“We are shaping the world faster than we can change ourselves, and we are applying to the present the habits of the past.” (W. Churchill) To warrant a citation as one of the most influential or the most influential man in our century, entails a convincing description of a long term devotion and impact on the direction of society and history. This author submits that in the 20th century the intractable flow of events has been towards the liberation of people, both in spiritual and material terms, and that the defining principles of some type of Liberal Democracy now hold true in many regions of the globe – many more than at the start of the century. Let us not underestimate this fact. For the first time in human history, more people have control over their own lives as a % of the population than ever before. It is too be expected that this shall continue, but of course such a trend is not certain. There are people enough who would like to derange the liberation of the mass, and pass us back to the days of centralised or oligarchic control. However in toto there is no intellectual or economic challenger to the Liberal Democratic model at this time. One of the great new situations and driving forces of our world today is international economic interdependence. Further world-wide integration is unstoppable. There will be fits, regressions, complaining and pauses, questions, arguments, harangues, and resolutions, but always over time a forward movement towards what may be termed unshackled and fair trade and cross border integration will proceed. What needs to be addressed is how can we fairly develop the markets and the economic strength of less developed nations whilst still maintaining the economic growth and market access of more developed nations. The balancing act will be marvellous to behold. Adam Smith infused with both Galbraith and Greenpeace. In this regard and given that the values and concepts of Liberal – Democratic society are subtle and complex, we need then to go back and ask ourselves, “How did we get here and why.” Thus the perspective of history is necessary. If we look at how this century evolved it can be determined that very few leaders have had such a imposing and sincere belief in Liberal Democracy and the accumulated spoils produced by such a society: freedom, self determination, security and a healthy standard of life, as did Churchill. He was not a corrupt politician interested in the pursuit of power for its own sake, but a statesman interested in power for its intelligent application to better the lot of the common citizen. The program that Churchill followed in his life, and I speak here of his Liberal-Democratic program, was, with the exception of 1 occurrence (the independence of India, which will be discussed later), remarkably consistent with the theme of expanding Liberal Democratic principles. This is due in large part to his upbringing in the Liberal Aristocracy of the British Empire; due in part to his political father’s Liberal ideals and his American mother’s robust (and extremely adulterous) New World energy; and due in part to his experiences across the world as a young man, where he witnessed the power and relative success of the Liberalised (though not really democratic) British Empire, in comparison with other orders that lacked the discipline to generate and project wealth and power. As a prophet of Liberal Democracy, there could have been no better trained or indoctrinated messiah than Churchill. The man whose family history had been formed around the development of British Parliamentary, and Liberal Orthodox supremacy. Again as with other outstanding humans he still achieved much more, than his contemporaries; many of whom were as intelligent, dedicated and immersed in the achievement of moral and political prestige as Churchill. This is where then Churchill’s story becomes interesting. What set him apart from the others ? Chance, money, dumb luck, patronage ? In human destiny all of these play a role. But to climb a pinnacle these are not enough. I would submit that Churchill provides illumination and support to many of Bennis’ leadership notions. Or how else could he have scaled the heights ? He had definite views on how a society should be structured and shaped. The love of a tempered democracy, the creation of a system to ensure proper leadership and guidance, the development of systems to allow prosperity, peace and support, occupied the mind of this man throughout his whole life. Churchill was obsessed with improving the lot of mankind and consumed by the proper use of power and leadership. And like Bennis he believed in a set of management and leadership principles that propelled him to greatness. For those who write, think and practice true leadership, Churchill possessed radical views. Not of the immoderate, intolerable type. But those of classical, orthodox, Liberalism. Churchill believed in the need for the State to take an active part, both by legislation and finance to ensure that minimum standards of life, labour and social well-being for all citizens were maintained in an atmosphere conducive to fair trade and entrepreneurialism. Among the areas where Churchill during his varied career, took an active part were; prison reform, unemployment insurance, state-aided pensions for widows and orphans, permanent arbitration for labour disputes, state assistance for the unemployed, shorter hours of work, improved retail shop conditions, a National Health Service, wider access to education, taxation of excess profits and employee profit-sharing. Quite a list from a man who was supposedly one dimensional – the World War II embodiment of victorious unconquerable Britannia. Other great men and women could be analysed and presented. But Churchill, one of the most complex, energetic and effective of history’s leaders, stands as an unparalleled example of leading and dealing with crisis, while defending, developing or discerning the limitations, values and concepts of political leadership and importantly freedom and democracy. He was unique. His style, mode of governance, deeply rooted and strongly held system of beliefs, and importantly his gaping weaknesses, should serve as a serious model upon which to reconstruct the training and choosing of our political leaders and governmental workers. It is not a perfect model. But certainly it is better than the ad-hoc, clandestine, shaded political leadership system we have today. Let’s then take a cursory look at Churchill’s skills according to the framework laid out in the last chapter. A fuller explanation of his skills will follow in Chapter Four when we discuss his actions during World War Two. Character: In reading any volume about Churchill’s life the most blinding aspect in understanding his success, is the quality, depth and strength of his character. Many other men would long have given up, or perished in their chosen professions, if they had been subject to the same trials as Churchill. In general from studying his life I can safely state that he never took the easy route. He was certainly never offered the easy spoils. Yet he never bowed his knee to opinion polls, party whips, or popular expressions that ran contrary to his own judgement and sense of purpose. In comparing Churchill with other great’s of this century there is no one that had to endure the opprobrium, distrust or number of setbacks as did Churchill. Even the witch hunt instigated against William Clinton, is pretty mild stuff compared with what the press had to say about Churchill during the first half of this century. I am always amazed that Churchill was able not only to survive through it all, but survive with a smile. This is not to romanticise his or anyone else’s macho strength and egotism. Both in large doses are negative. However, without strength of character change is impossible, adversity cannot be overcome and good never triumphs over evil. In the dawning age of ‘Principle Parties’ as replacements for the outmoded ‘Political Parties’ tra
ined individuals, relishing and brandishing these 3 traits will be needed to cut through the Gordian knot of the insoluble political drift we have today. We must remember the tenets of evolution and that change is not always progressive or better. To advance the human species needs change and conflicting ideas. These are necessary — not lobby groups, supine presidents and empty suits. Upon the scarred field of politics Churchill stressed strength and magnanimity as the cornerstones of his behaviour. If impatience was his great weakness than offering magnanimity to the defeated – whether a local political opponent or Germany after World War II – casted Churchill as a strong but gallant knight and a man raised above the normal dash and din of political conflict. He fought all battles with limitless reserve and strategy. He offered friend and foe alike illimitable goodwill and respect after the conflict. His ideals imbued with history and coupled with a vision of where his country should be in the world were marked by a sense of fair play. Principles and not parties dictated his actions. For these reasons he is a man to be honoured and acclaimed as a defendant of democratic right and privilege. To be effective statesmanship must lay on established principles and constraints rather than on emotive impulses and frayed passions. We should not forget that nations have no permanent friends, only semi-permanent interests, a covenant that often offends popular sympathy and belief. For it is these realism’s, that politics is a game of shifting fortunes, relationships and situations, that disgusts the great majority in democratic lands. Politics is like making love– natural, necessary and enjoyable– only if it is done properly. What is discernible about Churchill is his hard-headed realism and practicality in accepting such truths. Consequently he looked ahead a great deal more carefully and cautiously than many of his contemporary observers thought mutating viewpoints and re-evaluating some of his opinions. Of course some cried that he was too fluid and perhaps could not be trusted and other criticasters weary of Churchill’s rhetoric, would delight in emphasising that Churchill was a product of the late 19th century immutable and intractable. Thus from both sides – conservatives and liberals – Churchill received a drubbing, regardless of the integrity of his actions. Churchill’s bellicosity caused much of the drubbing. One should consider the weight and purity of Churchill’s virtue and charity to all he contacted – friend or foe – even though he received the most acidic and heavily concentrated attacks of any politician in any era. Critics never tired of chopping at the tree of Churchill’s accomplishments. It began when he crossed the floor in 1904 to join the Liberals. It received a great accretion in strength during the winter of 1913-4 when Churchill was the subject of a broad protest by pacifists, economists, and social reformers who thought that as First Lord of the Admiralty he was too profligate and was promoting the arms race. At the root of the discontent and many to follow, was the fact that Churchill was not a good party man. As such the image of the war mongering pirateer was born and created by an aspersive socialist press. Churchill was not a war monger, “his thought has always been, between the wars, upon the means of making peace among the peoples.” For his critics such distractions were carefully ignored. It was during 1913-14 that the apparati to hang Churchill politically was established and raised for action. What is inestimable is the fortitude and resilience of mind and body to withstand such brutal, crabby treatment that Churchill received at the hands of malcontents and frustrated plotters. His closest friends recognised clearly the political courage of Churchill. On November 11 1922, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), wrote to a friend; “The man is as brave as six, as good-humoured, shrewd, self-confident and considerate as a statesman can be and several times I’ve seen him chuck the statesmanship course and do the honest thing instead.” The honest thing included enacting proper change. When we view the broad balance of Churchill’s career and factor in the jealousy inherent in the political field and the degree of envy held by many of Churchill’s excessive successes we