Perspectives: Redemption, Economics, Law, Justice, Mediation, Human Rights: Redemption, Economics, Law, Justice, Mediation, Human Rights

By Michael A. Pennacchia

Michael A. Pennacchia has earned a MA in Diplomacy with a concentration in Conflict Resolution from Norwich University in Vermont. A BA in Political Science from New Jersey City University where he also interned at the United Nations for one year under Dr. Harris Schoenberg, the UN NGO Chairman for Human Rights. He is certified as an experienced Civil and Family Mediator in the State of Texas. He is retired from GM Corp. where he learned to empathize with the plight of working men and women. He resides in New Jersey where he proudly serves his country and community in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. When writing the six research papers which comprise the content of this book, the authors underlining theme has been the importance of each and every individual human being. He has endeavored to emphasis the value of the individual human soul when writing on ever present geopolitical themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469168364

Michael A. Pennacchia

Michael A . Pennacchi a has earned a MA in Diplomacy with a concentration in Conflict Resolution from Norwich University in Vermont. A BA in Political Science from New Jersey City University where he also interned at the United Nations for one year under Dr. Harris Schoenberg, the UN NGO Chairman for Human Rights. He is certified as an experienced Civil and Family Mediator in the State of Texas. He is retired from the GM Corp. where he learned to empathize with the plight of working men and women. He resides in New Jersey where he proudly serves his country and community in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. When writing the six research papers which comprise the content of this book, the author’s underlining theme has been the importance of each and every individual human being. He has endeavored to emphasize the value of the individual human soul when writing on ever present geopolitical themes.

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PERSPECTIVES

Redemption, Economics, Law,

Justice, Mediation, Human Rights

Michael A. Pennacchia

Copyright © 2012 by Michael A. Pennacchia.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2012902845

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4691-6835-7

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4691-6834-0

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4691-6836-4

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Dedicated To All Those Who:

…Make Gentle The Life Of This World

(Aeschylus)

Table of Contents

Preface

I  The Variable Of Redemption In International Relations

II  Toward A Global Synthesis: Why Harmony Between Workers Rights And Corporate Rights Enhance The Global Economy

III  Natural Law And International Law: A Familial Relationship

IV  Justice: The International Community’s Common Bond In Conflict Management

V  The Roman Catholic Church, International Diplomacy, And The Vatican’s Mediation Of The Beagle Channel Dispute

VI  Human Rights For The Unborn Human Being

References

Preface

February 2012

The six topics which comprise the content of this book had their origination as final research papers which were written during graduate studies at Norwich University. As final topics were initially decided upon, a common idea or thread between topics was not the original plan of the somewhat overwhelmed graduate student considering which subjects to write about, completing the papers on time and presenting a paper worthy of the excellent school and professors who taught at Norwich University was the goal. As the topics for later research papers were decided upon, the aforementioned common idea or thread between papers surprisingly became somewhat more clearly identifiable. Based upon the positive response to my papers from my professors, and the positive feedback from colleagues and friends who also read them, the thought began to form in my mind that possibly a greater audience would find the content of what I had written beneficial. With that thought in mind the idea of possibly presenting the papers in book form became a goal which I began to pursue. The topics presented in this book are not identical to the papers I had originally written and submitted to my professors at Norwich University, though the core of what was originally written remains. Hopefully, the revisions which have been made will more clearly convey the content of what I had originally written and deemed to be important topics and useful insights. It is desired that the ideas presented in this book will be useful in strengthening the fabric of community in which human beings live and function.

I

The Variable Of Redemption In International Relations

March 2009

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the variable of redemption into the political science of international relations. Though a relatively modern school of political thought, disciplines within the international relations paradigm such as realism claim to trace their lineage back many millennia to the Greek thinker Thucydides. The value of this foundational understanding of the realist school of thought, as it pertains to this paper lies in the importance of not restricting this study to a specific historical period of time such as the advent of academically studying international relations in the modern era. This paper will attempt to present the variable of redemption within the context of human relations over a broader historical period of time.

It is important and necessary to define redemption and then to narrow the meaning within the context of how it has been applicable in pertaining to human relations in the international world system. Examples of redeeming moments in the history of the world from various cultural perspectives and in different eras of human existence will be given. These redeeming moments will vary in length from a single day to many years. The necessity of uncovering the variable of redemption within the human experience is to discover and recognize the beneficial aspects of redemptive moments and periods in human history and to argue for applying the redemptive variable within the current international world system for the benefit of humanity. Whether it is possible to create a scientifically observable hypothesis in which the variable of redemption can be verified and applied within contemporary society is not the purpose of this paper, this study is mainly interested in revealing that redemption is a reality and a factor in human relations and present within the international world system.

