Will there be a concentration of power having a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)”?
We already have a significant concentration of capital and power due to the global economy. To cope with that, we see two basic possibilities:
(1) Cut back global economy to national economies and/or cut back “global corporations” to regional players or
(2) keep global trade as a booster for growth, prosperity, and cost efficiency and develop a global political framework strong enough to stay in balance and develop a healthy society.
With the concept of the “GDR” we pledge for the second (2) path. We think we need a “Political Globalisation” process.
Furthermore, the “GDR” legislation process in our view is based on as much as possible grass-roots democratic processes. We are in great favour of as much as possible grass-roots (or direct) democracy (e.g. like in Switzerland), although we understand, this might be in conflict with fast decision making processes. And, the “GDR” has to focus on global minium social, environmental, and health standards (“lowest common denominator”). To cope with local circumstances, national legislation will remain at least in the first phase of a “GDR” in our view.
Will a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)” reduce or promote global trade or the “global economy”?
We are in great favour of liberated global trade (Adam Smith: The wealth of nations). Already Adam Smith understood (Adam Smith: The moral sentiment) within the 18th century, we need strong and binding rules for a sustainable “global economy”. We need a global political system as strong as the global corporations. Currently, the multinational corporations actually govern the national states. This process can not be reverted in going back to strengthen the national states. The current, in our view very worrying, trend to nationalism, can not give an answer to that question. Going back to regions, like Europe, America, Asia, Africa will reduce the efficiency of global trade and increase the tensions between these regions. We think, a global political system can promote global trade and liberated markets in a sustainable way.
What happens with the current national states within a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)”?
They will remain as they are at least in the first phase. We see the demand for federalism, although we are clearly in favour of a global democracy without national states and global citizenship. Global democracy has the goal to reduce the “boarders” between national states and to reduce the “boarders” within our brains and cultures. We understand, this is a very long lasting (peace) process.
How can the “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)” be developed?
There are several scenarios discussed within science and politics. We are clearly in favour of developing the “GDR” out of the “United Nations (UN)”. This would mean that the UN develops (1) a legislation system with a “Global Constitution” (based on the “Human Rights”), a “Global Parliament” and a “Global Government” and current national states give their legislation power within specified areas to the “GDR”. There are various possibilities on how a “Global Parliament” is elected and how a “Global Government” can be constituted. The “Global Government” gets the power for global and binding legislation processes from all participating national states.
The great weakness of the current supranational political system is the low power to actually develop global binding rules and then successful execute these global rules. So we also see the demand for (2) a global execution (“Police”, etc.) system. This enables the “GDR” to actually execute international law coming from the “GDR” and the “Global Parliament” (e.g. to actually reduce greenhouse gases (GHG), develop health standards, fight against international crime).
The third column (3) is the independent justice system. Currently there is the “International Criminal Court (ICC)” and the “International Court of Justice” from the UN. This can be extended in our view.
The fourth column (4) is the independent media. This can be promoted with the income from a global tax system.
What are the main institutions of a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)”?
There is first of all the “Global Parliament” and the “Global Government”. The “Global Parliament” is elected within a global democratic voting. In our view, we have the first time in the history of mankind the necessary (telecommunicate) infrastructure for global and secure democratic votings. This voting is in our view in the first phase of the “GDR” organised within the national states (benchmark here would be the election of the “European Parliament”).
The “Global Government” is constituted out of the “Global Parliament”.
Will there be global political parties within a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)”?
This would be the highest development level of the GDR. To reach this, we see the demand for steps in advance. We are in favour of elections within each single current national state based on the political parties present within each single country in the first phase. Within the “GDR” the “Global Parliament” is clearly a parliament of political parties (rather than national states).
It would be certainly desirable to actually have global parties and these parties nominate candidates for the global election and thus for the “Global Parliament”. We see this as a very long term perspective.
How long would be a legislation period within a “Global Democratic Republic (GDR)”?
We are in favour of a long legislation period (e.g. 10 years) to fight populistic political trends and give time for sustainable political developments. We see a mix and a need for grass-roots (or direct) democratic processes on a regular basis about emerging political decision making.