World Legislative Resolution
Resolution on the Spirit of Global Government under the Constitution
for the Federation of Earth
We, the delegates of the Sixth Provisional World Parliament at Bangkok, meeting under the auspices of the Constitution for the Federation of Earth in March 2003, do hereby affirm the following resolution:
In the light of the fact that many people today express a fear of what they call "big government", a sentiment that makes them hesitate before the idea of world government out of concern that local autonomy and individuality may be diminished,
In the light of the fact that many people today express a fear of what they call "bureaucracy", a sentiment that individual freedoms may be curtailed under a global federal bureaucracy that might require permits for everything and anything that people wish to do,
In the light of the fact that some nation-states today express a fear that world government might diminish their integrity and autonomy as individual nations, which they now claim is defended under the concept of "national sovereignty",
WE WISH TO EMPHASIZE that the Constitution for the Federation of Earth is carefully written to eliminate these potential dangers of world government. The Preamble of the Constitution asserts that "the principle of unity in diversity is the basis for a new age when war shall be outlawed and peace prevail; and when basic human rights and responsibilities shall be shared by all without discrimination." The Constitution is written with the protection of individuals and the integrity of nations in mind, and creates a separate branch of government known as the World Ombudsmus to explicitly prevent world government from violating the rights and freedoms of individuals, groups and nations.
At this Provisional World Parliament, we assembled delegates wish to emphasize these principles embodied in the world constitution by formulating a guideline for future legislation:
The foundation of a secure future for humanity and our natural environment is genuine democracy for all citizens of the planet. This means the empowerment of citizens from the local level to the global level through a social infrastructure providing education and other institutions aimed at making possible effective participation of citizens in democratic decision making.
We wish to emphasize that world government must be a federal system that preserves sufficient local autonomy for citizens to concretely work for justice and the redress of grievances on all levels from local, to national, to global. They must be free to pass local laws tp address their particular concerns within the larger democratic framework of a world government that ensures universal political, economic and social rights to all.
Citizens must be encouraged by world government to recognize and challenge undemocratic institutions and practices at every level. The Constitution as quoted above emphasizes responsibilities as well as rights. World government must encourage a broad range of active citizen involvement in democratic processes. Active citizenship and taking responsibility is not fully accomplished through periodic voting, but through attending public forums, organizing, signing petitions, protesting, street theater, civil disobedience, writing articles and editorials, contributing money, teaching, supporting and establishing alternative media, and many other ways. The active involvement and critical questioning upon which the democratic process depends both permits and encourages each citizen to take active responsibility for good government.
Similarly, nation-states must be protected from unwanted imperialism by other nations-states, or by world government itself, whether this takes the forms of cultural, economic or power based attempts at coercion. The integrity and autonomy of individual nation-states can only be effectively protected by the democratic authority of the whole of humanity, which is the only legitimate sovereign on Earth. Under the principle of unity in diversity, a truly federal system emphasizing the diversity of individuals, peoples, and nations is to be promoted and protected. This resolution emphatically states that future legislation enacted under the Constitution for the Federation of Earth should conform to the principles outlined herein.
* * * * * * * * * *
Introduced by Dr. Glen Martin. Adopted 3 p.m., 25th March 2003, Bangkok, Thailand, by the Sixth Session of Provisional World Parliament.
Attested:
Eugenia Almand, JD, Secretary
Provisional World Parliament