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Rob Warren

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Is a one world government just around the corner?

Humans have gone from caves to settlements, from villages to towns, from cities to metropolises, and from states to unions. As we have grown in number we have grown closer both geographically and culturally. Technology has vastly helped increase our interconnectedness further. Is our path therefore predetermined? Will one day our states become only memories, as a single global union dotted with vast 'megacities' becomes our future?

Topics: civilisation culture government humanity megacity one world system people technology union
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    Seán Defoe

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    Dec 8 2011: It is a very interesting question Rob. There are many advantages and disadvantages to a one world goverment. I think that Tim makes a very good point about the way multiple goverments = multiple approaches but I think that many leading goverments are now looking for universal approaches to problems.

    Lets look at the summit of EU member states taking place as I type for an example. Germany and France want all Eurozone countries to adopt a common tax rate and other measures, in an effort to save the Euro. However many smaller eurozone countries are against this. Ireland for example would lose more business if there was a common industrial tax rate as we rely heavily on our low rate as a draw for international companies to set up here. So would a world goverment with fixed tax rates for every continent or province or however it would divide land, be beneficial for everyone? Human nature is to look after your own and that would be a great obstacle to an International goverment.

    Were it to happen I think its set up would be the hardest part. Would we be ruled by a select council of people or would there be a very Matt Groening-esqe 'President of Earth'. You only have to look at the fierce opposition some Eurozone citizens have towards Merkel and Sarcowzi to see that elections would'nt be easy! Maybe in a post-racism world they could work but I reckon that each country would simply vote for their own, with the biggest majority winning and leaving about 6 billion people unhappy with the goverment. And even for politicians that is a lot of opposition to deal with!

    I dont see it working in my lifetime and it is anything but just around the corner. But one alien invasion could change it all....

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