GLOBAL INTERSTATE SYSTEM

CHAPTER FOUR
LEARNING CONTENTS
Lesson 1: Global Governance in the Twenty-First Century
Lesson 2: The Relevance of the State
Lesson 3: Institutions That Govern International Relations
INTRODUCTION
The state has traditionally been the subject of most interest scholars of global politics
because it is viewed as “the institution that creates warfare and sets economic policies of a
country”. Furthermore, the state is a political unit that has authority over its own affairs. In other
words, its borders are recognized by other countries. It is assumed that whoever is in charge of
those borders has the right to determine exactly what is going to happen in their country. The
treaty of Westphalia of 1648 established the notion of the nation-state and the idea of state
sovereignty. Today, the globalization of politics created an atmosphere where the ideas of the
nation-state, state sovereignty, government control, and state policies are challenged from all
sides.
With globalization, some scholars suggest a decrease in the power of the state and that
other actors are actually becoming more powerful. These actors include multinational
corporations and global civil society organizations, like Red Cross, that cross national
boundaries. Is the idea of the nation-state outdated in the contemporary world? If so, what is it
that we need to think about as “replacements”? In this chapter, we will look at regional alliances
and worldwide organizations of states. This manifests the efforts of countries and governments
in the world to cooperate and collaborate together.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Explain the effects of globalization on governments;
2. Identify the institutions that govern international relations; and
3. Differentiate informationalism from globalism

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

There are series of specific factors behind the emergence of global governance. The first
on the list must be the declining power of nation-states. If states themselves were “highly
contingent and in flux” (Cerny, 2007, p.854), it would open the possibility of the emergence of
some form of global governance to fill the world. A second factor is the vast flows of all sorts of
things that run into and often right through the borders of nation-states. Another set of issues
that led to calls for global governance involves horrendous events within nation-states that the
states themselves either foment or carry out, or an unable to control (Nordstrom, 2004).
▪ Levy and Sznaider, 2006 – the flow of criminal elements, as well as their products
(drugs, laundered money, those bought and sold in sex trafficking, etc.), is a strong
factor in the call for global governance.
▪ Nordstorm, 2004 – another set of issues that has led to calls for global governance
involves horrendous events within nation-states that the states themselves either foment
an carry out, or are unable to control.
▪ Bauman, 1998 – one could even go back to WWII and argue that the Holocaust could
have been prevented, or at least mitigated, had there been a viable form of global
governance to put pressure on Nazi Germany and ultimately, to intervene in a more
material way, perhaps militarily.
 Nation-states have long struggled to deal with problems like these through various
interstate systems (e.g., alliances such as NATO), but the more recent trend is toward the
development of more truly global structures and methods of dealing with various sorts of issues
and problems.
Effects of Globalization to Governments
One of the key aspects of state sovereignty is the government. It is a group of people
who have the ultimate authority to act on behalf of a state. Each state has its own right to self-
determination and that other country should not intervene in the affairs of that state unless there
are extraordinary reasons to do so. Other countries must recognize sovereignty or the right to
govern one’s own territorial borders. Each state is autonomous unto itself and responsible within
its own system of government to those who are governed. The decisions, and the conflict, and
the resolution of that conflict are done through institutions of government established and
codified in that particular state, whether or not through elections.
There have been several challenges to the government and ultimately, to state autonomy.
We can divide these challenges into four: traditional challenges, challenges from national or
identity movements, global economics, and global social movements.
 Traditional Challenges

External intervention can generally described as invasion by other countries. These days we
can see external intervention in other forms. Russia’s external intervention into the affairs of
Ukraine, a sovereign state in the post-Soviet era, is another instance of intervention in the
autonomy of the state.
Internal political challenges can also happen. There are also regional organizations
challenging state autonomy. The United Nations intervened in Sudan because of the several
years of civil war. More recently in Europe, specifically in Greece, it also interfered in the Greek
debt crisis.
 Challenges from National/Identity Movements

It is important to know that a nation has cultural identity that people attached to, while a
state is a definite entity due to its specific boundaries. However, different people with different
identities can live in different states. The Catalans live primarily in Spain but we can also find
some of them in France. Scottish nationalism is another example that challenges the traditional
notions of state sovereignty.
Global movements, such as the Al-Qaeda and ISIS, are another example of national or
identity movements. In this case, they are structured around the fundamentalist version of Islam.
 Global Economics

