World Government

[jsmill]

What my actual position is, tho, is to divide the world up into a number of REGIONAL FEDERATIONS: Europe Sub-Saharan Africa The Islamic World Latin America East Asia The US, China, Russia, and India are large enough to go it alone (the US is already a regional federation).

Good idea, however: what about non muslims living in the Islamic world? do they have a right to live there?

could not a maxim be given: that unless someone else is hurt by an action, this action should be allowed

also

Humans are born to war and long for violence. A human is not complete unless they are either witnissing or participating in a form of conflict, so I suppose it is possible to fight for a world government

dagda, stop making your personal truths, general rules for all of humanity... humans can survive without war, I can guarantee you that the majority of those involved in real conflict don't enjoy it.
and i really don't think that war would be needed to start a world gov... plebiscites anyone?

[Gods_Mercenary]

dagda, stop making your personal truths, general rules for all of humanity... humans can survive without war, I can guarantee you that the majority of those involved in real conflict don't enjoy it. and i really don't think that war would be needed to start a world gov... plebiscites anyone?

Humans don't survive without war is the point. Sure, everyone would vote for world govt., so long as they could rule it. The only way I see is military domination, and that's inherently unstable.

[Domino]

Yes, if war ever stops, we'll all just shrivel up and blow away.

As many Sci-fi stories have suggested, the surest way to cause a world government is as a response to an alien invasion.

[SoylentGreen]

Quote by: Domino Yes, if war ever stops, we'll all just shrivel up and blow away. As many Sci-fi stories have suggested, the surest way to cause a world government is as a response to an alien invasion.

The Romans are a type of example here.
They had virtually a world government in that they ruled most of europe and dominated parts of asia and africa.
To them that was the world.
But the Roman empire fell and one reason for that was they had conquered the enemy from without and then turned inwards and were defeated by the enemy within.
Empires need enemies to keep going.
Orson Wells in the book 1984 had the government fighting a fictitious war because with it they could keep the regime going . without it they only had themselves to fight.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: SoylentGreen The Romans are a type of example here. They had virtually a world government in that they ruled most of europe and dominated parts of asia and africa. To them that was the world. But the Roman empire fell and one reason for that was they had conquered the enemy from without and then turned inwards and were defeated by the enemy within. Empires need enemies to keep going. Orson Wells in the book 1984 had the government fighting a fictitious war because with it they could keep the regime going . without it they only had themselves to fight.

Well, what really killed Rome was a few Migrations of German and asian tribes. Granted, they had been weakened by infighting, but even during the pre-augustine periods of biggest expansion there were massive civil wars, these arguably strengthened the empire. The real reason rome in particular needed to conquer was to keep its martial tradition strong and, more importantly, keep gold flowing into Roman pockets. Rome demonstrated that all great civilizations must decay, and the tighter you hold onto power the farther you will fall.

[SoylentGreen]

Gods_MercenaryRome demonstrated that all great civilizations must decay, and the tighter you hold onto power the farther you will fall.

There were many reasons for their downfall. Having there water delivered through lead pipes was one among them as well. Now that we realise how deadly lead can be to humans.
But it does show how wrong a world government is. America occupies that position now. If it should completely crumble it will not be the American economy that falters but the whole world will go down with it.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Which is why I don't see the argument for world government from anyone who's not a militaristic imperialist, like the romans

[Dagda]

dagda, stop making your personal truths, general rules for all of humanity... humans can survive without war, I can guarantee you that the majority of those involved in real conflict don't enjoy it. and i really don't think that war would be needed to start a world gov... plebiscites anyone?

Sadly, it is not a personal truth, it is a universal truth. I hate the fact but it is true. This realisation came to me when I was walking past a playground and the children were playing War. That is when it hit me, even from our earliest age we are preparing to fight.
The greatest respect among the young is reserved for the best fighter and even as adults we can not get our fill of the substitutes for war-boxing, football etc.

It is true that people in war zones don't like war, but the war of today is mass produced death. The war of hand-to-hand fighting is what people, subcounsiouly, long to see again, where they can prove there strenghth and skill. It is war which has driven humanity forward. Womans rights movements were greatly aidded by WW1. In non-participant countries they had to wait decades after those in Britian. I don't like the fact, but it is true.

[xyzer]

Domino speaks with "straight tongue"..

Yes, if war ever stops, we'll all just shrivel up and blow away. As many Sci-fi stories have suggested, the surest way to cause a world government is as a response to an alien invasion.

How about adding in a squeeze on a nations energy supply? Heck the US and others have been in a war and occupation for several years just trying to stabilize an area producing oil? Can you imagine what they would do if it was cut off?

[GHook93]

Quote by: xyzer Domino speaks with "straight tongue".. How about adding in a squeeze on a nations energy supply? Heck the US and others have been in a war and occupation for several years just trying to stabilize an area producing oil? Can you imagine what they would do if it was cut off?

Or better yet what happens when we and the west cut them off? If the West and America find an alternative to gas (which we will within the next 5 years mark my words), what will they do? The Middle East, OPEC, Venezuela and Russia's economy are all built, rely and survive on oil exports. When gas gets replaced all the mention countries and organizations and territories collapse. I pray the day comes soon!

One thing you are not mentioning is our largest oil importer is from Canada.

[Compugasm]

The only way a single government would work, is with mind control or brainwashing. At the very least, a level of control that dissent is immediately put down by the state (China). It is impossible to have a world where everyones rights are respected with total freedom, and yet total enforced social uniformity. One acts directly against the other.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Compugasm The only way a single government would work, is with mind control or brainwashing. At the very least, a level of control that dissent is immediately put down by the state (China).

Brainwashing does tend to come with government ownership or operation, along with some unthinking, unfeeling bureaucratic enaction of policies.

Grandpa h.

[Sweet Katie]

Quote by: jsmill What would be wrong with a world government? I have an idea of a good working one but tell me what you think it should be like and what challenges it would face. Should it even exist? J.S. Mill (read On Liberty)

I am opposed to New World Order but there is so much diversity between countries that it isn't of great concern -- yet.

[SoylentGreen]

So try this idea.
What if there was a computer, big enough, smart enough to take in all the information relating to world economics and smart enough to give a good sound economic plan that would improve the economy globally.
That could leave countries to sort out social ideals for themselves but effect the way we deal with each other only in the economical sense of world trade.

[grandpa]

I see a recession as likely over the next year -- in fact, I think it's pretty much started. In any case, it would affect the economy globally, meaning that the solution would likely be global.

Grandpa h.