observe that many of his greatest contributions to the establishment of public welfare and governmental responsibility were initiatives driven from within, without concern to reputation, personal circumstance or fortune. Most were decidedly modern and far sighted. This is quite clear in his advancement of ‘Tory Democracy’ – economic growth with general support for the masses. Tory Democracy is another prescription for centrist governance. Often times this led him to advocate the dismemberment of party politics and the establishment of a broad nationally based governance: “Parliamentary debate has become largely meaningless. All the time the two great party machines are grinding up against each other with the utmost energy, dividing every village, every street, every town and city into busy party camps. Each party argues that it is the fault of the other. What is certain is that to prolong the process indefinitely is the loss of all…Once it can be seen that a great new situation or great new issues lie before us, an appeal should be made to the people to create some governing force which can deal with our affairs in the name and in the interest of the large majority of the nation.” Part of Churchill’s trajectory to statesmanship can be seen in the light of time. First accumulate a reputation for outspoken principled action. Second, accumulate power via alliances, learning and public positioning. Then state a vision resplendent with clear principles, meanings and images while solving local problems. Lastly accede to great affairs and the devising of solutions in a national and international context. This trajectory needs to be buttressed by character, skills (verbal and technical), vision and power accumulation and recognition. To have these skills imbedded in action is not enough. A person must also have as a bedrock a clear and clean sense of duty and morality. Importantly Churchill was clean. Adultery, conspiracy, or treachery were never a part of Churchill’s character. Loyalty, aggression and impulsiveness were the main exciting agents in Churchill’s life. His extreme ambition bordering at times on foolhardiness but always driven by an abnormal energy galvanised all around him. Churchill was always a contrarian thinker, and a statesman of the highest order, but he was not a Machiavellian posturer. His success rested on energy, innovation and positive thinking, all in a consistent framework employed in over 50 years of statesmanship. Skills: Churchill personified the well instructed and knowledgeable Leader. He was a self-developed man. As a youth he immersed himself in governing, leadership and policy. He never ceased learning and improving all of his life. He spent a great deal of time learning skills from his contemporaries such as Lloyd George, Lord Fisher, Herbert Asquith, F.E. Smith, and Max Beaverbrook amongst many others. On a political level this education led to a vision not only of strong morality but of rationality. In very few instances did Churchill compromise his personal code of morality for the sake of political gain. In this he was exemplary. But he was also a realist. He was adept at combining power and ethics in a compelling package. Very few understood the effective use of political leverage better than Churchill. Compare Churchill’s self-education program with the political elite today. How many are steeped in history, philosophy, and the rigours and tribulations of historical notables ? What percent of our esteemed political masters exhibit such a rounded appreciation of the conditions and matters that shaped and will continue to shape the human story ? As Churchill sourly commented to then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin in 1928 concerning
the ease with which World War One could have been avoided: “Think of these people, decent, educated, the story of the past laid out before them. What to avoid, what to do etc. Patriotic, loyal, clean — trying their utmost. What a ghastly muddle they made of it ! Unteachable from infancy to tomb — there is the first & main characteristic of mankind.” In looking at his life nothing can sum up the traits and skills of Churchill in short pleasing verbiage. He was patently too many people, a definite renaissance man, engaging in politics, writing, reporting, painting, farming, hunting, polo playing, warring and investing. Besides a massive intellect and memory Churchill possessed a spirit spurred with the whips of energy. It was unrelenting. His was the creed of action and contempt for delay. Mission was founded and achieved by exploring, questioning, trying, failing and trying again. During the 1930’s when the Stanley Baldwin and Ramsay Macdonald governments neglected the build-up of British war making strength and sought the treacherous path of appeasement to satiate the Nazi beast, Churchill who had long criticised the insipidity of such a program exclaimed in 1936 the memorable words about Baldwin’s government revealing his contempt for hiding inactivity in political closets; “The government simply cannot make up their mind, or they cannot get the Prime Minister to make up his mind. So they go in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all powerful to be impotent.” Brilliant diction summing up the most hated of Churchill’s dislikes – inaction. But we have still to reach that quality in Churchill, which warrants us in calling him great. For a man may be gifted far above the ordinary, without earning the emblem of true greatness. Churchill had brilliant gifts. He was, in addition, driven by a limitless, borderless, shifting, resolute ambition. Without such magnificent ambition, men never have, and never will accede to the summit of power, prestige and greatness. “Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise (that last infirmity of noble mind), To scorn delights, and live laborious days.” But unseemly ambition is insufficient to earn the appellation of great. It has to be elevated by noble principles (‘that last infirmity of noble mind’), to allow a man to rise above the supine mass. Flaming pertinacity is dangerous without the fibre of moral strength. Credibility rests on the broad shoulders of honesty and reliability. No Leader can shrug off those characteristics of success. Genius and energy do not necessarily shape the epiphanies of leadership. They have to combined in harmony and strength with the skills and qualities that we discussed in the last chapter, and which illuminate true leadership. Intelligence: But character, skill and morality are not enough for leaders. Intelligence is necessary. It does us no good having a clutch of well intentioned clods fouling up the process. Intelligence can only really be measured by verbal capacity and skill. IQ measures and tests are inaccurate. Churchill owned the English language and he owned the skill of persuasion. As such he commanded the heights of leadership. He could communicate the moment, the mission, and the energy. Churchill was one of the few politicians in our century that had a beautiful, lucid communication and vocabulary. Emboldening this was his common sense, technical skill and creativity. Above all the dynamism of his verbal adroitness lied in the desire for action and not drift. A baser form of intelligence is what can be termed ‘Political Antennae’. In most political circles this skill is usually too overdeveloped. In the case of Churchill it was surprisingly weak and poorly unused. Churchill’s rhetoric was maybe too developed and at times not flexible enough for his audience or plainly inappropriate. But this weakness is still overshadowed by his capacity at conciliation and political problem solving and more vitally by his verbal capability. Churchill engineered delicate dispute resolutions over South Africa, Ireland, and social reform in England to name but a few, quickly striding across political boundaries and ideologies and involving himself intimately with those who had the greatest grievance in order to solve the conflict. Coupled with his strong array of communication skills he achieved a political pre-eminence that darkly shadowed his companions. His oratory and conciliatory skills were allowed to flourish due to the mastery of technical details. Churchill was one of those rare politicians that actually knew what he was talking about. This dedication to lucidity ties in with persuasion and compromise and the knowledge of details leads to flexibility because plans can be made for each situation. Churchill always had three or four contingency plans for every situation. Strategy and vision thus sprung from intelligence and from being able to see the whole picture and from the confidence that one way or another the vision would be achieved. This vision coupled with creativity gave Churchill adequate resources to enact change and innovation. In political spheres Churchill was light years ahead of his companions in collecting, analysing, and synthesising information at the micro level and relating it to the big picture. His innovation stemmed from patient practicality and discipline and not inspired genius as romantic novels about great change would like us to believe. This vision included fair economic trade and economic liberalism, adequate welfare for the population, peace and democratic governance, classical and scientifically or technically based education, and a powerful security apparatus to combat evil and aggression. In achieving his aims, and in using his native and educated intelligence Churchill consciously chose to be nobody’s knave. He flaunted his independence, not only in action, but also in flamboyant dress and style. Yet his romantic urges were touched by the humbleness of most people’s lives, but to those at the summit where power corrupts, contracts are broken, lies are purveyed as half-truths, the issue of spirit and mores takes on a different colour. Basically Churchill trusted his own counsel and that of a half-dozen friends. To the rest of the world he looked like a recluse. To those who knew him well, he was defending himself against the often wicked and spiteful attacks of political banditos. Hence sympathy for the mass, trust for the few. In this regard Churchill was exceptionally callous and rough to friend and foe alike in his early years. But as time tempered and beat down the baser impulses of searing rhetoric, Churchill acquired another skill — that of informal networking and interpersonal persuasion. He became as he aged refreshingly human. However, it was not until the 1930’s when he was in his late 50s and early 60s, that strident verbal missives were shelved for moderate expositions (with some notable exceptions) of the situation at hand, and fair treatment was meted out to friend and foe alike. As Churchill matured so did his attention to friendship. “If F.E. (Smith), was strong meat and stronger drink, then Churchill in contrast to his public reputation as a ‘domineering’, even ‘rude’, figure, had in the intimacy of personal friendship a quality which is almost feminine in its caressing charm” As F.E. wrote, Churchill had a ‘simplicity which no other public man of the highest distinction possesses.’ He also endeavoured to perform many deeds of goodwill to aid friends and family. It can be summarised by Philip Snowden a long-time Churchill opponent and liberal critic, “Your generosity to a political opponent marks you for ever in my eyes the ‘great gentleman’ I have always thought you. Had I been in trouble which I could not control myself, there is none to whom I should have felt I could come with more confidence that I should be gently treated.” A budget of good humour, tact and some considered patience fund the other necessary resources and tools to achieve success. Alone they
