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Alfred Berhnard Nobel was an undeniably remarkable person. He was a Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite, some people may be surprised to learn, which led him to become incredibly wealthy and famous over time. You may also be interested to find the MOST remarkable thing Mr. Nobel did took effect after he died. He left a will and testament that contained a bit more than a wide collection of baseball cards. On December 10, 1896 the idea for Nobel Prizes was established per Al’s request. Nobel left behind an enormous sum of money (approximately $250 million U.S.) to begin the annual prize system that rewarded those who, in his words, “shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” That is quite the hefty qualification, which was obviously intended to not be easily found in just anyone. Nobel required there be a prize for six categories including physical science, chemistry, medical science, physiology, literary work, and peace. I’m sincerely curious if Al would agree with all of the choices for recipients up until now.
Of those six categories, the one in question today is the infamous Peace Prize. Jean Henry Dunant, the founder of the American Red Cross along with Fredric Passy, the founder of the French Peace Society, shared the very first Nobel Peace Prize 108 years ago. Since that day there have been almost 100 (excluding group winners or years not distributed) other souls who “conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” Nobel, within his will, elaborated the initial qualification for each prize specifically. And for the Peace Prize, that condition reads, “to the person who will have done the most or the best work for fraternity among the nations for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Within the last century there has been a consistent theme amongst the winners of the Peace Prize. Woodrow Wilson in 1919, the founder of the League of Nations; Charles Dawes in 1925, Vice President of the U.S. and Chairman of Allied Reparation Commission (“Dawes Plan”); George C. Marshall in 1953, President of the Red Cross, Ex-Secretary of State and Defense (“Marshall Plan”); Mother Teresa in 1979, Leader of Missionaries of Charity, Calcutta; and Nelson Mandela in 1993, half the award for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime…just to name a few.
What is the theme here? Each of the above recipients DID something, meaning an action or series of actions that lead to another action. All of these historic figures have impacted our current lives whether you realize it or not.
That being said, something kind of funny began to happen to the Nobel Peace Prize beginning in the year 2002. Jimmy Carter received the Prize that year, "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." A new trend has since appeared: efforts. It is a crucial word that anyone examining the winners of the Peace Prize must not overlook. There is no arguing that a person who has put forth great enough EFFORT in bringing peace among nations should be recognized and appreciated. But does that make them worthy of the title of the Peace Prize? Looking back at the requirement Alfred Nobel left behind, he requested that person shall have DONE the most or best work for brotherhood among nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for promoting peace congresses. When did the requisite to obtain the Peace Prize, an award that is held at the highest of levels (at least in America, that is), evolve from DOING something to TRYING to do something or even saying they are GOING to do something?
This year’s Peace Prize was recently awarded to President Barack Obama. The reasoning? “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” In regards to abolition or reduction of standing armies, the president has said that should be happening January 2010. In regards to holding and promoting peace congresses, the president has done a fabulous job talking a lot about how he’s open to working with other countries (and yes, he’s been on TV with a few). An interesting addition to this information is that the Peace Prize Norwegian Nobel Committee submitted the president for nomination based off the year 2008, before he was actually elected, since they must be submitted by February of the year in discussion.
In President Obama’s defense, he didn’t submit himself for nomination (although he could have denied the Prize, as others have before him). He also didn’t decide WHY he was chosen. So what’s the deal, Norwegian Nobel Committee? Gandhi was nominated five times between 1937 and 1948 and never received the award. I was a conflict manager in the fifth grade. It was an extremely acclaimed position; I got a shiny vest and everything. I put in great effort to solve issues between conflicting persons at all different parts of the playground…can I be nominated next year?
Sources and specific information was found at nobelprize.org
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