ESSAY AND RESEARCH IDEAS

1. Evolution of International Organization - from Concert of Europe
to UN and beyond.

            From informal meetings of the Great Powers after the
Napoleonic Wars to the UN organization with universal membership -
how decisions on international order have become more inclusive and
how the UNPA continues that trend. (See media release.)

2. Power Politics vs Rule of Law as international organizing systems

           How military might vies with the rule of law as the main
organizing principle in world order.  Development of rule of law from
Grotius and how UNPA would reinforce political vs military solutions
to international strife.

3. UN -  Forum vs. Gov't.

          UN lacks power to make laws and to enforce them, and acts
as a debating club. Comparison of  UN powers of law-making and
taxation and enforcement vs. those at national, provincial and
municipal levels.  See slide #10, (PowerPoint) http://www.vcn.bc.ca/wfcvb/planethoodpps2.ppt
How the Parliamentary Assembly would start the process of reform to provide
the UN with the political and economic resources and governing
authority required to carry out UN responsibilities.

4.  Federalism as a solution

          How  federalism strives to tackle common problems while
retaining the maximum of local power and culture. Examples of the
development of U.S., Canadian and European federalism, and how UNPA
would promote democratic governance at the international level.

5.  Subsidiarity - moving authority down to urban level and up to
supranational level.

          Example of problems at local and international level and
how they might be better addressed if more power is devolved from
state and national to local and global levels.

         If one were to follow the principle of subsidiarity—the handling of matters by the lowest level of authority, etc.  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidiarity], what would/should be the role of global government, and what powers should be emphasized at the local level (how local)? 

6.   Democratization - from Magna Carta to Parliamentary Assemblies

       What is democracy?  How has it evolved, how can it be
improved, and how does the UNPA contribute to its development at the
international level?

        The lack of democratic accountability in the international  governance machinery is the strongest, most enduring critique made by the “anti-globalization” side.  Is there any principled reason why democratic governance is good/appropriate at every level except above the level of the  nation-state?  If the challenge for democracy advocates is to find a measured  approach to “global democratization,” one that is realistic in the world, how does the UNPA, as a consultative body at first, meet the challenge?

Reference:  Boutros Boutros-Ghali’s “An Agenda for Democratization.”

                  Monograph by 4 Euro MEPs

7.   Canada and the UN

          Examples of Canadian support for the UN since its inception
and how the Canadian Government could provide leadership in the UNPA
Campaign.

8.  Global Citizenship

          What is the meaning of global citizenship and how can it be
expressed by individuals.  How the UNPA expands global citizenship by
providing global transparency and a global vote.   

9  Global Problematique

The'tragedy of the commons', and other issues such as militarism, and
epidemics that cannot be solved by individual nations alone.  How the
UNPA will foster co-operative solutions to global problems.

RESOURCE MATERIALS

1. Printed kit prepared by Vancouver Branch.

2.  UN Parliamentary Assembly in a Nutshell  (PowerPoint Presentation)

3. FAQ regarding the establishment of a
United Nations Parliamentary Assembly       http://www.uno-komitee.de/en/projects/unpa/faq.php?id=rem

4.  The Case for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly by Dieter Heinrich
   http://www.unpacampaign.org/documents/en/UNPA1992.pdf

5.  Developing International Democracy - For a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. Pocket book version.http://www.unpacampaign.org/documents/en/STRATEGYPAPER.pdf

6.  Official website of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly

7.  Canadian website - background info at  http://www.vcn.bc.ca/wfcvb/unpafolder/background.html
--

Larry Kazdan,
World Federalist Movement Canada – Vancouver Branch
[email protected]
(604) 874-9982
_______________________________________________________
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