are unsubstantive. It is better to be dour and effective, than gay and incompetent. Allied to well-developed skills and principles, sensitivity, embedded in the formidable array of humour and tact, provides a potent and efficient tool. About Churchill it is fair to say that he was ambitious and calculating; but not cold and that saved him. As a colleague stated, “His ambition is sanguine, runs in a torrent, and the calculation is hardly more than the rocks or the stump which the torrent strikes for a second…queer, shrewd power of introspection, which tells him his gifts and character are such as will make him boom….He was born a demagogue, and he happens to know it.” Yet ambition without a defining purpose can not only corrupt, but it can also destroy. Vision: A crowning vision is really the linchpin that will attract followers. Most good and great individuals have displayed a pretty consistent approach to the world and a pretty stable world view. Some superficial analysis may suggest that because Churchill changed parties, challenged convention, criticised incompetence and insipidity and usurped obedience, he was a grasping, clawing, malevolent opportunist. If rigid conformity is the sign of good political standing, Churchill was indeed recklessly unpredictable and unreliable. However, the picture of Churchill as a soldier of fortune, an adventurer and a troublemaker was and is incorrect. Strong ethics, values and principles guided his actions. He had little of Lloyd George’s cunning or the well-disguised craftiness of Stanley Baldwin. His decisions might have been unpredictable, but his motives were seldom hard to fathom. Churchill rarely embroiled himself in the base pettiness of political intrigue in part from a distaste of such ignominy, combined as well with a guileless personality. To the charge of unreliability Churchill retorted that, “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to have changed often.” In actual fact the changes were due to some effort at self improvement, but to a fidelity of what he already was. Churchill was most consistent with his own true north direction when he was the least supportive of his party’s policy. Churchill never could swallow the party line always choosing and deciding for himself. In assessing Churchill’s skill base the following is a reasonable portrait: “Far from changing his views too often, Mr Churchill has scarcely, during a long and stormy career, altered them at all. If anyone wishes to discover his views on the large and lasting issues of our time, he need only set himself to discover what Mr Churchill has said or written on the subject at any period of his long and exceptionally articulate public life, in particular during the years before the First World War: The number of instances in which his views have in later years undergone any appreciable degree of change will be astoundingly small….When biographers and historians come to describe his views…they will find that his opinions on all these topics are set in fixed patterns, set early in life and later only reinforced.” This historical reality is evidenced when studying Churchill. What drove Churchill in his personal intellectual and political journey’s can also be said to mirror the advance of imperialism in the 19th and 20th centuries . Thus not only did he possess grand skill, he was also a student but more importantly a conscious product of history. In this regard he closely resembles (consciously no doubt) British and world history. Even in his literary works this is reflected. For instance in Churchill’s book, ‘The Story of the Malakand Field Force’, which depicts British soldiery in north-western India at the turn of the 20th century he questioned what motivated men and nations to face great hazards. The principal elements that Churchill discovered were preparation, discipline, vanity and sentiment and he remarked that sentiment was the most important of the group. Churchill believed that civilisation can only march forward if it clings to a vision – a sentiment that ennobles its occupation and galvanises its spirit. Empires fall because the sword begins to dominate the sentiment and the people lose hold of the impulse and spirit that the sentiment contained and made the use of the sword in the first instance appropriate. This spirit and vision was evident and mature. He commiserated with the poor, the downtrodden or the straggling. Some of his mightiest missions and political forays were instigated on behalf of those who lived lives beyond his comprehension but not his beyond his compassion. Yet here lies a paradox. Within political circles and in the ring of friends and associates he could be extraordinarily blind, politically inept, insensitive and roguish. Or so it appears from a distance. Yet for the great mass of ‘Poor England’ or for the devotion of the Commonwealth nations, tears would be produced, sagas told, and emotion unleashed. The difference is dramatic but crucial. If we examine for instance his stand on fair economic trade he was malleable to changing circumstance but rather solid in his underlying belief in market forces, with government succouring the unlucky. He left the Conservatives over Fair Trade in 1904, when they put forward a policy of protectionism, anathema to an orthodox Liberal like Churchill. He only returned to the Conservative party in 1924 when undue governmental interference in trade had been expunged from their agenda, and when the political costs of doing so were at a low threshold. Fair trade in the mind of Churchill did not preclude beneficial and justified government involvement to at times, stimulate employment and counteract nefarious foreign practice. For instance by 1908 Churchill had developed a respectable appreciation of contra-cyclical public works feeling that in useful but uncompetitive industries such as afforestation, public departments should be constructed to allow the expansion or contraction of work according to the needs of the labour market, much like the utilisation of an accordion. He was also much taken by the notion of having a governmental body dedicated to intelligence gathering on market conditions and inputting clever designs regarding the balance of trade and the proper use of employment. These concepts were never tried. Supportive of free or at least fair trade, Churchill throughout his career could never conceal his concern for the effects of such unbridled combat upon the poor man and women. Speaking in a lecture at Oxford in June of 1930 he posited that unencumbered free trade was not at that time working: “The growth of public opinion, and still more of voting opinion, violently and instinctively rejects many features of this massive creed. No one, for instance, will agree that wages should be settled only by the higgling of the market. No one would agree that modern world-dislocation of industry…should simply be met by preaching thrift and zeal to the displaced worker. Few would agree that private enterprise is the sole agency by which fruitful economic activities can be launched or conducted.” Churchill appended to this suspicion of market forces the idea of an economic council, chosen in proportion to parliamentary representation as an agent of economic advice. This concept of an objective economic watchdog was never viably pursued. These economic doctrines – fair trade and support for the common worker – were strictly consistent with his life long pursuit of social stability, prosperity and opportunity. In wider party politics Churchill was a radical who consistently attacked the Conservatives as a party of wealthy vested interests conspiring to exploit the poor. He had a rough belief in proper mass democracy (though part of him sympathised with the viewpoints of the controversial Nietzche who feared for mass democratisation feeling that the great features of aristocratic or privileged existence would disappear), and most of his actions were ‘de Tocquevillian’. Churchill was fundamentally concerned that there should not be governmental obstruction to the mass of th
e people realising the benefits that a liberalising democracy could bring into their lives. In 1908 he wrote to Asquith: “There is a tremendous policy in social organisation. The need is urgent and the moment ripe. Germany with a harder climate and far less accumulated wealth has managed to establish tolerable basic conditions for her people. She is organised not only for war, but for peace. We are organised for nothing except party politics. The Minister who will apply to this country the successful experiences of Germany in social organisation may or may not be supported at the polls, but he will at least have a memorial which time will not deface of his administration.” If we consider the tremendous tasks in which the human race and governments; local, regional, national and hopefully international, will struggle against in the near future then social organisation and re-organisation, probably of a brutal or dislocative nature will not be completed in the current ‘pork and play’ atmosphere in today’s political systems. Politicians engaged in change will need the courage to ignore the polls and do what needs to be done. Churchill was a master at this, usually getting the House of Commons to agree to his proposals even if he was in a subordinate or even antagonistic position. The skills used to complete such duties were varied. Very rarely did they include threats, bullying, trampling on souls, or the use of political power. Logic, parliamentary procedure, emotional colour and well-researched positions counted as more important. Churchill proposed and acquired the acceptance of the House on a number of far reaching proposals, including; – Institution of Labour Exchanges and unemployed insurance – National Infirmity Insurance – Special state industries such as roads, afforestation – Modernised poor law (law mandating that children should support their parents) – State control of the railway – Compulsory education until age 17 Churchill’s economic beliefs and education though broader and more profound than many politicians were attached to a series of principles. He loathed dependence and esteemed individualism. He was fully in support of laissez-faire and the doctrines of 17th, 18th and 19th century English economics. His faith in Adam Smith, John Locke and Edwardian experience compelled Churchill to espouse his support in the benedictions of unshackled economic exchange. In October of 1902, in a letter to a political colleague while still a member of the Conservative party, Churchill commented that it was necessary by an ‘evolutionary process’ to create a wing of the Conservative party which would either infuse vigour into the entire unit, or allow the formation of a central coalition. Churchill realised as he stated in the letter that his plan would become most important as an incident in or possibly as a herald of the movement, but that it would also move suspicion that he was moved only by mere restless ambition and not substantive issues. He needed a grand theme and found it in the Free Trade debate of 1903-4. Churchill was unable to countenance the stance of the Conservative party in their clamouring for protection and left joining the Liberals on May 31 1904. Allegations of opportunism, deceit and cowardice, rained down upon him as he shifted sides. In a note to a friend Churchill admitted; “(The) Free Trade issue subsides it leaves my personal ambitions naked and stranded on the beach – and they are an ugly and unsatisfactory spectacle by themselves, though nothing but an advantage when borne forward with the flood of a great outside cause.” Indeed without a great cause ambition is a rather repulsive picture. For Churchill and others liberal ideals as exemplified by the Free Trade question meant more than simply the abolition of protective tariffs. It personifies a whole philosophy of political, social and economic organisation. John Stuart Mill in ‘Principles of Political Economy’ in 1848 developed the ‘Laissez-faire’, concept and every departure from it, unless required by some great good, is a certain evil. This commandment created the key notes of mid-Victorian liberalism: the reliance upon individualism, the establishment of self-respect, and self-reliance, and the organisation of voluntary and co-operative societies to better the plight of the weak, wounded and suffering. Support for such mantra was rooted in an earlier period of excitable prosperity. Coinciding with the advent of Free Trade in the years 1850-1870, there was an economic boom in the UK. It can be fairly argued that the removal of tariff barriers probably had only a marginal impact on the British economy. Nevertheless, psychologically the advent of free trade was closely associated with entrepreneurial zest and commercial success. It appeared that market forces working within the social and political structure solved the question of English strength, which preoccupied the country from 1820-50. Churchill