The New International Economic Order and Christian Charity
The N ew International Economic Order and Christian Charity
Lilia R. Bautista
Economics Commons
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LIUA R. BAUTISTA*
On May 1, 1974, the General Assembly of the United Nations in its
Sixth Special Session adopted two major resolutions, the Declaration on
the Establishment of a New International Economic Order' and the
Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic
Order. The first document sets forth certain economic rights and
responsibilities of all states, while the second outlines specific programs for
meeting these rights and responsibilities.
The quest for a new international economic order arises from certain
elements of the relations between the developing and developed countries
that the former find particularly burdensome such as:
1) the division of the world into exporters of primary products and exporters
of manufactured goods;
* 2) the unfavorable terms of trade for the products of the developing
countries;
3) the one-sided dependence of the developing countries on the developed
countries for finance;
4) the one-sided dependence of the developing countries on the developed
countries for technology; and,
5) the dependence of most developing countries on the developed countries
for their engine of growth through the need to obtain access to external
markets, as well as receive direct foreign investment the bulk of it through
transnational corporations.'
Thus, the new international economic order is declared to be based
* Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Republic of the Philippines.
G.A. Res. 3201, U.N. GAOR, Supp. (No. 1) (6th spec. sess.), U.N. Doc. A/9659 (1974).
2 UNIDO, INDUSTRY 2000 NEW PERSPECTIVE (Sept. 1979).
"on equity, sovereign equality, interdependence, common interest and
cooperation among all states, irrespective of their economic and social
systems which shall correct inequalities and redress existing injustices,
making it possible to eliminate the widening gap between the developed and
developing countries and ensure steadily accelerating economic and social
development and peace and justice for present and future generations."
No doubt, it is conceded that there is a widening gap between the
developed and developing countries that needs to be bridged. The
developing countries, which constitute seventy percent of the world's
population account for only thirty percent of the world's income. The political,
economic, and social well-being of present and future generations depends
more than ever on cooperation between all the members of the
international community .as the basis of sovereign equality and removal of the
disequilibrium that exists between them. The new international economic
order is founded on full respect for the following principles:
1) Sovereign equality of States, self-determination of all peoples,
inadmissibility of the acquisition of territories by force, territorial integrity and
noninterference in the internal affairs of other States;
2) The broadest cooperation of all the States members of the international
community, based on equity, whereby the prevailing disparities in the world
may be banished and prosperity secured for all;
3) Full and effective participation on the basis of equality of all countries in
the solving of world economic problems in the common interest of all
countries, bearing in mind the necessity to ensure the accelerated development of
all the developing countries, while devoting particular attention to the
adoption of special measures in favour of the least developed, land-locked and
island developing countries as well as those developing countries most
seriously affected by economic crises and natural calamities without losing sight
of the interests of other developing countries;
4) The right of every country to adopt the economic and social system that
it deems the most appropriate for its own development and not to be
subjected to discrimination of any kind as a result;
5) Full permanent sovereignty of every State over its natural resources and
all economic activities. In order to safeguard these resources, each State is
entitled to exercise effective control over them and their exploitation with
means suitable to its own situation, including the right to nationalization or
transfer of ownership to its nationals, this right being an expression of the
full permanent sovereignty of the State. No State may be subjected to
economic, political or any other type of coercion to prevent the free and full
exercise of this inalienable right;
6) The right of all States, territories and peoples under foreign occupation,
alien and colonial domination or apartheid to restitution and full
compensation for the exploitation and depletion of, and damages to, the natural
resources and all other resources of those States, territories and peoples;
7) Regulation and supervision of the activities of transnational corporations
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