National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress

XXIX. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE
3273. National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress

The General Assembly, Noting Economic and Social Council resolutions 1581 A (L) of 21 May 1971 and 1667 (LII) of 1 June 1972, in which the Council attached great importance to appropriate fundamental structural socioeconomic changes in countries for the purpose of achieving social progress and development and, to this end, considered it appropriate to study the experience of various countries of the world in this field, Bearing in mind Economic and Social Council resolution 1746 (LIV) of 16 May 1973, in which the Council pointed out that the strengthening of national independence and the achievement of the ultimate goals of social progress depend fundamentally on internal basic social changes, for purposes of strengthening national independence, achieving the democratization of society and improving social and economic structures, and on the reaffirmation of the principle of the inadmissibility of external interference in any form, including interference by transnational corporations, Noting the report of the Secretary-GeneraI[1] prepared on the basis of replies by Governments to his questionnaire on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress, Convinced that peaceful coexistence and friendly co-operation among States should promote conditions for economic and social progress, Taking into consideration the importance of the implementation of the principles, aims and methods of achieving social progress recommended in the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,[2] Recalling that the Declaration on Social Progress and Development recommends that countries should promote democratically based social and structural reforms and changes, Sharing the concern of many countries over the insufficient rates of their economic and social development,

1. Reaffirms that each State has the sovereign right to adopt the economic and social system which it regards appropriate for its own development;

2. Stresses the importance of internal democratic social and economic changes designed to safeguard national independence and to ensure a speedy improvement of the well-being of the population;

3. Reaffirms the importance of the right of every State to exercise its permanent sovereignty over all its riches, natural resources and economic activities for the purpose of achieving economic and social progress;

4. Further reaffirms the right of every State to carry out social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress, including nationalization, as well as the right to take all appropriate measures in connexion with the activities of transnational corporations which it considers detrimental to the achievement of economic and social progress;

5. Recommends that measures should be taken at all levels to ensure more active participation by the entire population in the preparation and execution of economic and social development policies and programmes designed to achieve social and economic progress, taking into account the experience of all countries in this field;

6. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations Development Programme to hold, within the programme of advisory services, interregional and regional seminars to study the national experience of developing and developed countries in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress without prejudicing the operational programmes prepared for the developing countries;

7. Recommends that the regional commissions should consider this problem at their sessions;

8. Endorses the action taken by the Economic and Social Council requesting the Commission for Social Development to continue the study of national experience in carrying out far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress;[3]

9. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive report on national experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress to the General Assembly at its thirtieth session and to give appropriate attention to this question in his reports on the world social situation;

10. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirtieth session the item entitled "National experience in achieving far-reaching social and economic changes for the purpose of social progress".

2311th plenary meeting
10 December 1974


[1] E/CN.5/478 and Add.1 and Add.1/Corr.1 ard 2, Add.2 and Add.2/Corr. 1, Add.3 and Add.3/Corr.1, Add.4. [2] Resolution 2542 (XXIV). [3] Economic and Social Council resolution 1746 (LIV) of 16 May 1973.
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