knew his economic history well. It moulded and galvanised his political and philosophical beliefs. It shaped his political attitude and formed one of his bedrock principles – free movement of goods and services. This created in his political philosophy a paradox — Churchill was at once a radical and a traditionalist. He was a radical in changing structures and governmental organisations and arcane laws to facilitate the movement of finance and trade on a more fair and free basis. He was also a radical in his determination to raise the general standard of living, economic opportunity and chance for decent education and welfare. He was a traditionalist in his empathy that the productive capitalistic system as the only guaranteed method of sustaining society and providing a nation with the capability to ensure adequate standards of wealth and progress. It must be protected at all costs – vision must be enjoined by the means to protect its vested interests. Power: In assessing the use of power Churchill’s career and leadership in this regard actually represents Britain’s peculiarity as a Great Power which during its hegemony was formed in the conjunction of three factors: her naval strength, her imperial possessions, and her financial hegemony. Through two stints as First Lord of the Admiralty, Chancellor of the Exchequer and through two World Wars, Churchill devoted the lion’s share of his time and energies to upholding these interlocking causes, making it conspicuously clear in the process that he had no intention of presiding over the liquidation of the British Empire. As Chancellor of the Exchequer Churchill presented 5 budgets (1925-1929). In British history only Pitt, Walpole and Gladstone can equal that record. Though vastly entertaining as pieces of oratory and acting adroitness his budgets adhered as much as it was possible to economic orthodoxy. Many times Churchill was accused of slight of hand sophistry in the compilation of his numbers and in the collection of his tax revenue. However, this allegation has been and could be made with more convincing effect against every other Chancellor in this century. What is more important to note is that Churchill’s orthodoxy underpinned the Victorian notion of Britain’s greatness. Churchill was a realist and understood power. Power is really to be embraced and used and is in some ways the centre piece of leadership. To ignore it is to perish. Because of his somewhat apolitical view of the world Churchill could discern very clearly the different perspectives on how nations viewed peace and how any destroyer of peace would appear in various forms to different nations. To prevent war and general international dislocation he at times called for zones and regional structures, including World-Grand Alliances. Power and strength were vital: In his words, “Appeasement from strength is magnanimous and noble and might be the surest and perhaps the only path to peace.” Though primarily remembered as a war-hungry demagogue, Churchill on at least half a dozen occasions defiantly crusaded against the level and purpose of military spending. These personal programs were driven in part by
his political position. That is only a small part of the answer. During the 1920’s Churchill felt that military expenditure was too high and should be curbed given the threat of inflation, the spectre of economic dislocation and the vital investments needed in infrastructure and social programs. These economic indicators drove Churchill to proselytise against excessive taxation and to insist on reviews of defence expenditures. It was necessary Churchill felt, to augment the Royal Air Force allotment and decrease the high administrative costs of the army and look suspiciously into the Royal Navy claims of needing more funding. The cabinet agreed with Churchill: “that the Fighting Services should proceed on the assumption that no great war is to be anticipated within the next ten years” although, “provision should be made for the possible expansion of trained units in case of an emergency arising.” Little of the war-mongerer appears in this sentiment though security was never to be imperilled. Churchill was emphatic that the 10 year rule be reviewed each year. This 10 year dictum uttered in the mid 20′s obviously proved false since in 1936, the Germans seized the Rhineland. Beginning with the rise of Hitler and the stench of his ideology, Churchill began advocating not only a mammoth increase in armament production but also a closer relationship with Russia. Strategy had changed again. This option was proffered from a man who in the early 1920’s had supported the incursion of British soldiers into the heartland of Russia to cleanse it of Bolshevism. Churchill regarded Bolshevism as the lowliest creed and construct of mankind’s civilised history. These adjurations were consistent with his concept of maintaining a balance of power and bargaining from a position of strength, all in the name of effacing and avoiding an evil tumult. It is – and should be – one of the chief reasons for our admiration and support of Churchill that he consistently advocated peace by international understanding and if understanding were to collapse to resist any impingement of freedom by force. But his political courtship of Russia was based on seemingly obvious and important facts. As Churchill previsioned in the early 30’s a new line of French fortifications established only along the French part of the Rhine would enable Germany to attack France through Belgium and Holland. He knew that Germany would not respect the neutrality of the Low Countries in her desire to rip and tear the French to pieces. He also warned that Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Austria and the Baltic’s, were at risk, and that Britain could not detain a German advance into these areas from her current submissive position of weakness. Churchill wanted to station a part of the British fleet in the Baltic to outnumber the German fleet. To achieve measurable, guarded security an alliance with the Bolshies was inevitable, vital and more importantly achievable. If stronger lines had been followed in the 1930’s World War Two could have been avoided. With a ‘Churchillian’ leadership of the world and vision of power and morality we could have escaped the disgusting slaughter of 70 million people. In a 1945 speech to the combined Belgian Senate and Chamber, Churchill stressed what is still surely relevant in our world today; namely the resistance and prevention of dictator aggression: “If the United States had taken an active part in the League of Nations, and if the League of Nations had been prepared to use concerted force, even had it only been European force, to prevent the re-armament of Germany, there was no need for further serious bloodshed. If the Allies had resisted Hitler strongly in his early stages, even up to his seizure of the Rhineland in 1936, he would have been forced to recoil, and a chance would have been given to the sane elements in German life, which were very powerful especially in the High Command, to free Germany of the maniacal Government and system into the grip of which she was falling. Do no forget that twice the German people, by a majority, voted against Hitler, but the Allies and the League of Nations acted with such feebleness and lack of clairvoyance.” After the Second World War he continued such pleas arguing in various speeches for France and Germany to bind wounds and for Russia to be a partner with the West in the greater development of a peaceful Europe. When it became obvious that the Soviets intended to challenge if not supplant the West (especially after the communist seizure of power in Czechoslovakia in 1948), than the tone of conciliation turned to a growling of an affronted bulldog as Churchill told American officials, that now is the time, promptly, to tell the Soviets that if they do not retire from Berlin and abandon Eastern Germany, withdrawing to the Polish frontier ‘we will raze their cities’. In his signal ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in Fulton Missouri in 1948 Churchill implored that the UNO must work effectively to prevent another war recognising Russia as a leading nation, remembering the gallantry of its efforts in the last war, and acknowledging its ‘Iron Curtain’ control of Eastern Europe which necessitated the banding and collation of Western strength and might. It is a complex issue and drives to the heart of politics that so many of us view with revulsion – peace through strength and shifting alliances and geopolitical supporters. To understand such necessities today we need to understand the human animal. In scanning leadership and the great broad stretch and gesture of events, the basic construct of the human animal has to be borne in mind. Churchill constantly reminded his associates of the base fact that we really have not changed genetically in the last 100,000 years. DNA and microbiology are 1 of 2 great frontiers of human discovery in the next generation, (the other is information technology). As advances are made in understanding the human genome, advances must also be made in the way society and the leaders of society are structured and educated. Churchill’s view of international affairs was pragmatic though not Machiavellian. He had two basic precepts of security — use history as a guide and foster a balance of power between the strongest lands, and ensure that the internal national health was seasoned and keen. Churchill frequently referred to his debt to those who had laboured before himself as he did to Katherine Asquith, on April 5 1929; “How strange it is that the past is so little understood and so quickly forgotten. We live in the most thoughtless of ages. Every day headlines and short views. I have tried to drag history up a little nearer to our own times in case it should be helpful as a guide in present difficulties.” This enduring commitment to knowledge and of increasing the power, and not the dependency of the layman, both intellectually and politically was the central tenet of Churchill’s political genius. He could combine the new world with the old gleaning the important knowledge from the past, to help shape the institutions of the current and future. To say he was old-fashioned as some critics contend is simplistic. Churchill more than any other figure helped create the modern welfare nation state (though he would be appalled at its size and generosity today), promote peace through strength and ensure that the precarious balance of power between east and west, that was the only stability guaranteed to mankind for 44 years, was not toppled. Pure motives, unflinching devotion to good, ambition stemming from benign aspirations, all lead to quality. As one commentator explained of Pitt, so it could be ascribed to Churchill: “Pitt desired power, and he desired it, we really believe, from high and generous motives. He was, in the strict sense of the word, a patriot. He saw the national spirit sinking.” In conclusion then, we can state that Churchill matches many of those qualities and skills that define true leadership and greatness. It is these defining values that warrant the assertion that Churchill was indeed this century’s mo
st important catalyst in propelling the world to where we are today. And I have not even discussed in detail his stand against Hitler and totalitarianism. Thus, as a new millennium dawns I do believe that if we can revise our current system of educating ourselves and our leaders along the principles already evinced; namely, character, skills, intelligence, vision and understanding power, that we can create a proper cadre of leading men and women and that all of society will benefit from the reduction of intrigue and pettiness. Human nature can be changed, however painfully long it will take. In order to understand how we can do this it is often times necessary to understand how the ‘great’ or historically important at any rate went about it. I don’t think that in the 20th century there has been any more dedicated man who defended the Liberalised view of freedom, economic exchange and human dignity, better than Churchill. For this reason, he should be nominated as the most influential man of the past century. And for this reason his skills and weaknesses should be studied and appreciated with especial care.

