World(ish) Government

The concept of a world government, also known as global governance or global federalism, proposes the establishment of a centralized authority with the power to make decisions and enforce regulations on a global scale. For me I always imagine Star Trek's federation as the bucolic, well meanimg example.

Proponents of 'world government' suggest several benefits:

Global Problem Solving: Many pressing global issues, such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism, poverty, and human rights violations, require international cooperation and coordinated action. A world government could provide a platform for collective decision-making and mobilization of resources to address these challenges effectively.

Global Justice and Equality: Advocates argue that a world government could promote fairness, equality, and social justice on a global scale. It could establish and enforce global standards for human rights, economic development, environmental protection, and access to resources, aiming to reduce disparities and promote a more equitable world order.

Efficient Resource Management: A global governing body might help coordinate and regulate the use of finite resources such as water, energy, and minerals in a sustainable and equitable manner. This could potentially mitigate conflicts arising from resource scarcity and promote responsible resource management.

Streamlined Global Decision-Making: A world government could facilitate faster and more efficient decision-making on global issues by eliminating the complexities and delays associated with intergovernmental negotiations and consensus-building processes. This could enable timely responses to emerging challenges and streamline international cooperation.

Peace and Security: A world government could aim to prevent or resolve conflicts among nations through diplomatic means, arbitration, and enforceable international law. The centralized authority could help reduce the risk of war, promote stability, and coordinate efforts to address global security challenges.

Critics argue that centralized global governance erodes national sovereignty, limit individual freedoms, and create an unaccountable and distant authority. I do not disagree eg. distributed 'power' naturally compartmentalises ... decentralised approaches are more robust, etc ... clearly there are pros/cons to balance.

Practical feasibility of a world government seems low ... or perhaps predicated on something awful like some singular event where the few rule the many. I guess it is possible that such a singular event could unify the nations of the world to act as one (ex. Climate, Asteroid, Alien invasion ...) but based on recent human performance during COVID I find it hard to imagine.

Another way to think about this is to look how interconnected the world already is ... commerce is certainely global with the largest entities approaching the size of major nations.

There is also deep integration between countries now eg. a russian oligarch financing outcomes in the United States (or Congo, Sudan, etc) or a mexican president directing a bloc of voters in the US and the myriad of interventions between countries large and small ... regardless to say of the legality of such integration ... it is integration nonetheless.

TLDR (narrator: not at the end Jim!): we will get a world 'government' but it will not be Star Trek.