What is a civilised country? By columnist David Worboys

WHAT is a civilised country? Is it a country with a rich cultural heritage or a country upholding high standards of humanity?

Some countries, such as Iran, had an impressive civilisation in the past but, by today’s expectations of human rights and responsible government, are quite uncivilised.

The ancient civilisations of counties such as Egypt, Mexico and China produced impressive artistic and architectural achievement. The great museums of Cairo, Mexico City and Beijing bear witness to this. The pyramids of Giza and Teotihuacan and the Great Wall of China are there for all to see. But at what human cost were they created?

Egypt’s pyramids, dating from 2600 BC were built by mainly young labourers. They were recompensed in bread and beer but, exhausted by heavy labour in the heat, suffered appalling injuries to limbs, lungs and spine. Few of them reached the age of 40.

Toltecs, Mayans and Aztecs built the Mexican pyramids before and after the time of Christ. The Aztecs, meanwhile, practised the cutting of children’s throats by way of sacrifice to the gods in whose names they were built. This ‘civilisation’ was eventually brutally repressed and largely exterminated by the Conquistadores.

As many as 400,000 forced labourers died in terrible conditions in the erection of the Great Wall of China, from 600 BC, thousands of whom remain buried underneath or within the wall. The victims included prisoners-of-war and convicts as well as innocent soldiers, peasants and slaves.

And how civilised are these countries today? Egypt’s human rights are hardly better than those of Iran or Saudi Arabia. Both Egypt and China also have serious animal rights issues, while Mexico is politically a more civilised country, but plagued with violent drug wars, crime and poverty.

While, in general, the Chinese are cruel to animals, they themselves have severely limited rights under the current aggressive autocratic system. There are no free media and no tolerance of criticism of the regime. Standards of public cleanliness and individual health are poor. Compared, for example, with Singapore it is not a civilised 20th-century country.

Conversely, neither Sweden, Singapore nor Australia has a great ancient civilisation. Instead, they offer a relatively free, healthy and secure way of life. In terms of human rights and liberties, mature governance and quality of life, they are highly civilised. Other countries may define their civilisation today by a vibrant cultural scene with art galleries, theatres, music and cuisine.

Fair and transparent justice and political systems, together with care for the sick and elderly, the underprivileged, animals and the environment, are also the features of a civilised society.

The Greek and Roman civilisations have a significant legacy. And both Greece and certainly Italy are, by global standards, civilised members of the EU today.

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.