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It is obvious that food is a need which nobody can do without and it is becoming surely in large part a major human right issue today.  Food is a necessity to every person since no person can live without it. The increase in famine, hunger, malnutrition and other food related problems in the world have motivated more commitment to food and to its production.  Access to adequate and quality food has been an important issue in world politics.  Historically and since immemorial times, people are known to have held protest against kings, presidents, prime ministers, rulers, governments or other leaders in fight for food.  For example:  the events leading to the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette attitude towards her subjects will be always studied  and remembered as unfortunate historical occurrences caused by misery and hunger (le ventre affamé n’a pas d’oreilles = empty stomach is hard of hearing).  Similar protests are still being witnessed in the world today. The latest world food crisis led to demonstration, protest and even food related violence in many countries.

These aforementioned occurrences and the importance of food as number one of all needs to human existence add weight to food rights and mostly right to food as an important element of universal human rights susceptible to help in the eradication of poverty and the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the world today, if well implemented.

Right to food has been addressed in several conferences, various human rights documents and in research papers.

The world came to its sense to address food rights since the adoption of The Universal Declaration. Since then, the mere legal right confirming access to adequate food has been included in various human rights and legal documents. Following suit, some countries have included clauses on and enshrined right to food in their constitutions.

It is laudable to observe that even the countries that do not have explicit clauses of right to food, went ahead in accepting and signing to international documents that recognize right to food as a fundamental right. Show of force, without reservation, their commitment to the indispensable universal right to food.

In general overview, it is important to say there is no need to repeat the mere fact that food is an essential necessity to every human being (“Food security is a basic right” par 1).  For a person to live, food is required.  Not only ordinary food, but the food should be Adequate and of quality, and such food is required for people to live normal and healthy lives.

Even thought the food production has increased in 21st Century, Access to adequate and quality food is not possible to every person on the planet (United States. Dept. of Agriculture 32).  The world has witnessed increase in people suffering from famine, hunger and malnutrition, and effect of famine to children has been even more severe.

Although the fundamental responsibility to food falls on an individual person, the collective responsibility to food cannot be ignored.

Historical and political background of right to food gives evidence to the importance of food as an universal fundamental right and the history of the right to food has even longer history than the politics of malnutrition. The historical background of right to food shows the growth of access to food as a fundamental right.  The Access to food as a right expands the responsibility to food from an individual to state and to community of states because of its global impact.

After many centuries of struggle for democracy, social justice and human rights, obligations for providing food have been increasingly made enforceable in some countries. Thus, explaining the fact that providing food has been a moral obligation of rulers for centuries.  In history, rulers were expected to provide and maintain access to food for their subjects.  Failure to provide access to food was viewed as failure in leadership.