Global economy demands the states to conform to the rules of free-market capitalism.
Neoliberal economics or neoliberal capitalism started in the 1980s. It focuses on free trade and
dismantling trade barriers. It requires a state to cooperate in global market through free flow of
capital, the privatization of services, and fiscal austerity or constraint.
A specific example to expand global economic influence is the use of IMF and the World
Bank in forcing government reforms in poorer country. Furthermore, the regional economic
development efforts focused on expanding free trade and market liberalization. Business from
developed countries put their factories and pays people to build factories and produce goods in
developing countries worldwide.
 Global Social Movements

Most of the time, they are not seen as a threat but definitely challenge state sovereignty.
Social Movements are movements of people that are spontaneous or that emerge through
enormous grassroots organization. These social movements are transnational movements
which means they occur across countries and across borders. Therefore, states have less
control over them.
For example, human rights movements create a public sentiment, value, and agenda. The
idea is that there are certain rights and states cannot neglect or generally, what we call human
rights. The environmental movement is another example of global social movements related to
public policy. A specific case is the so-called Blockadia or the state where social movements
emerging in local areas fight back as a response to the controlling efforts by the apparatus of
government to protect the interest of neoliberal capitalists.
THE RELEVANCE OF THE STATE
The state is a distinctive political community with its own set of rules and practices that is
more or less separate from other communities.
Four Elements of a State
• Permanent Population (People) – this population does not refer to a nomadic people that
move from one place to another in an indefinite time. It is strengthened by the second
element of a state, a defined territory.
• Territory – has clear boundaries. It is effectively controlled by the third element of the
state, government.
• Government – regulates relations among its own people and with other states.
• Sovereignty – state is formally constituted sovereign political structure encompassing
people, territory, and its institutions on the one hand, and maintaining its autonomy from
other states on the other hand.

It is important to differentiate the idea of nation and state. Nation refers to a people
rather than any kind of formal territorial boundaries or institutions. It is a collective identity
grounded on a notion of shared history and culture. State refers to the Philippine government,
the Philippine territory, and its internal and external sovereignty. This brings us the concept of
the nation-state. It is a territorially bounded sovereign institution that governs individuals sharing
a collective history, identity and culture.

▪ Gilpin, 2001 - variety of arguments are made including that nation-states continue to be
the major players on the global stage.
▪ Conley, 2002, pp. 378-399 – “retain at least some power in the face of globalization”
▪ Mann, 2007, p. 472 – “their efficacy in the face of globalization” and that the rumors of
the demise of the nation-state are greatly exaggerated.
▪ Beland, 2008 – argued that “the role of the state is enduring – and even increasing – in
advanced industrial societies” (p. 48).
▪ Glassner, 2000 – the state does not only respond to these threats, but may also
exaggerate or create dangers, thereby making its citizens more insecure.
 ▪ Isikoff and Corn, 2006 – the United States even claimed that Iraq could kill millions by
using offshore ships to lob canisters containing lethal chemical or biological material into
American cities.

INSTITUTIONS THAT GOVERN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

There are several international organizations that governments of countries around the
world and individuals participate in. These include the United Nations, the International Court of
Justice, NAFTA, and NATO. There are also non-governmental organizations promoting social
and economic growth.
 Peace Treatise and Military Alliances: The UN and NATO

The United Nations is one of the leading political organizations in the world
where nation-states meet and deliberate. Generally, it functions in four areas: military
issues, economic issues, environmental issues, and human protection.
▪ Military Issues – the Security Council tries to be the arbiter in ceasefires between
two sides. They can pass sanction like block trade with another country as a
punishment. The UN is not all about fights. It has a program called UNICEF or
United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund. Its primary goal is to help children
around the world.
▪ Economic Issues – the main focus of the UN is the reduction of global inequality.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cover a range of concerns for the
improvement of all aspects of life.
▪ Environmental Issues – such as pollution and hazardous waste, are addressed
through United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
▪ Human Protection – UN promotes human rights through different organizations
and mechanisms. Since 1948, human rights have been brought into the realm
international law. This is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The UN is being criticized as being weak and is unable to stop wars. Because of this, the
next institution that we are going to discuss continues to play a big role in foreign conflicts. This
is NATO. It is a defensive treaty or military alliance between the United States, Canada, and 25
European countries. This treaty and international organization is based on the idea of collective
security. The countries in this organization basically agreed to combine their militaries and
announce to the world that if a country messes with one of its members, the other countries will
come to their defense.
 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Another example of an international organization that was developed out of war

