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Wed, Dec 10th 2008, 08:06

Patrick Edwin Moran, Wake Forest University, Platinum Contributor (201)

This article aroused considerable negative comment on the author’s blog. The reason was clear: Many perceive governments primarily as controllers of people, punishers of people, and takers of taxes. People often have no use for government until disaster strikes. Rachman’s comments indicate several ways in which the people of the world can best be served by providing global services. Even within large American cities, the police powers of the state have been shown to be more effective when controlled at the community level. A proto-world government ought not to intrude on such areas as long as the scale of criminal activity is not transnational. In cases where epidemic diseases are involved, some police powers may be appropriate to a world medical agency. The way forward, in the main, will be to provide needed and appreciated services when a global approach is useful.

Wed, Dec 10th 2008, 14:33

Markus Drake, atlantic-community.org, Gold Contributor (80)

The comment, in the article, by a French aide of president Sarkozy, that "governance" would be the same as "government" is intriguing. I think it is an example of how political circles want to see themselves as the only option for how to manage things. If things are to be governed, they think, of course they are to be in that government. This attitude definitely slows down and thwarts attempts to work towards global governance or steering. And, as Professor Moran notes, the way forward is to offer something, not force something down people's throats.