It is obvious to say that Moral obligation to provide food is in a way different from right to food.  While moral obligation is not enforceable, food as a right is an enforceable obligation (Schulz & Kracht 113).

In the past people under threat of famine or hunger would hold protests against rulers to force them to meet their moral obligation of providing food. Right to food, as a human right provides channels for forcing the State to meet its obligations towards its citizens. The essence of right to food is to provide legal and procedural means for ensuring that authorities provide access to food for everyone.  But even if the plea and several demands for right to food have been there for more than two hundred years, the idea is yet to be adopted by all the countries in the world.

If we look at the current state of food rights, World data on food related issues provide surprising information. It is estimated that more than Eight hundred million people in the world do not have adequate food. The effect of inadequate food and famine is even more severe in children. It is estimated that about forty thousand children die each day to hunger related cases. Most of the victims of famine and famine related problem constitute more of the poor. The high number of people suffering from food related problem continues to grow despite of high food production and consumption per capita ratio in some countries and the world in general (Craven 215).

While some people have excess food, others in other part of the world suffer from adverse lack of the same. Considering high production of food per capita in the world, it is fair to say that scarce access to food in other regions of the world is closely related to other social economic elements of life such for example, lack of source of income that can lead to poverty and hunger.

Food problems in the world can be viewed in two perspectives. In one hand, food is not available to the people and the unavailability of food can lead to famine.  In the other, food is available but some people cannot access it (Eide par 5).

It is known that earlier campaigns on access to food have focused on making food available to all.  To conform to right to food, many countries emphasized on improving food production through reforms and technology.  However, it has shown so far that this approach is not always effective when poor people are not involved in the production. With technology and mechanization of agriculture, food production is made for commercial purpose while the poor fail to access food despite of high food production (“Right to food: A fundamental human right” par 7).  In this case, the overall yield per hectare cannot be used to evaluate access to food in statistics.  Also, the Right to food involves other variable such as quantity, nutrition value and culture.

As a fundamental necessity, access to food will remain an important human right issue.

Without human rights, the principles of democracy, good governance, justice and law or order would not have the real meaning in their implementation. Therefore, the notion of right to food is very important for the mankind in all countries on this planet.

As the time goes, it is a trend to see that Most countries’ constitutions contain at least a chapter on the bill of rights or a charter of rights or either a chapter and sections pertaining to human rights that state the rights provided to the people within the territory.  Also, it is certain that United Nations has played an important part and role to the growth in human rights in the world as we know them today.  The United Nations was formed after the world had experienced very severe human rights issues during the Second World War.

The vision for Universal Human Rights was developed during the war after basic human rights of most people were overlooked in the war. The post war vision was a world with freedom to speech, faith, freedom from fear and freedom from want.

Universal Declaratio
n on human rights provides the most important foundation to growth in human rights. United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 as a guideline to universal human right (Orend 25).   The vision implied global cooperation to fight against global problems, common responsibility to security and wealth.

The global unity was to replace unilateral assertion that had led to war but promote multilateral cooperation for common good (Gross 33).

The growth in the vision for unity for common good was first manifested through declaration between United Kingdom and United States of America in 1941.  Then, in 1942, United Nations incorporated the vision in its United Nations Declaration.  This global cooperation inspired the drafting of United Nations Charter in 1945 and Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Formation of United Nations showed the determination with which member states had deep faith in cooperation, global peace and in solidarity or working together for common good.  By being a member, a State commits itself to maintain peaceful relations and to respect and be friendly to other member countries. The member countries also promised to do anything possible for universal peace (Gross 33). Member States also promised to cooperate with other nations in order to solve international humanitarian, cultural, economic or social problems. Above this, the member States must be committed to uphold human rights of their citizens and other people with disregard to race, political affiliation, religion, sex or language.

The vision for global cooperation was stamped by adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration implied that global peace and cooperation was not possible without respect of fundamental human rights. Global social, cultural, humanitarian and economic solution could not be possible without respect to basic human rights. The Universal Declaration of human Rights elaborates the range of human rights that should be available to every human being (Eide & Alfredson 17).

Various steps have been taken toward global cooperation. Although there are various successes to human rights, some of the rights stated in the declaration are yet to be achieved in all countries.

Right to food is seen as a fundamental right to human being.

Since the inception of human right through the declaration of universal human right, right to food has taken a central point in other human rights’ documents that came after the Declaration of Human Rights.  Internationally recognized human rights’ documents that recognize the right to food include international Bill of Human Right, the Covenants on Human Rights, and social, economic and cultural rights. These mentioned international documents on human rights were adopted through the General Assembly of Human Rights.  Governments that ratify these documents imply that they agree to uphold the contents of the documents.

Although the rights are recognized in various countries, this does not necessarily imply that there are respected in practice, but it gives at least a bright hope to future practice of the human rights including the right to food as legitimate human right..

One example of global recognition of right to food as a fundamental right is the recognition of food security as a state responsibility. Food and Agriculture Organization council passed a guideline to food security in 2004. The guideline recognizes the right to food by focusing on food security (FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 37).The trend in world leaders to recognize the need for guaranteed food security is an indication that right to food is a fundamental right (Gonsalves & Human Right Law Network 59).

The ambitions United Nations’ Millennium Goals show the commitment of global leaders to a better world through provision of human rights. One of the millennium goals is to reduce the number of people suffering from hunger by half. The World Summit held in 1996 also recognized the need to address access to food in all parts of the world (Feyter 125).

Despite of the commitments made by globe leaders to reduce hunger in the world, the numbers of people suffering from hunger have increased rather than decreased. This trend is an indication that measures that are more positive and objective should be taken to guarantee right to food other than just make mutual empty promises and non effective commitments.

Although most world leaders agree that access to food is a fundamental right, there is laxity in fulfilling this right, thus, creating hindrance to the right to food (Williams 171).

Almost one billion people in the world are hungry right now. Reducing hunger in the world seems not to be a priority in core decision makers. The right to food is set aside for other aims that are thought to be of priority by the leaders (Skoet & Stamoulis 78).  For example, reform on land policies to allow land to majority of poor would improve food security in a bigger way. However, most world leaders cannot agree to such a reform with preference to income from commercialized agriculture (Christensen 123).

Priority on commerce has led to competition between nonfood commercial crops and food crops.  Even where the land reforms are taking place, they are not well adequately applied. There is abuse of power and many transgressions on individuals’ human rights.  Several countries in the third world found themselves without any adequate agriculture and food production after their independence from colonial masters. One of the mere reasons is the inequity in implementation of land transfer and the lack of vision in the distribution and implementation of the same well written land reforms. Politicians want to grab all the left land and they have no will to use what it takes to make the land  productive. The land and the farm workers are being managed by remote control using cell phone (Zimbabwe).

Right to food has been addressed in various international documents. After the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted, human rights advocates paid more attention to political rights, which seemed to be urgent due to the Second World War.  However, as most political rights in the declaration are already in place, there is more increased attention to social and economic rights.  Right to access to food is part of social and economic right provided by the declaration (Austin & Tomasevski 67).

Article 25(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Right states the importance of food as a human right. “…Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing. Housing and medical care and necessary social services…” (“The Universal Declaration on Human Rights” art 25(1)).  This article makes it clear that access to food is an essential component to social economic rights.

The International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights elaborates the social economic rights provided in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Article 11(1) of this document offers and insists a lot on individuals having the right to adequate food. The article also emphasize of the need for other humanitarian commodities such as clothing and a standard of living (“International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” art 11). This article emphasizes on the need for every member state to commit itself to upholding right to standard of life, where access to food is recognized as one of the components to standard of life.

The objective of human rights is to uphold human dignity for all individuals in the world other than just meet their psychological needs. This human dignity is manifested more in ability of every person to provide for herself other than being provided for (Tomasevski 89).

The response to problems of malnutrition in the world is highly based on compassion (Kent 21). International respon
se to food problems range from small feeding programs to large-scale response, and through international bodies such as World Food Program, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Bank and other nongovernmental organizations.