is the Red Cross (Red Crescent in Muslim countries). It is considered as a non-
governmental organization (NGO). NGOs are not ties to any country. They provide
emergency relief such as food, water, and medical supplies for those whose homes or
towns have been destroyed by disaster or war. They also monitor the treatment of
prisoner of wars and go to conflicts to make sure that no war crimes are taking place.
The big Red Cross worn by NGOs is the identification that they are not soldiers. In
addition to the Red Cross, there are many NGOs dedicated to helping people around the
world. Doctors without borders provides free emergency healthcare in disaster areas;
Oxfam fights famine disease; Amnesty International speaks out for human rights and
political prisoners; and Save the Children helps kids get health care and education.
  Global Economic Associations: The WTO and NAFTA

▪ WTO

It is made up of 162 countries around the world and was created with the goal of
increasing free trade. Countries, therefore, can buy and sell goods from one another
without placing taxes on imports or tariffs. In addition, tariffs are used to protect
business and companies inside their country. Though good in nature, WTO is not
without criticism. In fact, a protest in Seattle at 1999 WTO Conference led to a major
riot as some said that WTO was more about helping large companies and
corporations than it was about helping people.
▪ NAFTA

This is an economic treaty between the United States, Canada, and Mexico in
which the three countries trade freely without taxing each other. NAFTA is not
without critics either. Some American autoworkers protested against NAFTA as
several car companies moved their factories to Mexico in search for cheaper labor.
NAFTA, like WTO, represents the challenge in America of keeping manufacturing
factories.
GLOBALIZATION AND GLOBALISM

▪ Globalization – increase or decline degree of globalism (Nye, 2002, p. 1). It is

thicker than globalism; this means that being able to connect countries in the
world through a more dynamic and faster way is globalization.
▪ Globalism – refers to the network of connections that transcends distances of
different countries in the world. Globalism is thin. As it becomes thicker,
globalization happens.

This is where globalization comes in. If we look at the global trade today, it has reached a
greater number of people around the world. Although, globalism and globalization are often
understood in terms of economy, Nye (2002) gave “four distinct dimensions of globalism:
economic, military, environmental, and social” (p. 2). Like economic globalism, the three other
dimensions also become thicker and faster as globalization intensifies. The enormous speed of
potential conflict and threat of nuclear war is an example of military globalism.
In terms of environmental globalism, global warming continues to accelerate. The last
dimension, social and cultural globalism, “involves movements and of people who carry ideas
and information with them” (Nye, 2002, p. 2).
With the advent of modern mass communication, computers, and social networking sites, it
seems that the connections made through the exchange of information create a new kind of
network in this contemporary world.
INFORMATIONALISM

Globalism is tied to the notion of networks. For Castells (2000), “networks constitute the
fundamental pattern of life, of all kinds of life” (p. 3). It was previously mentioned that in the
present and even in the past, the world is connected. The difference between Globalization and
Globalism is the speed and thickness or intensity of connections.
The question now is about the type of connection that exists and begins to increase in
the contemporary world. The answer lies on the growth of binding force among people, things,
and places around the globe. This technological paradigm, associated with computer science
and modern telecommunication that replaces industrialism is called informationalism (Castells,
2004). These are technology, the media and the internet.
This is not to say that we do not need to produce material goods such as factories,
clothes, and food; rather, exchanging information and knowledge, which is clearly immaterial
goods, becomes central in the contemporary world (Hardt & Negri, 2000). This is due to the
“three of the most cutting-edge aspects of the social world in general and globalization in
particular” (Ritzer, 2015, p. 134), technology, media, and the internet.The creation of the world’s
first container ship in 1995 and the expansion of airfreight greatly hastened the transport of
goods all around the world. But a notable example of technological advancement is the founding
of Federal Express (FedEX, 1970s). It makes use of computer technology in its deliveries.
Computer technology is used to check our health through the intervention of magnetic
resonance imaging (MRIs), ultrasound, and CT or CAT scans. Space-based technologies were
also made possible through the use of computers, (Ritzer, 2015). The launching of satellites for
military surveillance, the use of global positioning systems (GPS), and the operation of global
navigation systems (GNS) are some remarkable examples. McLuhan and Fiore (2005) argued
that in the New Media Age, the importance lies in the medium, the way in which the message is
transmitted, not necessarily in the content presented through the medium. This means that
televisions, radios, the newspapers have been shaping “individual subjectivity and culture, not
only locally but globally” (Ritzer, 2015, p. 143).
In addition, the French social theorist Guy Debord (1994) emphasized in his idea of
media spectacle the sophistication and ubiquity of spectacular visual in televisions. This made
TV news form of entertainment. Although content matters in television broadcasts, visual
spectacle or significance is an important element and perhaps the primary key to catxh the
attention of the audience.
When one mentions online social networking, spam, and computer viruses, it is the
Internet that binds them all. The internet is a mark of the contemporary world. According to
Ritzer (2015), “The Internet has prompted a flat world thesis; anyone can be involved in it, at
least theoretically” (p. 150). Having a computer today in our homes, our schools, our
workplaces, and accessing the Internet through our personal cellphones allow us to be
connected with the rest of the world. We can gain information by accessing different websites,
such as Facebook and Wikipedia, through the internet. In the same manner, the information
about ourselves that we share is also exposed. In order to control Internet access and use,
there are mechanisms such as personal passwords or in the case of Chinese government, the
“Great Firewall.”
While globalization allowed the expansion of information, access to modern technologies
is not a universal matter that is available to every person around the world. The internet and
other technologies are limited by certain barriers. These barriers include lack of electricity,
illiteracy, weak financial systems, and government regulations.
 CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
CHAPTER FIVE

