Global Federalism

www.WhatTheHellAmIDoingHere.com

Over break I read a very good book that changed my mind about a fundamental political Idea I had; "World Federal Government, a Maximum proposal" by Edith Wynner. I really enjoyed her dedication:

“This book is dedicated to the technologically unemployed of the future: To generals, admirals, war propagandists, war profiteers, and other future extinct species of man displaced in world organized to live at peace under world federal law.”

There are 3 forms of voluntary consensual international organizations, Alliance, Confederation, and federation.

Alliance are used to prevent or postpone war. One or more states promises aid to the other(s) if attacked. Alliances maintain the peace only as long as competing alliances are of approximate equal strength the closer the parity the longer the peace. Only the highest levels of state know the terms of the alliance and the people are divorced entirely.

Confederations : “A permanent diplomatic conference of the member nations is established with a smaller council pretending to executive functions and the shadow of a judiciary without real authority or jurisdiction is also added.”

Confederations lack the ability to administrate individuals. In fact they exist outside jurisdiction. This is a critical limitation in the contemporary world of Democracy or Dictatorship. In both cases the confederation is unable to administer the appropriate political actor.

Obviously the UN is a confederation. It is a loose association of states, that cannot administer the individual let alone a state. Therefore, it is incapable of living up to its mandate for world Peace.

Federations: Three levels of government, local, state, and federal. They are parallel and handle the individuals falling within their jurisdiction. However, the Federal can execute jurisdiction over all spheres. Federalism preserves diversity it is a good thing or to costly to expunge. “Federation preserves plurality if government within over-all unity. Local governments are subordinate to the state. States is autonomous in areas allowed. If there is conflict between state and federal courts sort it out if not specified in constitution. States are disarmed. Also requires creation of one currency. Democracy is a Federation.

“Effective government at whatever level and irrespective of ideology or state of political development performs three essential functions: (1) law-making; (2) administration and enforcement; (3) settlement of disputes. Every effective government has found it easiest to deal whenever possible, with its smallest political unit – the individual human being – within its jurisdiction.”

“Federation always appears impossible until it is achieved. For that reason unswerving faith and high caliber leadership are essential to ultimate success.”

Joining a confederation is a loose obligation. There is no leaving a federation since it has the military. This is why it is attractive to the small and scares the begeuss out of large states.

A world Federal Government would have the ability to remove WMD from every nation great and small, and allow the autonomy of small militant groups to appease them. It would also give state's the power to collectively bargain against business, rather then being taken advantage of by Alliance Capitalism. Of course this is a Utopian Ideal since the US will never voluntarily give up its position as hegemon, at least as long as a Bush is in the White House. I personally don't think the UN has the potential to reform into a federal system. For now though it is all we have to resist super power aggression.