The right to food is closely related to the right to life.  Everyone has the right to be free from hunger. It is the most fundamental and enabling human right of them all. Without food, nobody will thrive, nobody will function and nobody will live. Since a person cannot live without access to food, clauses that provide for right to life also imply the right to food.  Article six of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, adopted in 1976, provide for the right to life. ” ..Every human being has the inherent right to life…” (“International Convention on Civil and Political Rights” art 6).The term inherent in this article shows that the right to life is absolute and not be denied. Article 1(2) of the same document protects human being from interference on their means of getting food. “In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.” (“International Convention on Civil and Political Rights” art 1(2).

International Convention on Economic, Social and cultural Rights and Convention on the Right of the Child provide clauses on right to food that are binding to all member states. Article 24 of Convention on the Right of the Child compels member states to provide essential things to a child including water and adequate food (“Convention on the Right of the Child” art 24).

Various countries have included the right to food in their constitutions. Brazil, Congo, Ukraine, Paraguay, Peru, Pakistan and India are some of the countries that have included the right to food in their constitutions (“The right to food in national constitutions” par 2-9).  Uganda, South Africa, Nicaragua and Ukraine recognize explicitly the right to adequate food for everyone.

Although the implementation of clauses on right to food may not be successful, at least the inclusion of right to food in the constitutions is a giant step toward overall right s to food for everyone.

For the Right to food in United States and Canada is a complex subject.  Right to food is not explicitly stated in both United States of America and Canada’s constitutions.  Despite of this omission, the right to food could be implied through precedence or implied in other clauses of both countries’ constitutions.

For example, the right to food is not explicitly stated in the United States Bill of Rights. However, the bill of rights provides for the rights that could be related to the right to food.  Right to food is considered as a social economic right such as right to land, good environment, just wages or personal security and pursue of happiness (Cohen & Messer 152). Despite of this, the same right is also implied in the civil and political rights. Observations from countries that do not respect civil and political rights show that citizens of such countries suffer from dire social economic problems (Russell & Chapman 83).

The right to speech and freedom of assembly, guaranteed in the US’s Bill of Rights create a good opportunity for achieving of the social economic rights.

Right to assembly and free press create the needed environment to demand for social economic provisions.

In addition to the Bill of Rights, the US government is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International and Convection on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights. USA also passed the Convention on the Right of the Child, a binding treaty, although it did not ratify it. Despite of the earlier commitment to right to food, United States of America is reluctant to inclusion of right to food in UN charter. This reluctance is not malicious, because USA is one of the first and best countries that care about human rights, human dignity and the well being of citizens.  Americans as individuals are compassionate people.

Unfortunately enough, it goes without forgetting that in 2002′s World Food Summit, United States was the only country that was opposed to the right to food.

Even though right to food is not incorporated in Canada’s constitution, Canada has a Charter of Rights which is stronger than the Bill of Rights passed in the United States, because the Charter of Rights is integral part of the Constitution of Canada. Canada is known as the world‘s Human Rights Champion.  Canada has dedicated itself to a variety of global conventions that tackle right to food (Riches par 4).

In the recent past, Canada has also committed itself to various international declarations that address the right to food.  The country supports FAO’s Declaration of Food Security in 1996, World Declaration on Nutrition in 1992 and Declaration on Social Development.  And in 2002′s World Food Summit, Canada distanced itself from USA by siding with the world for the Right to Food. Canada is a very compassionate State and for example when the USA is still struggling within itself to provide health insurance to the big segment of its less fortunate of the society without health insurance, Canada has accomplished that decades ago and nobody on Canadian soil goes medically uninsured.

In summary, Canada and the United States of America, both countries are known to be at the summit of leading democracies in the world and are where the major food problems to feed their citizens do not or hardly could occur.

In conclusion, the Right to food is an important human right issue today.  Hunger dulls the intellect, hinders development and thwarts productivity.  Enough food is produced twice over every year than is needed to feed the world. There is no reason for anyone to live hungry without food.  Advocates for right to food use the phrase “Food first” to show the importance of availability to food above other priorities.

Food is a necessity that none can live without; hence, it should be given a priority. Article 25(1) of Universal Declaration on Human Right defines right to adequate food as a fundamental right.  International Convention on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and Convention on Right to Child are some of the international conventions that have addressed the right to food.  Various international declarations on right to food show the trend towards global right to food.

Some countries such as India, Brazil, Paraguay and South African already have enshrined clauses on right to food in their constitutions.  We hope the world will increasingly understand and recognize the trend to make the right to food as a priority for the healthy mankind enshrined in their Constitutions. Then, governments will be directly legally held accountable and would be aware of their obligations toward the people and citizens in the respective countries.

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Works Cited

1) Austin, Philip. & Tomasevski, Katarina. The Right to food. New York: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1984.

2) Christensen, Cheryl. The right to food: how to guarantee. New York: Transaction Publishers, 1978.

3) Cohen m Marc. & Messer, Ellen. The Human Right to Food as a U.S Nutrition Concern 1976-2006. Washington D.C: Intl Food Policy Res inst, 2007.

4) Convention on the Right of the Child”. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nov. 1989. 27 Jan. 2010.

5) Craven, Matthew. The international convention on economic, social, and cultural rights: a perspective on its development. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

6)Eide, Asbjorn. & Alfredsson, Gudmundur. The Declaration of Human Rights: a common standard of achievement. New York: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1999.

7) Eide, Asbjorn. “The human right to food and contemporary globalization”. Oct. 2008. 27 Jan. 2010.

8)Feyter, Koen. World development law: sharing responsibility for development. New York. Intersentia nv, 2001.

-Food and Agriculture Or
ganization of the United Nations. “Voluntary guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of the national food security, adopted by the 127th Session of the FAO Council, November 2004″. New York: Food & Agriculture Org, 2005.

9) ” “Food security is a basic right”. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Sep. 1996. 27 Jan.

10) Gonsalves, Colin. & Human Right Law Network. “Right to food: commissioners reports, Supreme Court orders, NHRC reports, articles”. New Delhi: Human Right Law Network, 2004.

11) Gross, Ernest. The United Nations: structure for peace. New York: Harper, 1962.

12)”International Convention on Civil and Political Rights”. Human and Constitutional Rights Resource Page. March. 1976. 27 Jan. 2010

13) “International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. December. 1966. Jan. 2010.

14) Kent, George. Global obligations for the right to food. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2008.

15) Orend, Brian. Human Rights: concept and context. New York: Broadview Press, 2002.

16) Riches, Graham. “Towards Food Democracy: Reaffirming the right to food in Canada”. March, 2008. 27 Jan. 2010.

17) “Right to food: A fundamental human right”. PACS. Jan 2007. 27 Jan. 2010.

18) Russell, Sage. & Chapman, Audrey. Core obligations: building a framework for economic, social and cultural rights. New York: Intersentia nv,2002.

19) chulz, Manfred. & Kracht, Uwe. Food security and nutrition: the global challenge. Berlin: LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Munster, 1999.

20) Skoet, Jako. & Stamoulis, Kostas. “The state of the food security in the world 2006: eradicating world hunger- taking stock ten years after World Food Summit”. New York: Food & Agriculture org, 2006.

21) “The right to food in national constitutions”. FAO Corporate Document Repository. Apr. 1998. 27 Jan. 2010.

22) “The Universal Declaration on Human Rights”. December. 1948. 27 Jan. 2010.

23) Tomasevski, Katarina. The right to food through applicable international law. New York: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1987

24) United States. Dept. of Agriculture. “The U.S. contribution to world food security: the U.S. Position paper prepared for the World Food Summit”. Washington D.C: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1996.

25) Williams, Lawrence. International poverty law: an emerging discourse. London: Zed Books, 2006.

