Creating the Spark for the “Grand
By
Lauren E Pinson
October 2007
Note:?For my
paper I chose to address the topic of how to convince Americans to support the
Grand
The following speech is to be read assuming it would
be presented by a charismatic political leader on national television.?Preferably, the speech would be in a relatively
casual room in front of a window overlooking
“My fellow Americans:
“Tonight I come before you with a proposal that has the ability to change the course of history.?Years from now, your children’s children could look back on your generation as visionaries that took a leap towards a more stable future.?We are at a moment where a decision of international importance must be made, and I urge you, as American citizens, to choose the appropriate path.
“Now, you may be
very curious as to what problem we are facing.?
The black dragon of
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“In our country,
plans have a tendency to be revised with every election cycle.?As political majorities ebb and flow, foreign
policies are forced to follow the current.?
We must adhere to a plan for now and the future.?We must take a tip from the enemy and focus
on long-term planning.?Otherwise, my
generation will be faced with a well-planned Chinese opposition that we will
have little hope of competing with.?Certainly,
an initial thought might be to simply slap
“For the past 62
years, the
“An
unprecedented alliance should be formed.?
[pause] This “Grand Alliance?would be formed between American,
European, Asian, and Russian democracies.?
Unlike most alliances created for short periods of time, the Grand
Alliance would be long lasting.?With the
combination of nations, the alliance would have the power to issue and enforce
codes of conduct.?In addition, the
alliance would create the political stage for a stable global market.?With the ability to keep the market stable
and to protect democracies, the alliance would ruin
?/span>“If formed, the alliance would foster many
other benefits that go beyond containing
?/span>“In his book On Democracy, distinguished political scientist Robert Dahl explains ten reasons democracy is a better bet than any attainable alternative:
?“’Democracy helps to prevent government by cruel and vicious autocrats.?Democracy guarantees its citizens a number of fundamental rights that non-democratic systems do not, and cannot, grant.?Democracy insures its citizens a broader range of personal freedom than any feasible alternative to it.?Democracy helps people to protect their own fundamental interests.?Only a democratic government can provide a maximum opportunity for exercising moral responsibility.?Democracy fosters human development more fully than any other feasible alternative.?Only a democratic government can foster a relatively high degree of political equality.? Modern representative democracies do not fight wars with one another.?Countries with democratic governments tend to be more prosperous than countries with non-democratic governments?(Dahl, pp. 60-61).? Certainly, spreading democracy would add more stability to the world.
“Philosopher John Locke described a “state of Nature?and how in this state man cannot enjoy his freedom because his life and property are insecure and unsafe.?In order to survive, men merge under governments.?On a national level, countries have governments that preserve the life and property of their citizens.?By having this government, rules can be enforced that protect everyone (Woll, pp. 6-7).?However, on the international scale, we are still in a state of Nature.?Yes, there are international laws and multinational organizations such as the United Nations.?But, nothing has enough combined power to truly let us leave the state of Nature on the international scale.?The Grand Alliance could be that opportunity.
“Is it not better to survive hand-in-hand than to flail separately into uncertainty??Our combined force would be too powerful to attack: militarily, economically, and culturally.?It would not be a cultural integration, but rather a joining of forces to protect mutual interests, like the survival of many countries and their distinct cultures.? We will not be creating a single mega country, but rather we would be protecting many separate sovereign nations.
“Around the time of the American Revolutionary War, a now-famous political sketch drawn by Benjamin Franklin was widely circulated.? The drawing depicted a snake cut up into segments, each segment representing one of the colonies.?Below, the words “Unite or Die.?span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>?I urge you today to take this message to heart.? Today we are not 13 colonies binding together against a larger force.?Rather, we are many sovereign countries with the opportunity to side together to ward off a single enemy.?Once bound together, no enemy will have the ability to overtake the alliance.? Instead, other countries and entities would be forced to compromise with the greater power.?
“The forefathers
of this great nation stood for a new future that many thought was an impossible
risk.?After over 200 years, we can see
they were successful.?Now is a moment
for another monumental risk that can produce a stable future for generations to
come.?Timing is important.?This alliance can only form if regional blocs
are not formally created first.?If the
world divides itself into regions it will be much more difficult to build a
solid international alliance spanning many oceans and landmasses.?The alliance must be created before
“There is no other plausible option.?I urge you to take action for the future of
your posterity and for the integrity of this great nation.?Make sure your Congressmen understand not
only the legitimacy but also the urgency of taking action.?You
are the people of the
Explanation: Americans are used to world news in sixty
seconds, dinner in five minutes, books on CD, and speed dating.?We live in a fast-paced culture.?The speech itself is relatively short.?The point must be succinctly presented, yet
stand out enough to sink into the minds of Americans.?Also, the speech must have enough 5-10 second
phrases that will easily become news spots.
Ideally, the speech will aid in convincing Americans
of the novelty and steadfastness of the Grand
The speech was meant to have patriotic phrasing that
can hit a chord on a subconscious level.?
Also, by making connections to Benjamin Franklin, John Locke, and the
American Revolution, the Grand
?Admittedly, many Americans today pay
attention neither to politics nor televised speeches.?To overcome this, the speech must be taken
into other mediums.?First off, the
recording of the speech must be put on multiple video websites, including
YouTube.?Conversations need to be
started in hundreds of online blogs, preferably both political and none.?A grassroots effort needs to be formed.?However, it must initially be set up by a
core group of individuals before the speech.?
After the speech, public approval may be both observed and cultivated. ?/span>Essentially the groundwork for grassroots
support must be laid before the speech is given, and then the speech will be
the spark to light the groundwork on fire. In the
Works Cited
Dahl, Robert. On
democracy. New Haven & London:
Pelanda, Carlo. The
grand alliance: The global integration of democracies.
2007.
Woll, Peter. American
government:
?