Democratic mundialization

Mundialization is the name of one of the movements aiming at democratic globalization.

Democratic globalization is the concept of an institutional system of global democracy that would give world citizens a say in world organizations. This would, in the view of its proponents, bypass nation-states, corporate entities, NGOs, etc. For some, democratic mundialization is a variant of democratic globalization stressing the need for the direct election of world leaders and members of global institutions by citizens worldwide. For others, it is just another name for democratic globalization.

Purpose

Proponents state that democratic globalization's purpose is to:

• expand mundialization in a different way to economic globalization and "make people closer, more united and protected"; (because of a variety of opinions and proposals it is still unclear, what this would mean in practice and how it could be realized).
• have it reach all fields of activity and knowledge, not only the economic one, even if that one is crucial to develop the well-being of world citizens. This implies some intervention not only in the economic and political life of the individual but also in their access to culture and education.
• give world citizens a democratic access (e.g., presidential voting for United Nations Secretary-General by citizens and direct election of members of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly) and a say to those global activities.

Global democracy

Mundialization also includes asking about Global Democracy, this is, global votings to elect the world leaders (specially, presidential elections for UN General Secretary) and more democracy in international organizations (i.e. United Nations Parliament). Thus, it supports the International Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, that would allow for participation of member nations' legislators and, eventually, direct election of United Nations (UN) parliament members by citizens worldwide.

Difference to anti-globalization

Supporters of the democratic globalization movement draw a distinction between their movement and the one most popularly known as the 'anti-globalization' movement, claiming that their movement avoids ideological agenda about economics and social matters although, in practice, it is often difficult to distinguish between the two camps. Democratic globalization supporters state that the choice of political orientations should be left to the world citizens, via their participation in world democratic institutions and direct vote for world presidents (see presidentialism).

Some supporters of the "anti-globalization movement" do not necessarily disagree with this position. For example, George Monbiot, normally associated with the anti-globalization movement (who prefers the term Global Justice Movement) in his work Age of Consent has proposed similar democratic reforms of most major global institutions, suggesting direct democratic elections of such bodies by citizens, and suggests a form of "federal world government."

Procedure

Democratic globalization, proponents claim, would be reached by creating democratic global institutions and changing international organizations (which are currently intergovernmental institutions controlled by the nation-states), into global ones controlled by voting by the citizens. The movement suggests to do it gradually by building a limited number of democratic global institutions in charge of a few crucial fields of common interest. Its long term goal is that these institutions federate later into a full-fledged democratic world government.

And they propose the creation of world services for citizens, like world civil protection and prevention (from natural hazards) services.

Proponents

The concept of democratic globalization has supporters from all fields. Many of the campaigns and initiatives for global democracy, such as the UNPA campaign, list quotes by and names of their supporters on their websites.^[1]

Academics

One of its most prolific proponents is the British political thinker David Held. In the last decade he published a dozen books regarding the spread of democracy from territorially defined nation states to a system of global governance that encapsulates the entire universe.

Politicians

• In 2003 Bob Brown, the leader of the Australian Green Party, has tabled a move for global democracy in the Australian Senate: "I move: That the Senate supports global democracy based on the principle of `one person, one vote, one value'; and supports the vision of a global parliament which empowers all the world's people equally to decide on matters of international significance."^[2]

• The current President of Bolivia Evo Morales and the Bolivian UN Ambassador Pablo Solón Romero have demanded a democratisation of the UN on many occasions. For example Evo Morales at the United Nations, May 7, 2010: “The response to global warming is global democracy for life and for the Mother Earth.. … we have two paths: to save capitalism, or to save life and Mother Earth.”^[3]

• Graham Watson (Member of the European Parliament and former leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) and Jo Leinen (Member of the European Parliament) are strong supporter of global democracy. They were among those presenting the “Brussels Declaration on Global Democracy” on February 23, 2010, at an event inside the European Parliament.^[4]

• The appeals of the campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly has already been endorsed by more than 700 parliamentarians from more than 90 countries.^[5]

List of Prominent Figures

Garry Davis (Peace activist who created the first "World Passport)

Albert Einstein ("The moral authority of the UN would be considerable enhanced if the delegates were elected directly by the people.")

George Monbiot ("A world parliament allows the poor to speak for themselves")^[6]

Emma Thompson

Desmond Tutu ("We must strive for a global democracy, in which not only the rich and the powerful have a say, but which treats everyone, everywhere with dignity and respect.")^[7]

Peter Ustinov (President of the World Federalist Movement from 1991 to 2004)

Abhay K ( "The mass availability of internet-connected mobile phones paves the way for planetary consciousness and global democracy.") ^[8]

Grassroot Movements

Jim Stark has initiated a process for a Democratic World Parliament through a Global Referendum. As of November 7, 2010, 21,506 people have voted. So far, the votes are 95.5% in favor of creating a democratic world parliament. Portable voting booths are available at http://voteworldparliament.org/shadowbox/getballot.html. Online voting at Mr. Stark's website is at voteworldparliament.org. Mr. Stark has published a companion book to the online referendum entitled "Rescue Plan for Planet Earth".

See also

• Alter-globalization
• Cosmopolitanism
• Cosmopolitan democracy
• Democratic peace theory
• Democratic World Federalists
• Federalism
• One Big Union (concept)
• Federal World Government
• Global Citizens Movement
• Global governance
• Global Justice Movement
• Internationalism (politics)
• Multilateralism
• National sovereignty
• Presidentialism
• Recursionism
• Supranationalism
• Toni Negri (1933-) Italian marxist political philosopher author of Empire
• Transnational progressivism
• United Nations
• United Nations Parliamentary Assembly
• World political parties
• World citizen

References

1. ^ UNPA Campaign "Quotes" and "list of featured supporters".
2. ^ The Senat of Australia "GLOBAL DEMOCRACY AND GLOBAL PARLIAMENT".
3. ^ Evo Morales "United, the developing countries can save the world".
4. ^ KDUN "Brussels Declaration on Global Democracy".
5. ^ UNPA Campaign "Overview support".
6. ^ George Monbiot "No More Ventriloquists"
7. ^ GiveYourVote "Supporter Statements"
8. ^ Abhay K "Birth Of Global Democracy", The Times of India, Jan 21, 2011

External links

• Committee for a Democratic UN - Making the UN system more effective and democratic
• Vote World Parliament - Democratic World Parliament through a global referendum
• GlobalDemo.org - List of Global Democracy Initiatives
• UNelections.org - Campaign for transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in elections and appointments to positions of great international importance
• Philosopher Tony Smith critique of David Held