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The search in finding the best Cincinnati Auto Insurance will be difficult if you do not have any way to make the task simple and trouble free. Keep in mind that shopping the best auto insurance in Cincinnati is not an unpleasant task to be made; to a certain extent it is an opportunity to set aside quite a lot of your money on your auto insurance. Finally, be certain that you insured your vehicle in Cincinnati Auto Insurance for the reason that you are in no doubts that you are in the right track.

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Now that you realize how important it is to get a California individual health insurance, your next step is to shop around for one. There are a wide number of options for individual health insurance in CA; finding the right coverage for you is a big task. However, you should invest time and effort on making the right choice if you want to get the best value out of the investment you will spend for health insurance. What are some factors to considering when deciding on individual health insurance?First, before you start thinking about how much a California individual health insurance coverage will cost you, evaluate your needs first. Take note of your existing health conditions, evaluate your lifestyle, ask around for medical family history, and so on. Based on the information you collect, find out what type of insurance coverage you need. Predict what kind of medical attention you would most probably need in the future. Bear in mind though that the more expensive the medical bills needed for the medical coverage you want, the more expensive your premiums will be.Having said that, remember that when you get a California individual health insurance, you will pay premiums, usually on a monthly basis. This cost associated to getting a health insurance in CA is something you need to be ready for. The cost you pay to enjoy medical benefits will depend on your coverage. The more you are covered, the more you will pay. Some insurance policies require you to pay some additional costs for getting medical treatment. You may be responsible for a portion of the total cost, or for paying a fixed amount for your hospital visit. These terms vary greatly depending on your policy, the medical problem, whether or not the medical service provider is covered by the insurance network, among others. It is very important that your insurance quote provides information on these.A good way to lessen the financial burden in getting a California individual health insurance coverage is to specify a deductible cost. This is a fixed amount you pay before the benefit payments kick off. Closely related is the out of the pocket cost, wherein the insurance does not cover the entire claim so you have to pay minimal amount straight from your pocket. You need to decide how much deductible and out of the pocket costs you can take. Setting these two to a higher value will go a long way to lessening your monthly or annual payments.Moreover, another important point about health insurance in CA is the network of medical practitioners. You will make the most out of your health insurance if you see a doctor that is covered by the company you chose. If you are choosy with doctors, try to find a health plan that includes the doctor you want to keep seeing. Finally, choosing the right Californiaindividual health insurance is all about proper self evaluation and thorough research. Some effort and time will save you a fortune when a medical emergency happens. If you follow this guideline, you’re on your way to the health insurance plan that will work best for you.

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When dealing with computer equipment and other high end technologies, its inevitable that one day your equipment will begin to hiccup and eventually develop problems. Sometimes we are able to solve the problem on our own or perhaps we simply cut our losses and buy newer equipment and forget about the whole dilemma. However the occasion arises when this equipment cannot easily be replaced and we need to resolve the issue ASAP.

One of the most obvious steps to take in order to fix your equipment is to call the manufacturers technical support hot line in hopes the technician will know how to fix your broken equipment. Often times the “support” is little more than an obvious call center where the technicians read a script and you sit and wait on the phone for hours. Wouldn’t it be great if you were able to get real support from real professionals here in the United States who act on knowledge and experience rather than a 900 page manual and script in front of them?Well look no further. Geeks Mobile USA guarantees qualified local IT professionals and installers that will be able to help you with your Technical Support and will not waste your time. Skip the hassle and don’t waste time with other non-reputable technicians. Call us now at 1-866-959-4567 to schedule a service visit from our computer service technicians.Geeks Mobile USA strives to ensure a high return of investment on Computer services for customers through the following services:Home Computer Services:Onsite Computer ServicesAre you sick of taking apart your PC and bringing it to a repair shop every time it needs service-only to wait a long time to get it back? Our trusted technicians will come directly to your home to solve your computer troubles right on-the-spot. Simply call us to select an appointment time to fit your schedule. We offer same day service in most area.PC UpgradesIs your computer a few years old? Is it slow booting up? Are you running out of hard drive space? We can breathe new life into your PC by upgrading some of its critical components. Even if your system is fairly new, you can still upgrade your pc to accommodate your growing collection of digital photos, movies, files, or video games. Have questions about whether or not you should upgrade? Call us today!Computer NetworkingIf you have more than one PC in your home, have you considered networking them together? A home network allows your computers to share photos, documents, and videos, and even an internet connection. Even better, a wireless network is the cutting-edge way to connect all of the pc’s and laptops in your home. Wireless networks are perfect for people who want to connect laptop and desktop computers or for people who don’t like to be tied down. And when you go wireless, you won’t have the inconvenience of tripping over messy network cables.Malware and Virus RemovalDoes it seem like your computer has a life of its own? It could be a virus or trojan. No matter what kind of computer you have, you always need the most up-to-date Anti-Virus software. Not only do Anti-Virus programs protect your computer from crashing, but they also prevent you from accidentally passing the infection to other computers of family and friends when you send e-mails or share files. If you’re unsure about which virus software to install or how to configure it, just give us a call!Internet Security and FirewallsHow secure is your computer? As Internet usage has grown, so has the number of security threats. One way to protect yourself is to install a firewall, which keeps intruders from sneaking into your computer and accessing your private data. Firewalls also can alert you when unauthorized programs such as viruses and spyware attempt to transmit your sensitive information over the Internet. In particular, firewalls are crucial if you have the always-on Internet connection of DSL or a cable modem. Protect yourself and your family … with help from Geeks Mobile USA.Data Backup and RecoveryHow often do you backup your PC? If it were to crash or be stolen, would you lose important data? Geeks Mobile USA recommends installing a rewritable DVD burner or an external hard drive. In addition to helping you to backup your data safely, we also offer data-recovery services that can try to recover lost files resulting from hardware malfunctions, software conflicts, or viruses.Preventive MaintenanceYou wouldn’t drive a car for years without changing the oil, so why ignore your computer? Like any investment, your computer needs constant care, which means keeping it free of dust. When was the last time your PC had a thorough cleaning? If it has been more than six months, it is time to schedule a preventive-maintenance visit.Small Business Computer ServicesRepair & TroubleshootingOur expert technicians come directly to your office in LA to provide on-the-spot help for troubled notebook and desktop computers. We offer same-day computer repair service, 7 days a week.Network ServicesYour network is vital to your business. When problems happen, you need a company with a fast response time. In addition to traditional wired networks, our technicians are experts at installing, configuring, and securing wireless networks. Whatever your computing needs are, Geeks Mobile USA provides the solution.Data RecoveryHas your company experienced data loss due to hardware malfunctions, viruses, or other unexpected errors? Call the professionals. Our technicians provide backup and recovery solutions to businesses that require urgent assistance on their premises.Internet InstallationIf your business needs assistance in connecting high-speed internet access to all of the computers on your network, Geeks Mobile USA can handle it all.Customized Service Plans Lower your costs for the latest technology and minimize downtime with our fast, on-site services. Our support agreements are completely customizable to meet the needs of your organization.Malware and Virus RemovalDoes it seem like your computer has a life of its own? It could be a virus or trojan. No matter what kind of computer you have, you always need the most up-to-date Anti-Virus software. Not only do Anti-Virus programs protect your computer from crashing, but they also prevent you from accidentally passing the infection to other computers of family and friends when you send e-mails or share files. If you’re unsure about which virus software to install or how to configure it, just give us a call!Nationwide Computer Repair Services:Geeks Mobile USA leverages a nationwide network of onsite and remote support professionals to bring you reliable service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Whether your offices are in LA or anywhere in the country.Geeks Mobile USA offers one stop shopping for all your computer repair needs in Los Angeles. Whether you need network wiring done at a building before you move your office there, or a single point of contact for all your computer repair and maintenance needs, Geeks Mobile USA can help.Our Services Include• Proactive Network and Server Monitoring, 24/7 nationwide.• Emergency off-hours support• Assistance with moving to new offices• Equipment setup at multiple locations• Network and Server Repair and installation• Remote support and helpdesk services.• Consolidated It support and billing• Single point of contact for all Los Angeles Computer Repair and IT-related needs.

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