UN General Assembly
1951

51. Can we claim that our unqualified democracies have achieved the ideal of Lincoln’s definition? That is far from being the case. Each of them should seriously examine its conscience. Which of them could testify in all good faith that they have established at home that democracy for which they ask their citizens to be ready to fight and die? Which of them, within their own territory, have taken the necessary steps to prevent men from exploiting one another? Which of them have seriously attempted to ensure to all their citizens, without discrimination, equal opportunities for a decent and worthy existence? Which of them have conscientiously practised towards their national minorities or their colonial populations the Christian law of the brotherhood of man? Every one of our democracies has sins upon its conscience. Raymond Poincare used to say that “peace is a continuous creation”, and we might well paraphrase that famous remark by saying that democracy is a continuous creation. The honour of each of us, however, lies in abolishing injustices practised to the detriment of the weak and in seeking, in close collaboration with other nations, to establish in the world a new order based on true human freedom, on genuine justice and on real racial equality both within each country and in international relations.