity shall be considered as respect for one’s social value, demonstrated through an acknowledgement by others as an equal within a community." (A PROPOSAL FOR INCLUSIVE PEACE AND SECURITY by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, et al., page 59)
"Respect for people’s equal worth, whether in terms of identity and dignity or their cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, is vital to promoting greater justice." (THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY: Proposal for a Multi-sum Security Principle by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 17)
"This means that security implies the absence of hunger and illness, respect for human rights and dignity, as well as the absence of violence and armed conflict, which inflict huge suffering on civilian populations." (THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY: Proposal for a Multi-sum Security Principle by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 37)
"At the heart of this hypothetical security problem is injustice as a result of unequal treatment that violates the dignity of those who do not enjoy full civil and human rights." (THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY: Proposal for a Multi-sum Security Principle by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 87)
"People feel a sense of humiliation when their dignity is violated. This can occur when an abstract ideal about how people in general or citizens in particular should be treated is violated. The abstract ideal that people perceive as being violated is the ideal of respect for the equal dignity of all. Within the domestic context of states, the unequal treatment of one country’s citizens may, for example, cause humiliation among those being treated in a way that is inferior to the treatment of others. We might, then, say that feelings of humiliation are created by injustice, understood as what we morally owe others." (THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY: Proposal for a Multi-sum Security Principle by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 90)
"Respect for people’s equal worth, whether in terms of identity, dignity, or their cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, is vital to promoting greater justice." (THE FIVE DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL SECURITY: Proposal for a Multi-sum Security Principle by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 97)
"Poverty denies human dignity and fundamental human rights (such as the right to food, health, and education). It nurtures deeply rooted injustices, inequalities, and deprivations. Deficiencies in “human capabilities,” a lack of social capital, vulnerability, and a lack of dignity are just some of poverty’s humiliating faces. Therefore, educating people about the history, pains, grievances, and aspirations of other cultures becomes a critical part of this proposed education philosophy." (THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN GLOBAL SECURITY by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 39)
"Education requires serious rethinking. Its aim should be the full development of the human person and promotion of the meaning of human dignity. It should strive to instill in people such values as tolerance, empathy, cultural openness and understanding, justice, responsibility toward oneself and future generations, respect, cooperation, solidarity, compassion, and humility." (THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN GLOBAL SECURITY by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 107)
"Observing moral values in foreign policy means that states should not infringe on the dignity and sovereignty of other states, even if other states sometimes disagree or promote values we do not necessarily approve of (as long as these values do not violate universal human norms)." (THE THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL SECURITY IN A TRANSNATIONAL WORLD by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 150)
"Culture may be able to cultivate a more altruistic attitude towards strangers, which is essential if we are to respect the dignity of others. If, as sociobiologists suggest, there may be limits to our moral sensitivities, then it is important to know about this because it will require a deliberate effort to promote moral cosmopolitanism, rather than assuming that we can rely on individuals to behave in an ethical way. We need to find a common basis on which we can cooperate." ("EMOTIONAL AMORAL EGOISM": A Neurophilosophical Theory of Human Nature and its Universal Security Implications by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 20)
"Governments should promote basic rights, human dignity and shared human values through the education system, entertainments and arts communities, an independent media and information and communication technologies." ("EMOTIONAL AMORAL EGOISM": A Neurophilosophical Theory of Human Nature and its Universal Security Implications by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 186)
"Political and socioeconomic justice, human dignity, respect for diversity, recognition of other “truths”, good governance, transparency and confidence-building measures are all therefore essential to efforts to prevent conflict." ("EMOTIONAL AMORAL EGOISM": A Neurophilosophical Theory of Human Nature and its Universal Security Implications by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 186)
"Human beings are motivated by a number of other factors that suggest that human needs relevant to security go well beyond the need for physical protection and are not necessarily synonymous with the physical security of the state. People’s well-being depends not simply on protection from physical violence, but also on adequate food, clean water, shelter and access to affordable healthcare, as well as respect for their sense of identity and dignity." ("EMOTIONAL AMORAL EGOISM": A Neurophilosophical Theory of Human Nature and its Universal Security Implications by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 205)
"Governments should invest in civic education on basic rights, human dignity, shared human destiny and transcultural and transcivilisational tolerance and dialogue, as well as youth and after school programmes." ("EMOTIONAL AMORAL EGOISM": A Neurophilosophical Theory of Human Nature and its Universal Security Implications by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 205)
"A state’s foreign policy should not just be smart, it should also be just. Justice in international affairs is best pursued if states do whatever they reasonably can to advance human dignity and human rights around the world. This can be done by helping to enhance international security and economic prosperity for all human beings in the world." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, pages 139-140)
"Using power in accordance with international law and universal moral principles, such as the preservation of human life and dignity, is the key ingredient of just power." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 149)