Introduction
This chapter provides the political dimension of globalization by identifying key players in
global governance, its challenges and relevance amidst globalization.
Learning Outcomes
1. Identify and explain the elements of states,
2. Explain thoroughly the challenges of global governance in the 20 th century, and
3. Elaborately explain the relevance of the state and government amid globalization.

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Why is there a need to discuss Contemporary Governance? What is global governance?
When we speak about global governance, what exactly does “global governance” mean?
According to Robert Bailey, global governance refers to governance on a global scale.
While the concept seems simple in theory, it can take many forms in practice. National
governments come in many shapes and sizes. But global governance, as we shall see, is a
different beast altogether. It is important to note that governance is not the same as
government. A government is a formal body that is solely responsible for governance of specific
institutions within a jurisdiction. Governance on the other hand typically refers to rules,
institutions, and officials that have the power to shape the behavior of actors in a system. For
example, the enforcement of laws and regulations as well as the provision of safety and
services. It should be clear then, that achieving governance with a global scale or impact
doesn’t necessitate a single global government. There is a continuum from negotiation between
nations to broad-impact treaties and agreements1 to trade/customs unions to political unions.
These exist from a transnational all the way up to a global scale. On a global scale, this could
be achieved the same way as on a national scale: one monolithic, unitary government operating
across the entire globe. All people would adhere to the same rules and be answerable to the
same final authority, and all people would rely on the same institutions to provide safety and
services. In other words, the whole world could unite as a single country.
What is the importance of global governance?
Effective global governance will allow us to end armed conflict, deal with new and
emerging problems such as technological risks and automation, and to achieve levels of
prosperity and progress never before seen. The most important challenge for humanity to
overcome is that of existential risks.
Why do we need global governance?
September 5, 2018 Robert Bailey Future of Humanity, Governance, Social Change
Global governance is necessary because humanity increasingly faces both problems
and opportunities that are global in scale. Today, transnational problems such as violence and
pandemics routinely reach across borders, affecting us all.
 The increasingly integrated global system has also laid the necessary foundations for
peace and spectacular prosperity. Effective global governance will allow us to end armed
conflict, deal with new and emerging problems such as technological risks and automation, and
to achieve levels of prosperity and progress never before seen.
The most important challenge for humanity to overcome is that of existential risks. One
way to look at the danger of an existential risk is to quantify the level of global coordination
needed to deal with it. While best-shot risks, at one end of the spectrum only require that a
single nation, organization or even individual (i.e., superhero) has the means and the will to
save everyone, weakest-link risks, at the other end of the spectrum, are dangers that might
require literally every country to take appropriate action to prevent catastrophe, with no room for
failure.2 3
The risk of natural disaster, but with advances in our level of technology the risk we pose
to ourselves as a species becomes ever greater. Nuclear weapons are a well-known risk that
we still live with to this day. The progress of technological research exposes us to new dangers
such as bioengineered superbugs, nanotechnological menaces, and the risk of an out-of-control
artificial intelligence with ill-intent. Increased levels of global coordination are needed to combat
many of these risks, as described in our article on the cooperation possibilities frontier.
There are other problems that don’t necessarily threaten the species or even civilization
as we know it, but which are holding back the development of prosperity and progress. Armed
conflict, around since the dawn of history, still haunts us today. Even though wars between
great powers appear to be a thing of the past, regional conflicts still account for tremendous
human suffering and loss of life in parts of the world without stable governance. 4
Other problems have emerged precisely because of our successes in the past. The
unprecedented advancement of human wellbeing and prosperity over the past century has been
based in large part on the use of fossil fuels, thus exposing us to climate change. Widespread
automation, already a stressor on society, will put increased pressure on the social and
economic fabric of our societies over the next few decades. Global governance can help
alleviate these issues in various.
Finally, global governance will increasingly be judged not only by the extent to which it
prevents harm, but also by its demonstrated ability to improve human wellbeing. Progress has
let us set our sights higher as a species, both for what we consider to be the right trajectory for
humanity and for our own conduct. 6 Major advances in human wellbeing can be accomplished
with existing technology and modest improvements in global coordination.
Effective global governance is global governance that tackles these issues better than
the regional governments of the world can independently. Global governance is key to solving
global problems. Without it, we may not be able to avoid weakest-link existential risks or
regulate new and dangerous technologies. With it, we may be able to prosper as we never have
before. The next step is to determine how effective global governance can be achieved.
THE ROLE OF UNITED NATIONS TO GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
The United Nations governing body and its institutions constitute a framework that allows
for global governance. It fits the definition because it allows for a democratic framework of
voting on regulations that apply globally, it provides a safety net to prevent or respond to wars
and humanitarian crises, and is funded by nations which are a part of it. This structure allows for
an array of institutions and services that provide everything from consulting, advisory, justice,
humanitarian aid, education, information, and so on. In theory, it could provide much more, and
on a global scale.
 In fact, the United Nations (UN) is the closest thing we have to a global government.
Today, it contains the closest approximations that the world has to a constitution (the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights); a set of deliberative lawmaking bodies (the General Assembly
and Councils); a police system among nations (the Security Council); and an executive branch
(the UN bureaucracies).

