Topic: Legitimacy of Government during Popular Uprising
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Jacob Pope
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
Given the tumultuous political history of the Russian Federation, it seems only natural that we have come to value our national sovereignty as perhaps the most important fundamental right granted to any governing body. In the lengthy history of Russia, there have many times been momentous popular uprisings, military coups, and exchanges of power that have dictated the course which has brought Russia to where it is today. Fortunately, Russia has managed to undergo these changes without significant interference from the world at large, and would care to extend this courtesy to other developing nations, as well. The recent upheaval in the Middle East has prompted again the question of what actions the international community is morally obliged and legally authorized to make when such demonstrations take place. Whether, for example, we can implement standards to which all governments might be subjected to determine their legal standing from the perspective of popular approval, maintaining human rights, and the other functions of government to which all citizens of the world are entitled and whether any action based on such standards could ever be taken are of vital interest in today’s ever-shifting global political community. Many consider the preservation of human rights to be the primary deciding factor in whether a government ought to be recognized by the international community, but in such a narrow worldview one fails to consider by what standards human rights might be judged as “preserved,” and how one might remove the inherent political bias and underlying motivations that accompany such judgments from a process which needs must present an objective display of factual information. That is, how can we be assured of the neutrality of human rights observers, that they might not manipulate such judgments to enact political change or social reform that falls in line with their individual perspectives? And does the United Nations even have the authority, once such judgments are made, to take any action on them in the vein of promoting regime change, imposing sanctions, or invoking a military response?
It is the position of the Russian Federation that in all cases but gross human rights abuse that a nation’s government is, ultimately, given legitimacy by the support of its people, not by the cold, unfeeling vote of an international body which is largely removed from the culture and society which makes up said nation. It is, simply, not our role to determine whether a government is “entitled” to rule, but rather our role is to ensure that, as much as possible, the process can be determined by the nation’s people without significant conflict or international manipulation. In the case of Libya, for example, Russia recognized the Transitional National Council once it became clear that it would be able to unite Libya under one leadership, with significant public support. Until that became clear, it was premature of other nations, such as France, to jump to the side of the rebel army and give legitimacy to an uprising that may have ended in total failure, possibly fracturing the delicate country even further than it already was. Should we grant legitimacy to every disenfranchised group in every nation? Would France have appreciated the international community granting legitimacy to the ETA, for example, on its southern border? We must take great caution in throwing out claims of “legitimacy” to rebel groups, and must carefully consider the efficacy and structure of such groups and whether they truly represent the desires of their nations’ people, and whether they can act upon such desires to unite their countries. Only when such factors are clear and unambiguous can we claim “legitimacy.” Furthermore, operations by power-hungry Western democracies to enact political change such as bombing campaigns are gross overreaches which should not ever be repeated in the 21st century. The desire to ensure civilian safety is an admirable one, but when conflated with a desire to overthrow an established regime, and when tainted with corrupt intentions to enact political change for personal gain, ensuring civilian safety can easily become an infliction upon that nation’s national sovereignty.
Russia understands that, within the international community, there are many nations and organizations with legitimate concern for the safety of citizens and who promote the preservation of human rights within countries undergoing popular uprising. However, that admirable position can lead to potentially dangerous consequences, and it is the role of the international community to, whenever the options of taking too much or too little action are in conflict, take the route which avoids infringing upon a nation’s national sovereignty. Fortunately, this understanding is shared with the Russian Federation by nations such as China and other African nations, who have demonstrated an apt comprehension of the political, social, and tribal intricacies that have thus far made up much of the political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.
However, other nations, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have shown themselves more than willing to embroil themselves in the conflicts of other nations, intruding where they are not welcome. These countries, with mixed intentions, have thrown themselves into conflicts about which they have little understanding, and could not, given the social and political differences which separate Western democracy with Near East and North African theopolitical regimes. It is the hope of the Russian Federation that these countries, through our calm, measured discussion, will come to realize that the national sovereignty of these countries in which they hope to effect change must take priority over their own personal desires to topple regimes for political or economic reasons. Russia will take every measure it is able to preserve the national sovereignty of every nation, and sincerely hopes that these countries which have, thus far, abused other nations’ sovereignty, will come to see the illogical, hypocritical nature of their requests, and work with Russia to ensure a safe political environment for all popular demonstrations, and to preserve human rights and basic freedoms around the world.