Definitions of Redemption

Redemption has numerous definitions which can be defined in a variety of meaningful ways: …to ransom, free, or rescue by paying a price, to atone for…to convert into something of value (Merriam-Webster, 1974) Redemption can be experienced within nature during the changing of the seasons, from the death of winter to the spring of new life. Redemption can be observed in great literature such as the story of Samson and Delilah found in the Biblical book of Judges. Samson is seduced by Delilah into revealing the secret of his great strength, Delilah reveals the secret of Samson’s strength to the Philistines who in turn dispossess Samson of his great strength, Samson is able to redeem himself one final time but he must sacrifice his life in the process. Of course it would be disingenuous not to mention what an innumerable number of human beings consider the greatest act of redemption in the history of the world, the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. Redemption does have a religious connotation but it is not solely a theological possession. In this study, redemption will be demonstrated to be within the possession of the ordinary individual in the extraordinary circumstances of world affairs.

Discovering Redemption in Diverse Human Cultures and in Historical Events

Benjamin Schwartz in his paper, History of Chinese Culture: Some Comparative Reflections offers valuable observations related to the theme of this specific study of redemption as a variable in human affairs. Schwartz in recounting differing eras of Chinese history and culture reveals an interesting assumption germane to the subject of this discourse:

Thus the notion of entire periods of history dominated by some one cultural principle-such as the notion that the Xia dynasty was dominated by the idea of a simple good faith (zhong), the Shang dynasty by the idea of a deep reverence for religious rituals (jing), and the Zhou by an enormous growth in the complexity of institutions and rituals (wen)-almost suggests something like a determinative Zeitgeist. Here too, however, the question arises of the relation of human agency to those epochal cycles. Again, the common notion of a regular alternation between periods of order and disorder seems to dampen any hope for the ultimate redemptive potentialities of the ideal social order (Schwartz, 1996).

Schwartz’s description is relevant to this study in that he includes in his discourse a concept of redemption within the context of ancient Chinese dynastic periods. What is equally interesting as it relates to this study is his conjoining redemption with, potentialities of the ideal social order. This could be interpreted as adding credence to specific ideological schools of thought within the modern political science of international relations such as the idealist/liberal perspective of a democratic peace, or even utopian Marxist ideology. Realists can argue that the need for a balance of power can be verified in what Schwartz describes as periods of order and disorder. Schwartz brings forth in his paper the hope for redemption in human relations in a conceptual description that was apparently unattainable, but inferred as desirable. It could also be argued that Schwartz’s impression of: periods of order and disorder seems to dampen any hope for the ultimate potentialities of the ideal social order can be understood as disavowing any attempt to incorporate redemption as a functioning variable in human relations. This study will proceed in continuing to reveal redemption as a variable in historical experiences and contend that the very fact of the presence of redemption in these experiences solidifies the redemptive variable. At the very least redemption can be understood as a theoretical concept in human affairs, at the very most redemption can be understood as an important, continuous factor in human affairs.

The written word as well as the spoken word when applied in a righteous context are redemptive. Words which are written or spoken on behalf of a noble cause have the capacity to inspire human beings to take resolute action on behalf of such righteous ideals. Dwight L. Dumond in his article Emancipation: History’s Fantastic Reverie stirs the heart and mind not only by the eloquence of his words but by the noble cause for which he speaks:

…but I say to you, and I wish I could say it to every man in Washington today, the only men in public or private life whose words and deeds will live in history are those who stand foursquare for justice and truth, who love their fellow men above all earthly gain, who reach a helping hand to those who suffer and weep, for those who are crucified by hate and prejudice, who sacrifice their wealth, their social position, their public careers if necessary to save this nation’s soul (Dumond, 1964).

Dwight L. Dumond spoke these stirring words in 1963 during the struggle for civil rights in American history. Dumond’s voice along with the voices of many conscientious people of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and secular backgrounds were spoken, heard, and effective in eventually bringing redemption to a corrupted political system which subjugated specific human beings to a demeaning place in American society. The struggle for civil rights and the redemptive struggle for equality was a