Why do we need global governance?

The goal of global governance - is to provide global public goods, particularly peace and
security, justice and mediation systems for conflict, functioning markets and unified standards
for trade and industry. One crucial global public good is catastrophic risk management – putting
appropriate mechanisms in place to maximally reduce the likelihood and impact of any event
that could cause the death of 1 billion people across the planet, or damage of equivalent
magnitude.

The leading institution in charge of global governance today is the United Nations. It was
founded in 1945, in the wake of the Second World War, as a way to prevent future conflicts on
that scale. The United Nations does not directly bring together the people of the world, but
sovereign nation states, and currently counts 193 members who make recommendations
through the UN General Assembly. The UN’s main mandate is to preserve global security,
which it does particularly through the Security Council. In addition the UN can settle
international legal issues through the International Court of Justice, and implements its key
decisions through the Secretariat, led by the Secretary General.

The United Nations has added a range of areas to its core mandate since 1945. It works
through a range of agencies and associated institutions particularly to ensure greater shared
prosperity, as a desirable goal in itself, and as an indirect way to increase global stability. As a
key initiative in that regard, in 2015, the UN articulated the Sustainable Development Goals,
creating common goals for the collective future of the planet. Beyond the UN, other institutions
with a global mandate play an important role in global governance. Of primary importance are
the so-called Bretton Woods institutions: the World Bank and the IMF, whose function is to
regulate the global economy and credit markets. Those institutions are not without their critics
for this very reason, being often blamed for maintaining economic inequality.

Global governance is more generally effected through a range of organizations acting as

intermediary bodies. Those include bodies in charge of regional coordination, such as the EU or
ASEAN, which coordinate the policies of their members in a certain geographical zone. Those
also include strategic or economic initiatives under the leadership of one country – NATO for the
US or China’s Belt and Road Initiative for instance – or more generally coordinating defense or
economic integration, such as APEC or ANZUS. Finally, global governance relies on looser
norm-setting forums, such as the G20, the G7, the World Economic Forum: those do not set up
treaties, but offer spaces for gathering, discussing ideas, aligning policy and setting norms. This
last category could be extended to multi-stakeholder institutions that aim to align global
standards, for instance the Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF) and the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C).

