Paul, how do localized governments -- which hopefully would have
governments subordinated democratically to the democratic will -- deal
with a globalized capitalism (i.e., imperialism)? without some sort of
democratically-controlled world government, how are wars between the
localities avoided?
On 10/16/05, paul phillips <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Sabri,
> I tend to agree with you except the first clause "our planet is shrinking".
> I would argue, because of peak oil and global warming, globalism ("a
> shrinking planet") is shortly, if not already, in retreat. All of those
> writing in this area argue, I think correctly, that we must retreat into an
> era of localism. Indeed, many argue that the US is not a nation state and
> is too large to be a nation state and should be broken up into a series of
> regional governments. (Hopefully, this would end the US imperialist design).
> As a Canadian, I am sympthetic to that argument and, of course, to the
> argument that Canada should be broken into a series of regional governments.
> To an extent that may already be true.
>
> This leads me to this more or less motherhood generalization, that the only
> meaningful government in the future are the "local" governments covering
> local/regional socio-economic regions; and regional "confederations" of
> local governments meaning that confederal positions are based on regional
> consensus. "National" (whatever that means) interests must conflate the
> interests of the local/regional interests. Thus the nation state must, in
> essense, become a very local thing. But that means, of course, a very
> different conception of the 'Nation State'.
>
>
>
>
> Our planet is shrinking, common problems like finite
> energy, global warming, and pollution are going to be key
> and the old model of competing states seems unsuited for
> these challenges.
>
> I agree with this wholeheartedly.
>
> Yet I still support the deployment of the so-called "nation state" against
> the so-called "globalization" (or should we say "imperilialism" as it
> stands)to achieve the above objective. Some sort of a "stagism" maybe, but
> in my heart I believe that this is the way to go. Of course, I have no proof
> of that this is the way to go. This is just a feeling. Those who are willing
> to change my feelings are most welcome to give it a try to change them if
> they care.
>
> Since most people who know me know that I am an "anti-globalizationist", or
> better said, "counter-globalizationist", they find it difficult to
> understand why I still support the so- called "nation state".
>
> Yet I still do since this is the only possible tool to use I can think of to
> counter "globalization".
>
> Any comments?
>
> Best,
>
> Sabri
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
--
Jim Devine
"Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let
people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
