World Forum on Democracy

Mr. Aleksander Smolar, Chairman of the Board of Stefan Batory Foundation

ADDRESS TO THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

"TOWARDS A COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES" CONFERENCE

Distinguished Ministers,

I would like to express on behalf of the World Forum on Democracy our deep gratitude for the openness and interest you manifest for our deliberations.

We understand that this invitation is a recognition that democracy is our common objective. We, have a dream about a better world. We understand that your invitation signifies also a conviction that in the last years there are new actors in international relations.

Indeed, the end of the Cold War has brought a novel redistribution of power among states, markets and civil societies. National governments are more and more sharing power with business, with international organizations, and with a multitude of non-governmental organizations. The spread of freedom depends to a large extent upon the actions of individuals, business, scholars, churches, trade unions, of all non-governmental institutions and organizations. I don't need to stress how big a role many such organizations play in defense of human rights and in the promotion of democratic ideas and institutions.

We know from our own Polish experience how valuable help was furnished to "Solidarity" during the years of communist rule by our friends from Germany, United States, France, from Scandinavian countries. I do not want to idealize NGO's; there are problems with their legitimacy - they were not elected, they are not representing any particular constituency; quite often there are problems with their transparency and accountability; they have a tendency towards moral absolutism and to reduce the complexity of political choices into one issue problems. We have seen it in Seattle. Still, without their involvement, progress of democracy in the world would not be possible.

May I remind you once again the role of " Solidarnosc " With a widespread crisis of political representation, with a desinvestment of political space - both in old and in the new democracies - there is a lot of passion, of a real devotion to civil society. There should certainly be more and more cooperation both nationally and internationally -between democratic governments and democratic movements and organizations. NGO's seems to fill up the "democratic deficit" on the international level where there is no political machinery to deal with citizen's concerns.

Indeed one of the major problems with democracy today is the problem of global disequilibrium. The dangers for democracy come not only from forces of integrism, from ideological fanaticism and nationalist extremism. It comes also from disequilibrium between economic forces, political forces and social forces. We must strive to redefine the borders of politics.

We should also modify the rule of social solidarity beyond traditional national frontiers. This process is on the move. Ministerial conference in Warsaw can perhaps be interpreted as a remarkable contribution to the creation of a new dimension of globalization: of democratic globalization.

The Community of Democracies represents the universal idea of democracy today in a spectacular way. I read recently in an article by Samuel Huntington, an eminent political scientist, that the time of "Comintern (communist international) is dead. The time for Demintern (of democratic international) has arrived". There is no comparison possible. But new democratic solidarity and new democratic generosity for newcomers to the democratic club would be certainly the most welcomed!

It would be in the interest of everybody, contributing to the peace, stability and the development of transitional countries.

Democracy is also about open society, about open social structure, and not only about open markets and open political systems. We need also globalization of civil society. Nations have their frontiers; civil societies are closely interconnected. Civil society is more and more global and open. International NGO's are certainly contributing to this process. Democracy should not focus exclusively on its political, legal, and institutional aspects. Democracy must do more. It cannot ignore the basic economic, social and cultural conditions in which people live, as these necessarily have a profound influence on the functioning of democratic institutions.

To assure strengthening of democracy where it exists, and to assure its development in transitional countries, we should strive to the ideal of equilibrium between freedom, solidarity and efficiency. Or to say it in a slightly different way: to the synthesis of democracy, development and solidarity.

There was a lot of talk about Davos Man these last years, a new hero of global economy and of global finances. We need a new Warsaw Man: a new democratic hero with civic virtues who would feel at home in a modern, complex, open society.