Citation

Nelund C. J. Peace Res. 1978; 15(3): 273-278.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1978, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/002234337801500305

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Nation-building has been a major project of the European peoples since the days of Christopher Columbus. We have now come to an end in this effort, insofar as we have orga nized and grouped the peoples of the earth into sovereign nation states within one single organization, the United Nations. Thus we have literally created a new frame of reference for the peoples of the earth, ourselves included. According to this frame of reference -- the national world picture -- we see ourselves and any other person as a member of a given nation, and we see this nation as a member of the family of nations. We may define special relations to other persons and our nation may have special relations to other nations according to special interests: but the major grouping -- the national world picture -- survives across these groupings. In the present paper we investigate this world picture from the point of view of the individual, to see whether it can be a tool available for us to direct and implement concerns for peace and human affairs. Our conclusion is a negative one: the national world picture represents a distortion of reality and an obstacle to peace.