In summary, global governance is essential but fragmented, complex and little

understood. In this context, the key questions raised by the Global Challenges Foundation are,
how to reform institutions, how to develop alternative institutions, and how to use the new
possibilities of technology to improve governance.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A GLOBAL GOVERNMENT

Advantages:

1. Open borders. No need for tariffs, immigration, customs, etc.

2. Military could be downsized to a force large enough to deal with terrorists and local
squabbles.
3. Consistent policies worldwide. No more concerns about tax rates vs. health care vs.
individual freedoms from one country to the next.
4. Immense tax savings due to the economy of scale. Only fund one complete government
as opposed to a hundred.

Disadvantages:

1. No proper way to account for cultural differences. One set of laws will never agree with
everyone. Americans like going to the pistol range to shoot targets. Indians prefer traffic
laws that are very different from the western world. Developing economies have a relaxed
view of corporate and individual liabilities. Thais and Saudis take pride in their kings.
2. Lack of competition between nations. Professionals and skilled workers will leave a
country that restricts their progress. If there is only one country, the sole outlet for dissent is
revolution.

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second
World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security,
developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living
standards and human rights. Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in
its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a
forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees. The work
of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for
peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many
other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes)
affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of
fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection,
disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy,
human rights, gender equality and the advancement of women, governance, economic and
social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production,
and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future
generations. The search for peace culminated in the form of the UNITED NATIONS after World
War II. From April 25 to June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 nations met at San Francisco to draft
a charter for the United Nations. Later, many other countries joined United Nations. The United
Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, when its charter had been ratified by
China, France, the USSR, the UK and US, and by a majority of other signatories. This day every
year is celebrated as the UN day the world over.

THE PRINCIPLES OF UNITED NATION

1. It is based on the sovereign equality of all its members.
2. All members are to fulfil in faith their charter obligations.
3. They are to settle their international disputes by peace.
 4. They are to refrain from the threat or use of force against other state.
5. They are to give the United Nations every assistance in every action it takes in
accordance with the charter.
6. Nothing in the charter is to Authorized the United Nations to intervene in matters
which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.
The United Nation has 4 main purposes

• To keep peace throughout the world;

• To develop friendly relations among nations;
• To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger,
disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;
• To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals

THE MAIN ORGAN OF UNITED NATIONS

1. The general assembly
2. The Security Council
3. The secretariat
4. The trusteeship council
5. The economic and social council
6. The International court of justice

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The main deliberative organ of UN. The general assembly is like
the world parliament. It ordinarily meets once a year unless there is some emergency for a
special session. Decisions are making by a two-third majority. Composed of all United Nations
member states, the assembly meets in regular yearly session under a president elected from
among the member states. The first session was convened on 10 January, 1946 in the
Westminster central hall in London and included representatives from 51 Nations.
THE SECURITY COUNCIL. It is in-charged with maintaining peace and security among
countries. The Security Council has the power to make binding decisions that member
Governments have agreed to carry out, under the terms of charter. The decisions of the council
are known as UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS. The Security Council
comprises five permanent members -United States, Britain, and France, Russia and China and
ten non-permanent members, who are elected for two years by general assembly. The
permanent members have the power to veto any of the decisions of SC (Security Council).
THE SECRETARIAT. It is headed by the secretary-general, assisted by a staff of international
civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations
bodies for their meeting. It also carries out tasks as directed by the UN Security Council, The
UN bodies. The United Nations charter provides that the staff be chosen by application of the
“highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity” with due regard for the importance
of recruiting on the wide geographical basis. The charter provides that the staff shall not seek or
receive instructions from any authority other than the UN member country is enjoined to respect
the international character of the secretariat and not seek to influence its staff. The secretary-
general alone is responsible for staff-selection. The secretary general’s duties include helping
resolve international disputes, administering peacekeeping operations, organizing international
conferences, gathering information on the implementation on the security council decisions, and
consulting with member Governments regarding various initiatives. The secretary-general may
bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that, in his or her opinion, may threaten
international peace and security.
THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL. Aims in helping countries under foreign rule to attain
independence. There were eleven such countries that had come under this system after the
Second World War. By 1994, all trust territories had attained independence. The last to do was
the Palau, which became the 185 th member state of the UN
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL. Assists the general assembly in promoting
international economic and social cooperation and development. ECOSOC has 54 members, all
of which are elected by the general assembly for a three-year term. The president is elected for
one-year term and chosen among the small or middle powers represented on ECOSOC.
ECOSOC meets once a year in July for a four-week session. Since 1998, it has held another
meeting each April with finance minister heading key committees of the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund. Viewed separate from the specialized bodies coordinates,
ECOSOC’s functions include information gathering, advising member nations, and making
recommendations. In addition, ECOSOC is well positioned to provide policy coherence and
coordinate the overlapping functions of the UN’s subsidiary and it is in these roles that it is the
most active.
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. It consists of 15 judges elected by the Security
Council and the general assembly for a term of nine years. Each one of them has to be from
different country. The court gives advisory opinion on legal matters to the organs and special
agencies of the UN when solicited. It also considers legal disputes brought before it by nations.