"A commitment to human dignity and individual well-being across the world cannot be pursued with military power alone. The use of force will sometimes be necessary to protect people from physical harm, but it cannot protect them from severe economic deprivation and hunger. Hence, economic power also needs to be employed justly. Although a complete redistribution of global wealth is unrealistic and would be counter-productive, wealthy states have a moral responsibility to make the global economic order more just to ensure that every human being is able to make a decent living." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, pages 161-162)
"Just as international law is being expanded, universal moral standards are arising that no state today can violate without causing international outrage. Global security depends on actions that guarantee that all human beings are of equal worth and dignity." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 172)
"Cultural traditions that violate principles of human dignity and equality will need to be modified to ensure that the dignity of every human being is guaranteed." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 206)
"The principle of just power is based on the notion that the protection of human dignity alongside security is the foremost objective of any state. State power should therefore be employed to lessen human suffering and promote international peace and stability." (NEO-STATECRAFT AND META-GEOPOLITICS: Reconciliation of Power, Interests and Justice in the 21st Century by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 350)
"While the above applies to the vast majority of humanity, there are exceptions, in which some people are capable of truly altruistic acts and moral behaviour despite their own hardship and deprivation. Yet, this is rare and should not be considered the norm. In general, existential anxiety and insecurity are not usually conducive to consciously altruistic acts. This has serious implications for society and the global system, where good governance and the rule of law must be maintained at all cost, and anarchy prevented – while ensuring human dignity. This is true under normal circumstances, but is especially true and critical in the aftermath of catastrophes." (POTENTIAL GLOBAL STRATEGIC CATASTROPHES: Balancing Transnational Responsibilities and Burden-sharing with Sovereignty and Human Dignity edited by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 26)
"Given that human beings are primarily emotionally driven, their need for physical security, a sense of belonging and a positive self-image and collective identity takes on added significance. Circumstances and practices that diminish people’s dignity will necessarily mean that related human needs, such as the need for a positive sense of self and respect for the communities to which one belongs, go unsatisfied. In the event of a catastrophe, human dignity is likely to be particularly fragile, due to the more negative manifestations of emotionally selfish behaviour as well as the vulnerabilities generated by the catastrophe itself and its aftermath. Upholding people’s sense of dignity ought therefore to be a primary consideration in the formulation of responses to catastrophes. Respect for international humanitarian law on the part of states, protection of those most at risk, and ensuring that human rights are upheld and that gender and cultural sensitivities are taken into account by those responding to catastrophes are among the most fundamental means of upholding human dignity in the event of a catastrophe. In addition to dignity, justice is an essential requirement for the well-being of humankind. Thus, rather than being a peripheral issue, justice is central to security considerations. Even from the point of view of self-interest, justice is required because of its importance to related existential human needs and, consequently, to security and stability. While we may not be equipped with innate morality, we do, nevertheless, have morally relevant sensitivities and we have developed normative ideals that together provide the foundations with which to further elaborate frameworks in order to better ensure that justice prevails in catastrophic situations." (POTENTIAL GLOBAL STRATEGIC CATASTROPHES: Balancing Transnational Responsibilities and Burden-sharing with Sovereignty and Human Dignity edited by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 27)
Dignity Discussion
"I define sustainable history as a durable progressive trajectory in which the quality of life on this planet or other planets is premised on the guarantee of human dignity for all at all times and under all circumstances." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 13)
"The sustainable history approach set out in this study views history as propelled by good governance paradigms that balance the tension between human nature attributes (emotionality, amorality and egoisms), on the one hand, and human dignity needs (reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation and inclusiveness), on the other." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 13)
"Good governance needs to ensure that adequate mechanisms are in place to check harmful excesses related to human nature and to promote human dignity through encouraging more reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation and inclusiveness." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 99)
"Knowledge therefore relies on not only sense experience, but also reason, both of which are filtered by interpretation. Yet, decisions based on accepted knowledge must be guided by ethics, not in terms of how to acquire knowledge but in terms of its application. While we should seek certain knowledge, ethics have a role in applying it to everyday life in order to safeguard human dignity. This “ethical right of passage” is likely to become all the more important." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 130)
"Policymakers must take into account the emotional nature of human beings rather than simply assuming that they are rational beings above all else. If we take the needs for a stable identity and community to form the basis of human dignity, a minimum criterion of human dignity would be the provision of basic needs. This implies that the institutions of the state must be capable of ensuring that the population has adequate access to food, housing, clothing, health care, education and security. This means that governments must be committed to protecting society as a whole against violence, starvation and hunger, disease and the effects of disasters. Moreover, it also implies protecting people with disabilities resulting from disadvantages, sickness and old age. People from all sections of society should enjoy access to basic welfare provision and security." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 187)
