World government

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World government in science fiction

In both science fiction and utopian/dystopian novels, authors have made frequent use of the age-old idea of a global state and, accordingly, of world government. In tune with Kant's vision of a world state based on the voluntary union of all countries of this planet in order to avoid colonialism and in particular any future war ("Idee zu einer allgemeinen Geschichte in weltbürgerlicher Absicht", 1784; "Zum ewigen Frieden", 1795), some of these scenarios depict an egalitarian and environmentally sustainable world supervised (rather than controlled) by a benevolent (and usually democratic) world government. Others, however, describe the effects of a totalitarian regime which, after having seized power in one country, annexes the rest of the world in order to dominate and oppress all humankind. James L. Halperin's novel The Truth Machine (1996) is an example of the former while Ira Levin's This Perfect Day (1970) and the evangelical Christian Left Behind series are examples of the latter.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Utopia - Dystopia - Kant - Colonialism - War - Egalitarian - James L. Halperin - The Truth Machine - Ira Levin - This Perfect Day - Left Behind

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The Truth Machine envisages the future of humankind after the invention of a device which is much more reliable than conventional lie detectors. Mass marketed and as small and cheap as a mobile phone, the truth machine is available to everyone so that lying has become something which just does not pay any longer and, consequently, is generally considered erratic behaviour which used to occur in the past. Also, crime has become almost obsolete. As politicians are in no way exempt from being continually checked, no economy with the truth can be found in their speeches or soundbites any longer, and only those who really wish well are prepared to take office. As the only remaining superpower, the United States of America takes the lead and all the other nations readily join in to form a truly global society.

Related Topics:
Lie detector - Crime - Politician - Soundbite - Superpower

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The Left Behind books are a series of novels that tell the story of the Rapture according to evangelical Christian theology. The stories center around the quick rise to power of a charismatic, populist Romanian politician named Nicolae Carpathia who is eventually appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations. Once in power, Nicolae advocates a series of popular proposals, such as a global currency and massive international disarmament. Eventually, all countries unite into one "Global Community." However, things quickly turn sinister, and although Nicolae remains increasingly revered (now as "Global Pontiff") he institutes increasingly totalitarian measures to unite the world, such as allowing only one legal religion, and only one global media outlet. Nicholae is eventually seen as the antichrist, and is rejected by the books' Christian protagonists. The idea that the antichrist will be the leader and chief advocate of a world government is a popular theory among believers in Christian Rapture theory.

Related Topics:
Rapture - Romania - Secretary-General of the United Nations - Currency - Global Community - Pontiff - Antichrist

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This Perfect Day is set in a seemingly perfect global society whose genesis remains vague ("Christ, Marx, Wood and Wei led us to this perfect day" is what schoolchildren have to chant). The world is ruled by a central computer called UniComp which has been programmed to keep every single human on the surface of the earth in check. People are continually drugged by means of regular injections so that they can never realize their potential as human beings. They are told where to live, what to eat and which job to take. Everyone wears a bracelet with a scanner which tells them where they are allowed to go and what they are allowed to do. At 65, they receive a lethal injection. Even opposition against such a life by those few who happen to be resistant to the drug and who consequently wake up to a day which for them turns out to be anything but perfect is dealt with by the programmers of UniComp who, in their underground hideaway, constitute the world government.

Related Topics:
Christ - Marx - Computer - Scanner

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Lunar government

Main article: Lunar Government

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Perhaps the most promising prospect in the near future for a single world government may be on the moon. Administration of Lunar territories may initially follow the Antarctic model, whereby land is divided up amongst existing nations. Once a sufficient population has developed, several thousand perhaps, a path towards self-governance could be forged through either the UN or by a unilateral declaration of independence. (This would be a ?world government? in the sense of unitary planetary authority but would lead to the balkanization of the solar system, and would actually create more, rather than fewer sovereign governments.)

Related Topics:
Moon - Antarctic - Balkanization

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