SPECIALIZED AGENCIES OF UNITED NATIONS

1. International Labour Organization
2. Food and Agricultural Organization
3. United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
4. World Health Organization
5. World Bank
6. International Monetary Fund
7. International Civil Aviation Organization
8. Universal Postal Union
9. International Telecommunication Union
10. International Maritime Organisation
11. World Meteorological Organisation
12. World Intellectual Property Organisation
13. International Fun for Agricultural Development
14. UN Industrial Development Organisation
15. International Atomic Energy Agency
16. World Trade Organisation

SPECIALIZED BODIES OF UNITED NATIONS

1. United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)
2. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
3. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
4. United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
5. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
6. United Nations University (UNU)
7. World Food Council (WFC)
8. United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
9. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
10. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
 11. United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-habitat)
12. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
13. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
14. United Nations Inter-regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)

SOME HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES OF UNITED NATIONS

1. Treaty on cybercrime on November 23, 2001 representatives of 30 countries met in the
Budapest and signed the first ever international treaty on criminal offences committed in the
internet.
2. UN Resolution 1973- effort to nab terrorism
following the global demand to act against terrorists and states that support or harbour them,
the UN unanimously passed the resolution.
3. Millennium summit
at the summit, held at UN Headquarters from 6 to 8 September 2000, world leaders
established clear direction for the organization in the new century. The millennium declaration
targets for poverty, disease and environment issues.
4. Protecting children in war
the general assembly in 2000 adopted a draft to the convention on the right of the child,
under which states parties agree to raise the age limit for both compulsory recruitment and
participation in combat from 15 to 18.
5. UN secretary General Ban-Ki Moon urges greater efforts to feed world’s hungry amid
ongoing recession.
6. UN refugee agency calls on Kenya to stop forced return Somali asylum seekers.
UN rural development arm to help poor farmers in Tajikistan.

What is the importance of global governance?

Effective global governance will allow us to end armed conflict, deal with new and
emerging problems such as technological risks and automation, and to achieve levels of
prosperity and progress never before seen. The most important challenge for humanity to
overcome is that of existential risks.
REFERENCES
Barrett, S., 2005. The Problem of Averting Global Catastrophe. Chi. J. Int’l L., 6, p.527.
Hale, T., Held, D. and Young, K., 2013. Gridlock: why global cooperation is failing when we need it most.
Hale et. all frame global governance as the solution to the issue of major world power’s inability to
coordinate
Hirshleifer, J., 1983. From Weakest-Link to Best-Shot: The Voluntary Provision of Public Goods. Public
choice, 41[3], pp.371-386.
Harack, B., Laskowski, K., Bailey, R., Marcotte, J., Jaques, S., Datta, D., and Kuski, S., 2017. Ruling
Ourselves: The deliberate evolution of global cooperation and governance. Available
online: http://rulingourselves.com
Lopez-Claros, A., Groff, M., Dahl, A., Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the
21st Century, 2017. Peace, governance, and civilization: Reflections on the Paris Peace Forum
United Nations, 2000. Millennium development goals. Available
online: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Pinker, S., 2012. The better angels of our nature: Why violence has declined. Penguin Books.
 GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
CHAPTER FIVE

Introduction
Citizenship is associated with rights and obligations, for instance, the right to vote and
the obligation to pay taxes. Both rights and obligations link the individual to state. Cecilia
Johanna van Peski (as cited in Baraldi, 2012) defined global citizenship “as a moral and ethical
disposition that can guide the understanding of individuals or groups of local and global
contexts, and remind them of their relative responsibilities within various communities.” Global
citizens are the glue which binds local communities together in an increasingly globalized world.
In van Peski’s words, “global citizens might be a new type of people that can travel within these
various boundaries and somehow still make sense of the world” (Braldi, 2012).
Global citizenship does not automatically entail a single attitude and a particular value
with globalization. We must remember that globalization is not a single phenomenon; rather,
there are many globalizations. While some need to be resisted, others are welcomed and
should be encouraged. They are bound to be multiple futures for multiple globalizations. These
globalizations created enemies because according to one broad view, globalization blame either
Westernization or global capitalism. Thus, the enemies resist globalization, especially when it
comes to global economy and global governance.
Learning Outcomes
1. Articulate a personal definition of global citizenship
2. Appreciate the ethical obligations of global citizenship

