World federalists
The term world federalists refers to people who campaign for an order of society organized according to federalist principles and their international organization ( World Federalist Movement, WFM ).
World federalism
Based on the experiences of the First and Second World Wars, world federalism assumes that tasks such as peace , security , disarmament , prosperity or the preservation of the natural foundations of life on earth can only be mastered by institutions based on the rule of law on a world level. While world citizens strive for a world government , world federalists do not want to completely abolish the nation states, but rather limit their competences in favor of the common good of all people.
According to Edmond Privat , the basic idea of world federalism is that the states of the world renounce their absolute sovereignty in favor of global institutions in the case of important international problems .
aims
In the "A Constitution for the Federation of Earth" passed in Tróia in 1991 , the following goals of a world federation are named:
- preventing war and ensuring disarmament
- the protection of universal human rights , including life, freedom, security, democracy and equal opportunities
- enabling equitable economic and social development for all people on earth
- the regulation of world trade , communication facilities, transport, currency , standardization , the use of world raw material reserves and other worldwide and international processes
- the protection of the environment and the control of technical innovations, the effects of which transcend national borders
- solving problems that are beyond the capacity of national governments, or that are of global or international concern or consequence today or perhaps in the future.
criticism
Critics of this idea, on the other hand, believe that globally uniform regulations undermine competition between states, so that, for example, there are no longer any escape routes for those who do not agree with certain regulations. Some examples of issues that are decidedly differently in different countries are: The right for everyone to carry arms; the right not to be prosecuted for an abortion ; the right to live homosexually without persecution ; the economic system ; the political system . If such controversial issues were uniformly regulated worldwide, a possible emigration would no longer be considered. In this respect, a loss of competition between states is a cut in individual freedom, which becomes all the more serious, the greater the number and scope of the controversially deciding issues.
These points of criticism start at points that world federalism does not even represent and in this respect go in vain: In the context of subsidiarity and federalism, only those problems should be regulated and governed globally which by their nature can only be effectively regulated globally. These are e.g. B. disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or control of CO 2 emissions, but not the abortion mentioned. It is also countered that the criticism of the lack of a possibility of escape also applies to the demands of the opponents of world federalism that unrestricted competition between the states should be ensured.
The concept of a world federation can also be countered by the fact that when national and supranational organizations were created, it would never come to an agreement on what one cannot and will not agree on in the future ( see Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe ) - which is why it would only be a matter of time before a world federation would become a de facto world government.
World Federalist Movement
The World Federalist Movement , founded in 1947, is an international non-governmental organization with advisory status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations . The WFM tries to influence global development processes through lobbying, studies and basic local activities. Its aim is that democracy, the rule of law, federalism and human rights form the basis of the emerging world state order. The focus of efforts is a reform of the United Nations and a further development of international law .
The WFM has been coordinating the Coalition for the International Criminal Court since 1995 , an association of over 2,500 non-governmental organizations worldwide that, together with progressive governments, played a key role in the enforcement of the International Criminal Court . His projects also include the establishment of a parliamentary assembly at the United Nations as an intermediate step towards a world parliament.
The WFM has over 20 national member organizations and numerous associated member organizations, including the Union of European Federalists .
The Interparliamentary Union , an international association of parliaments, has existed since 1889 with the aim of securing peace, promoting the understanding of democracy in all parts of the world and safeguarding human rights. In 2016 the IPU has 167 member states and 10 associated members.
Other organizations
Germany
World federalist ideas were introduced in Germany in the early 20th century a. a. Represented by the German Peace Society , the New Fatherland Federation and the League for Human Rights . The first German association of world federalists are the "Weltföderalisten Deutschlands eV". It was founded in Hamburg in 1949 as the "Association for the Promotion of World Citizenship eV", took on its current name in 1970 and was incorporated into the WFM in 1971 as a German branch. Membership in the WFM was later lost. In 2005 an application was made to join the WFM, but was rejected by the WFM Council. The Committee for a Democratic UN, founded in 2003, bundles world federal activities in Germany. It was recognized as an Associate Organization by the WFM Council in 2005.
There are also a few other clubs in Germany that have similar goals. These include the "Weltbürgervereinigung eV" based in Oldenburg, the "Association of World Citizens Germany eV" based in Überlingen, the " Equilibrismus eV" based in Munich and the "One World Party eV" based in Wiesbaden.
Switzerland
The most important milestone was the founding of the World Federalist Movement in Montreux in 1947 . As a result, the ideas of world federalism spread and in 1960 led to the establishment of the World Federalists Switzerland Association, which is also a member of the World Federation.
Since it was founded, the World Federalists Switzerland have called for Switzerland to join the UN and are part of the sponsorship of the popular initiative adopted by the people on March 3, 2002.
Prominent world federalists
Yehudi Menuhin , Thor Heyerdahl , Sir Peter Ustinov , Albert Einstein , Thomas Mann , Herbert George Wells
Web links
- World Federalist Movement
- World federalists Switzerland
- Committee for a Democratic UN
- The Federalist Debate
Individual evidence
- ↑ Edmond Privat , Federala Sperto , The Hague 1958, p 77
- ^ Constitution for the World Federation (PDF; 39.6 MB) , Aschau [1991], p. 3
- ^ Coalition for the International Criminal Court
- ^ Committee for a Democratic UN
- ↑ Weltbürgervereinigung eV
- ^ Association of World Citizens Germany eV
- ^ One World Party eV