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Tltf I|ISHINGI6- FAS'T
FRIDAY. NOYEMBER I1.. 199?
EDITORALS/OPff{TO,ry
For a GlobalPeoples
Asse*bgY
rT TILMINGTON. Delaware
\ry
-
The recent dramatic
announcements of record-set-
tine contributions to interna-
tioial causes by Ted Tumer and
George Soros suggest tremen-
dous nossibilities for the fururc-
Thise t rro men signify the rise
of a new'breed of global phil-
anthropist active in fashionin_g
an international civil socierY. It
was globa.lization that gave them
the ouoortunities to arnass ex-
traorciihary u'ealth. It ftow
orovides them and others with a
irttiqu. oppomrniry b contribute
to human well-bchg.
This includes pushing for the
democratization of the global
order, a goal that govefitments
are reluctant to promotc.
Such indivicluals could do
this most imaginativelY bY
'omvidine
funds for thc esub-
iisttm"niof a popularly elected
Global Peoples AssemblY'
which would provide the
world's citizens for the Frst
time with a forum to exPrcss
their planeury' aspirations and
grievances outside the tradi-
tional nation-state context.
Elections for this assemblY
could be organized and admin-
istered by an international cit-
izens' commiRec and oversccn
by the respected Swedish or-
ganization lnternational Demo-
cratic Elections Assistance, or
IDEA. Once established, the as-
sembly could lobbY govern-
ments for formal recognition
within the UN system.
To be gin with, however, such
an assembly would have al il-
ternational
-legal
starus similar
to that of nongovernmcntal or-
ganizations like the Red Cross
or Amnesry International. Un-
like them, however, it could laY
claim to speak on behalf of the
rreooles of the world. As the
tnly such body, it would have
By Andrew Strause
and Richard Fslk
the
potcntial to be highlY in-
flueitial even before receiving
formal rccognition.
Specifically, how would this
asscimblv make its influence
felt? Li(e the UN General As'
sembly,
whose official
Fowers
are lirgelY recommendatorY'
, rch ar assemblY would con-
tribute to the creation of
Plan-
etarv norms of bebavior bY is-
suine resolutions and
Pro-
claniations, and morc generallY
by expressing
views on critical
issued of global
PolicY.
'
ln a more and more integra-
ted world that increasinglY
ascribes to democratic
Prin-
ciples, the casc for such an as-
semUlv secms unassailable.
Firsq becausc thc globaliza-
don of rhe world economY inevi-
tably requires the develrcPment
of
giouat regulatory instinitions,
rhJ oreservltion of fretdonx
nowi:njoycd derrands w9
\Sn
to strubf,ure these msuruhons
alone democratic lines.
SJcond, the very existence of
a citizen<ontrollcd internation-
al assemblv would both ideo-
logically ind' prracticallY re-
inforce democratic
Practices
within countries and undcrmine
authoritarianism.
Third, allowing rePrcsenh-
tives from different coun[ries
and civilizations tJo work togeth-
er to advanc mutual interess
and discuss differences in an as-
sembly sctring would helP
Pro'
mote a clirnatc of civilirY in glots
'
al affairs, encouraging universal
values to prevail over more
Pa-
rochial conccrns, as well as over
sectarian loyalties and beliefs.
Finally, the cstablishment of
such a global assembly with di-
rect electoral accountabilirY to
workers, peasants and other cit-
izens would give currentlY vul-
nerablc
grouPs.a voice and helP
them regain some of the
Power
lost to i-itcnrational
capital as a
result of clobalizatiost.
The mijor argument likelY to
be advanced against such an un-
denaking is that it is naive'
idealistic and, at bcst.
Prema-
rure. To be sure, logistical
Prob-
lems would have to be over-
corrle. Worldwide elections
would havc to be indePendentlY
organized. A voting formula
based upon one
Prson,
one vote
would liave to be
Put
into
Place,
and elections would need to'be
certifiable as free and fair.
There would, of course, be
elitches.
Some
govenunents
iould undoubtedlY
not allow
such elections to occur on their
territories, and until sufficient
pressurc could be brought to
bear their citizens
would have
to so unreDresented. But these
proil"tnt would not be fatal to
the endeavor.
Therc is no reason to think
this lies bevond the realm of the
oossible. fndeed, a bold, vis-
ionary undertaking at the snrt
of a iew millennium might ac-
tivatc the Political
and moral
imagination of all those who
asoiie to construct a world order
m6rc r"sponsive to the values
associated with democracY.
Those wilh the resources
have the capacirY to make this
proposal a rialirY bY seizing the
initiative and
Promoting
the
democratization
of the emerg-
ins intcmational
order. Dernoc-
.uEv at the global level is
neided and long overdue'
Mr. Strauss and Mr. Falk' in-
,rriiu,""t-ii
p*luttort or
[190]
Widener and Princeton Uni'
ve rsities, respeuively, crtntrilt-
uted this to rhe HeraldTrihune-
:'..
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