Three Approaches to Global Economic Resistance

Trade Protectionism
Involves the systematic government intervention in foreign trade through tariffs and non-tariff
barriers in order to encourage domestic producers and deter their foreign competitors
(McAleese, 2007). Although there exists a widespread consensus regarding its inefficiency,
trade protectionism is still popular since it shields the domestic economy from systemic shocks.
Fair Trade
Fair trade is a different approach to economic globalization, which emerged as a counter to
neoliberal “free trade” principles (Nicholls and Opal, 2005). It aims at a more moral and
equitable global economic system in which, for instance, price is not set by the market; instead,
it is negotiated transparently by both producers and consumers. While it is popular among
consumers in the North, it has met only limited acceptance among producers (Ritzer, 2015). Its
ability to supply a mass market and its applicability to manufacture products are also doubted.
Helping the Bottom Billion
Based on Collier (2007), increasing aid is only one of the many measures that are required.
International norms and standards can be adapted to the needs of the bottom billion. The
reduction of trade barriers would also reduce the economic marginalization of these people and
their nations.
 When it comes to dealing with political globalization, increased accountability (Germain,
2004) and transparency are the key issues. All political organizations, at different levels should
be more accountable for their actions because they are now surrounded by an “ocean of
opacity” (Holzner and Holzner, 2006, p. 336). Increased transparency has been aided by
various mechanisms such as transnational justice systems, international tribunals, civil society,
and particularly the Transparency International. Like globalization, resistance to globalization is
multiple, complex, contradictory, and ambiguous. This movement also has the potential to
emerge as the new public sphere, which may uphold progressive values such as autonomy,
democracy, peace, ecological sustainability, and social justice. These forces of resistance are
themselves products of globalization and can be seen as globalization from below (Smith,
2008). According to della Porta et al. (2006), the impetus for such a movement comes from
individuals, groups, and organizations which are oppressed (i.e., self-perception) by
globalization from above (neoliberal economic systems or aggressively expanding nations and
corporations). They seek a more democratic process of globalization. However, globalization
from below also involves less visible, more right-wing elements, such as the America First Party
and the Taliban. The World Social Forum (WSF) is centered on addressing the lack of
democracy in economic and political affairs (Fisher and Ponniah, 2003). However, the diversity
of elements involved in WSF hinders the development of concrete political proposals. A
significant influence on WSF has been that of cyberactivism, which is based on the “cultural
logic of networking” (Juris, 2005) and “virtual movements”, such as Global Huaren. This
cyberpublic was formed as a protest against the violence, discrimination and hatred
experienced by Chinese residents in Indonesia after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 1998,
worldwide rallies condemning the violence were made possible through the Global Huaren
which according to Ritzer (2015) “became an interesting global watchdog for Chinese interests”
(p. 307).Since there is no single globalization, the future is also multi-dimensional. Some
foresee the continuing expansion of globalization both in general as well as in more specific
globalization. Others have a far more pessimistic vision of “Mad Max” scenarios that could end
the current era of globalization (Turner, 2007).In any case, given that there is no world
government, the idea of global citizenship demands the creation of rights and obligations.
Moreover, fulfilling the promises of globalization and the solution to the problems of the
contemporary world does not lie on single entity or individual, but on citizens, the community,
and the different organizations in societies, the dynamics of globalization demands the efforts of
the whole array of inter-governmental organizations such as the United Nations and the World
Bank; international NGOs like Greenpeace and Amnesty International; and the citizen initiatives
and community action groups that reach above the nation-state level like the World Social
Forum and Occupy Movement. Ultimately, reforms in global governance are required to allow
world citizens to take more part directly in all aspects of human life at the global level.

REFERENCES
Aldama, Prince Kennex R. (2018). “The Contemporary World”. Rex Book Store, Sampaloc,
Manila.
Alporha, Vernonica and John Lee Candelaria (2018). Readings in Philippine History. Rex Book
Store Inc., Sampaloc, Manila
Zaide, Sonia M. (2000). The Philippines: A Unique nation, History of the Republic of the
Philippines, Cubao, Quezon City.