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The Social Contract in a
Reunited Ireland
The social contract in
modern-day societies is little understood by most of us as to how it
impacts our lives, and yet we live
within its restraints without question or pause. For all practical
purposes, it's a ubiquitous presence that bears on every decision
we make and every action we undertake.
Introduction
As defined in the World
History Encyclopedia “the Social Contract is an idea in philosophy
that at some real or hypothetical point in the past, humans left the
state of nature to join together and form societies by mutually
agreeing which rights they would enjoy and how they would be
governed. The social contract aims to improve the human condition by
establishing an authority based on consent which protects certain
rights and punishes those who infringe on the rights of others.
It’s important to
understand that all of us are party to a social contract from the
moment of our birth to our ultimate passing. As a matter of fact,
we subject ourselves to its dictates and requirements, generally
without question, for it is a construct of our own making that
protects us from anarchy. The social contract is so encompassing
that it records our birth and demise and every act of consequence in
between.
The Social Contract.
 The social contract in
a Reunited Ireland will be a mutual agreement between the government
and us, the governed. It will set forth in legal terms the rights
and responsibilities of the government and us, the governed, to
organize and sustain a just society in a manner consistent with the
consent of us, the governed.
The social contract as
construed will be an amalgam of the constitution, national and
regional legislation, local rules and regulations, contracts and
agreements, shared concerns, trust and civility. In addition to its
legal obligations, the social contract also requires of us adherence
to social norms and customs in the public space we share with
others. In essence, it will embody all that is required of us to
live in peace and prosper in a place of our choosing.
The
Constitutional basis for the Social Contract
The constitution will
be the core of the social contract; therefore, it will be the first
document to be created. It will establish the rights and
responsibilities of us, the governed, It will establish a government
based of federalism and will delineate the division and sharing of
government powers between the national, regional and local
governments. All ensuing legislation, rules and regulations enacted
by national, regional and local governments must be in compliance
with its provisions...
The creators of the
constitution must be Irish-born i.e., in Ireland or in Northern Ireland. They
must be men and women of integrity and vision with the required
expertise for the task at hand. The selection criteria used to
choose the creators, together with their names and credentials will
be made available for public viewing as will a schedule that
includes milestones, decision points, public comment period etc.,
The structural layout of the constitution document will also be made
available for public viewing and comments before proceeding with its
development. The completed constitution document will be put before
the people in a plebiscite for approval.
The new constitution
must not be based on or draw on the Ulster Covenant of 1912, the
Government of Ireland Act of 1920, the Irish Constitution of 1937,
the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 or any other legacy document
created by outsiders. It will be a forward-looking constitution for
the 21st. century and beyond. Hence, we the keepers of the
constitution and ensuing social contract must put aside our
prejudices, fears and grievances and fully engage in what will be a
fateful event that will change the course of Irish history after a
thousand years of colonial subjugation.
The Political
aspects of the Social Contract
Every aspect of our
lives and that of society is not directly addressed in the
constitution. Issues that are unique to us individually or as a
family unit are ours to resolve lawfully. Other issues that
impact society as a whole such as the overall economy or the
allocation of national resources are in the purview of
government policy and legislation. These important issues are
entrusted to our elected representatives to debate and resolve
peacefully in a deliberative assembly --- an important aspect of
the social contract.
As we push the
envelope on modern-day technology to make life easier, we
have come face-to-face with the sobering reality that there is
a downside to technology, in other words, unintended
consequences. Some of these unintended consequences include
globalization, climate change, resource sustainability, robotics in the
workplace, and artificial intelligence. Other
issues of concern include increasing wealth inequality and
migration driven by war, overpopulation, ethnic or religious
prosecution, environmental and other negative factors. All of these issues
will require political solutions and, in some cases, regional or
global solutions.
As an advanced society,
now and after unification, we must invest time, expertise and
resources to tackle these looming problems before they become
economic nightmares or in some cases serious threats to life on
earth. There is much we can do individually and as stakeholders in
the social contract to effect change in public attitude and
government policy.
In order to do so, we
must educate ourselves to these pressing issues of our time and the
solutions proposed by political parties so that we can make informed
choices as to whom we want to represent us in government. Inaction
is not an option. We must do what’s necessary to leave a fertile
earth and a just social order to our descendants. We must not leave
that for others to decide without our voices being heard.
The Social Aspects of the Social Order.
Self-determination,
Liberty,
Due process of law, Freedom of
movement,
Right to privacy, Freedom
of thought,
Freedom of conscience,
Freedom of religion,
Freedom of expression,
Freedom of assembly and
Freedom of association.
These are our
fundamental rights. They must be understood, protected and exercised
on a continuing basis to protect our freedoms and strengthen the
social contract so vital to our way of life.
These
rights that are codified in the constitution allow us to live in
peace and security in a functioning and just society. Our democracy
also depends on the inalienability and sanctity of these rights that
are derived from natural law. We must guard them at all costs as
they are bait for demagogues and autocrat who view them as obstacles
to their credo, the rule of man. There characters will always be
lurking in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to subvert the
rule of law (democracy) for the rule of man (autocracy).
If we as a functioning
society want to protect the freedoms that makes it so, each of us
must accept that others have the same rights irrespective of our
skin color, the god worship, political beliefs, place of birth or
any other difference that makes each of us unique individuals.
Conclusion
First and foremost,
the Good Friday Agreement must not be the basis or
starting point for reunification negotiations. As stated above, the
Good Friday Agreement, primarily a British drafted document, would
be a disaster if used as the basis for Irish reunification. In the
drafting of the Good Friday Agreement, the British government linked
it to the Act of Union of 1801, and the Government of Ireland Act of
1920. In so doing they made clear that what happens in Ireland is
still a British problem and will be handled as such. Ireland needs
total political separation from Britain if any agreement on
reunification is to endure.
As envisioned in the
Eire Athaontaithe proposal, everyone living in Ireland and in
Northern Ireland will be treated as equals, having the same freedoms,
protections and opportunities. There will be no need for special
protections for Northern Unionists as the reunification process will
be conducted in a spirit of mutual equality and trust. At the end
of the day there should be no winners or losers, just winners.
In a reunited Ireland,
every effort will be made to keep the people involved in the
political process, not only during election cycles but on an ongoing
basis. In order to do so, all business coming before the national
and regional parliaments must be televised and available to the
public on demand. This requirement will ensure transparency and
forestall any inclination by our representatives to conduct the
people’s business behind closed doors.
Democracy by its very
nature is always at risk. The fact that democratic rule is
determined by a majority of eligible voters is also what makes it
vulnerable to manipulation by demagogues or charismatic actors with
an authoritarian bent. What allows these characters to succeed is a
disengaged electorate or a corrupt or ineffective government.
We must not allow for
either in a reunited Ireland.
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