"Societies that do not ensure the free expression of diverse views, enable participation in decision-making processes or protect the rights of minorities and those who challenge official positions will fall short in the fulfilment of minimum criteria of human dignity because as long as all members of society cannot express their views and have a say in the policies that affect them, social, political and cultural justice will not be achieved." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 188)
"The protection and promotion of human rights, which include civil, political, social as well as cultural rights, is also an important means of meeting human dignity needs. The difficulty of identifying minimum criteria of human dignity is that they need to be universal but, at the same time, they must be sensitive to cultural and historical particularities." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 190)
"Human dignity is not something that can be achieved solely on a national basis. The broader global system may be partly responsible for the limits placed on human dignity, which means that minimum criteria of dignity should also be sought at the global level." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 191)
"Challenges to dignity stem largely from structural inequalities within societies and between states, which result in inequalities of power and representation. Corporate power and the lack of public regulation of the private sector also pose considerable challenges to human dignity." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 195)
"Meeting human dignity requirements clearly involves the promotion and protection of human rights." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 203)
"However, some of these rights may be more problematic than others in some societies, or may be operationalised in ways specific to the cultural and political context. It is therefore important to understand this if we are to develop standards by which we can judge whether institutions and practices are capable of meeting human dignity needs." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 204)
"Based on our understanding of human dignity, we set out minimum criteria of dignity – reason, security, human rights, accountability, transparency, justice, opportunity, innovation and inclusiveness – against which institutions and practices should be assessed at both the national and the global levels. Because of the transnational nature of the factors affecting human dignity, the state may not in many instances be the best actor to ensure its provision. The persistence of state-centric paradigms to address many of the policy areas critical to meeting the minimum criteria of human dignity, such as health care, environmental protection, and so on, is likely to hinder the development of adequate institutional mechanisms and capacities with which to promote and protect human dignity. Greater interdependence and instant connectedness mean that minimum criteria of dignity must apply at the global level as well as the national level. Structural inequalities and disparities between the priorities of public and private sector actors are the greatest challenges to human dignity and efforts to ensure that people have a sense of self-worth. It is also possible that tensions may arise between concerns about the environment and ecological balance, on the one hand, and economic growth, on the other." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 211)
"Justice is paramount to civilisational triumph because of its centrality to human dignity needs, the success of individual geo-cultural domains and the well-being of human civilisation." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 219)
"Addressing global challenges in a timely and effective way depends on a shift away from state-centric thinking and the implementation of a broader conception of the global system, as well as a more cooperative approach to international affairs focused on human dignity needs." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 293)
"It seems appropriate to recall at this point that the basis of human rights is a normative ideal about how people should be treated. In the most fundamental sense it is about ensuring human dignity. If the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been able to secure as much support as it has, it is because people of the world’s various cultures share the desire to protect and promote human dignity. While we have no innate moral principles, we are all emotionally driven beings who have basic needs, which include the need for a positive sense of self, and some morally relevant emotions which act as a basis for the formation of normative ideals that help to guide our moral compass. We have developed moral codes, because we are self-aware and emotionally self-interested." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, pages 396-397)
"The future of humanity has also been the topic of philosophy. While these may seem like long-term considerations, shorter-term decisions that we have to make today and in the near future will affect the future of human civilisation and the sustainability of history. No matter how human nature changes it will still need to be balanced with human dignity needs through mechanisms of good governance." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 417)
"In this volume, I offer broader ways of conceiving of both civilisation and history. I conceive of history as propelled by the tension between human nature, on the one hand, and human dignity needs, on the other." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 435)
"The future of human civilisation and geo-cultural domains will depend on a collective civilisational triumph, facilitated by the creation of conditions under which human needs are met, including broadly defined basic needs, the need for a positive identity and the need to have a sense of purpose and knowledge. This implies conditions under which human dignity and justice are ensured. As is indicated in Octagon 9, minimum criteria for dignity and justice are needed in order to evaluate institutions and practices at both the national and the global levels." (SUSTAINABLE HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF MAN: A Philosophy of History and Civilisational Triumph by Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan, page 438)
Key Paragraphs
Geostrategy, Geopolitics, Human Nature, International Relations, Conflict Theory, International Security, Global Security, National Security, Altruism, Globalization, Global Justice, Political Justice, Political Theory, Moral Philosophy, Social Theory, Neurophilosophy, Philosophy of History, Diplomacy, Existentialism, History of Ideas, Statecraft, Theory of Knowledge, Political Philosophy, Human Civilization, Dignity, Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Innate Knowledge, Philosophical Approach, Multilateralism, Neorealism, Transcultural, National Security