Global Governance

 
  Nature of Problem/Issue and Role of NGOs and IGOs

The nature of the problem lies in the fact that there are multiple social issues that need tending to; however, they cross national borders.  In order to tackle these transnational issues countries are forced to relinquish their national sovereignty.  Not an easy task for any country.  The idea of sovereignty is a concept well ingrained in the fabric of current political ideology.  Compounding on this statement is the unease of the populace to give up control of their nations affairs to a tertiary authority.  Exacerbating this unwillingness to integrate are many conspiracy theories and religious/political ideals that have attempted to counter global governance.

            Sovereignty as defined by Merriam Webster is the ‘supreme power over a political body and the freedom from external control.’  The idea of sovereignty can best be exemplified in the sentence, “the will of the prince has the force of law, since the people have transferred to him all their rights and power.”  The idea of sovereignty and the sovereign nation has evolved from the concept of the monarch whose rule was with the divine right; to popular sovereignty which is the idea that democratic governments derive their support from the will of the people benign to other sovereign nations. Since sovereignty is such an archaic concept, it becomes difficult to attempt to convince nations to relinquish the power that they have become attached to. Because dominant political ideology touts the state as supreme, resistance among the political elites and the populous is strong.

             Compounding this difficult topic is the fear of what a global government would impose on a people. Conspiracy theories are popular cultural responses to the idea of the creation and implementation of these institutions.  Prevailing among these is the theory of a creation of a “New World Order,” among political elites. The idea is that a global government that would dissolve national boundaries and do away with state sovereignty would act to suppress the people. The conspiracy with regards to global government is not new. Prior to World War I, a pamphlet, come to be known as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, was used in Russia to incite anti-Semitism, on the basis of a Jewish conspiracy to rule the world. Adolf Hitler used the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in his campaign against the Jewish people in order to legitimize Nazi policy to the people. Although these theories have little merit, they have a strong impact on the beliefs of the population and can serve to dissuade the people from supporting global governance and global government. Also, the religious right fear the idea of world government on the basis of religious doctrine, which is shown to its full force in the book of Revelations, that a world government is a herald of the Biblical Apocalypse.

            These issues are what make it difficult for people to support Global Governances as well as for existing institutions to grown.

 

IGO

The United Nations: The UN approach on world governances is to bring the nations of the world together to form a multipurpose universal membership IGO.  Their aims are to promote international peace and security, to safeguard human rights, to provide a mechanism for international law, and to promote social and economic progress, improve living standards, and fight disease.  There influence on global governances is more on the suggestive basis rather then forcible compliance. 

The goals of the organization achieved through the various comities.  The problem is that cretin countries have more influence and power in the decision making process then others.  The Security Council, for instance, which is supposed to help maintain peace and security is unable to effectively do so because of the veto rights of the five great supper powers.  This internal conflict, shown in its height during the cold war, causes the inability for cooperation to sustain adequate decision making as well as peace keeping strategies.  The UN is largely reliant on the financial contribution of its member states in order to maintain there programs.  So forth the states have the option to withdrawal their funds if they do not agree to the actions of the organization.  The UN is more concerned with the act of regulation more then action.  This focus on regulation promotes the image that the UN lacks authority to truly do anything.

Regional IGO’s

 

The European Union: Main objective

1. The Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples.

2. The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers, and an internal market where competition is free and undistorted.

3. The Union shall work for the sustainable development of Europe based on balanced economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress, and a high level of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment. It shall promote scientific and technological advance.  It shall combat social exclusion and discrimination, and shall promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child.

It shall promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, and solidarity among Member States.  It shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, and shall ensure that Europe's cultural heritage is safeguarded and enhanced.

4. In its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values and interests. It shall contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of

human rights, in particular the rights of the child, as well as to the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter.

5. The Union shall pursue its objectives by appropriate means commensurate with the competences which are conferred upon it in the Constitution

 

The EU fits the model for global governances in that there is a redistribution of wealth between member states in that the areas that are in need of the most financtial need receive it.  They also have free trade agreements between participating European States allowing economic growth and prosperity in all sectors.  They have many other institutions and regulations that have the participating member states follow the regulations that the EU has.

                                         

 The African Union

            The main objectives of the OAU are geared towards ridding the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization and apartheid in the hope of creating more unity and solidarity.

·         To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States;

·         To accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent;

·         To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples;

·         To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

·         To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent;

·         To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance;

·         To promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other relevant human rights instruments;

·         To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations;

·         To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies;

·         To promote co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples;

·         To coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union;

·         To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology;

·         To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent

This is tied into global governance by its regional attempt to unify the continent of Africa.  By doing so through defending sovereignty, and subsequent territorial integrity Africa could begin to become a major actor on the global playing field.   

World Trade Organization: An international, multilateral organization, which sets the rules for the global trading system and resolves disputes between its member states.  All of these states are signatories to its approximately thirty agreements. Located in Geneva, Switzerland its Director General is Pascal Lamy as of September 1, 2005.

All member states that are economically bound to the organization abide by the regulations that they put forth even countries that are still negotiating membership.  Their mission is simple; to increase international trade by promoting lower trade barriers and providing a platform for the negotiation of trade to their business.

 

 

 

             World Bank: This institution makes loans to developing nations with the primary focus to reduce world poverty.  It also allows funds to be allocated to developing nations and under developed nations that would not otherwise get aid or founding from other institutions.  It also helps in providing the monetary solution for these cases.  

 

NGO:  There is not enough information of NGO’s involvements with Global Governances because GG is a focus for states.  The involvement of NGO’s with GG is more on for an informational standpoint more then an actual involvement with the creation

            World Federalist Movement is an institution that is dedicated to the promotion of world federalist government.  They believe that all people deserve a democratic government that supports democratic rights and that there needs to be more cooperation on an international scale and they need different levels of government to deal with such problems.  They work to promote individuals learning about federalist movements       

           

 

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Created by: Erica Hammock, Matt Allen, Tim Hranka
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