Planetary government

What would happen if we (as a planet) were approached by a group of aliens like the ones in Episode I and asked to join a Galactic Senate? One condition would probably be to form a planetary government. Who would lead this planetary government? Is it possible to have a one-world government? We'd also need to pick a planetary senator.

The United States is obviously the most dominant country, but I'm sure there would be global outcry if both the Senator and the World President were American. Maybe if we had to switch to this form of government tomorrow, Bill Clinton would be World President and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan could be Senator. Or maybe we'd want a worldwide celebrity (George Lucas? ) to be a Senator.

I say NO to a planetary government that isn't led by me.

First of all, nationalism goes out the window... and besides, we just couldn't all cooperate. There's still the fact that so many languages are used on Earth, too. Too many countries would want to separate from the world government if it were too predominantly Anglophone or American or Christian or anything. Even choosing a single system, such as a democracy, would drive anti-democratic people nuts.

Also, do you have any idea how bloody long it would take to formulate a worldwide Constitution?

And as for having a single Senator represent our planet... it should be a rotational position.

Like IP said nationalism would have to lose its appeal. Then a new form of identification would be needed, so every human would relate to the entire earth instead of nations. I don´t think this have any chance to happen, not in a long time ( though I actually feel it´s, in theory, a better alternative than nationalism ). Historical experiences have shaped each contry in such a way that the differences may be too great to overcome. Just look at the Scandinavian countries. They may seem to have much in common, yet there are differences such as culture, age of each country etc that could cause problems.

The only probable thing to unite the earth would be an external threat of some kind. In times of threats from the outside people tend to forget about their fights and work together. It´s just that kind of union has not a good chance to last for long.

As for the question who would lead the planet government, I say it will depend upon who holds the most power, political, economical etc.

Being a Canadian, nationalism is VERY important to me, because we as a country are constantly under the shadow of the United States...

Yes, but Americanized countries dominate the globe. Why shouldn't they dominate the planetary government? And how could we possibly have a clean global election for President and Senator? In any event, if everyone voted and there was a candidate from every country, the Chinese guys would always win since there's more of 'em

The United Nations could assume the role as temporary world government. The national governments would still function, but more in a local role.

In any case it doesn't really matter, as I don't think we'll be approached by aliens any time soon

You're forgetting that the United Nations was created with the specific condition that it was NOT to be a planetary government...

"Being a Canadian, nationalism is VERY important to me, because we as a country are constantly under the shadow of the United States..."

Ah! Maybe there IS a chance that English Canada understand Quebec...

J/K !!!

I dont consider Canada to be an independent nation. They belong to the US. Canada itself is a bunch of bull. The only good things that came from Canada were a couple of athletes and Canadian Bacon. Canada is just filled with a bunch of empty-skulled dumb asses and French people. They never got invloved it any world war! They just stayed home with grizzly bears while us Americans fought our asses off in both WW's. If there were ever to be another WW, one of two things would happen:
A)Americans will get invloved, Canadians will continue to have grizzlies.
B)America would beat the **** out of Canada and take OUR land back (thus forcing them to be involved)!

btw, I was defeated by the lovely censor!

"I dont consider Canada to be an independent nation. They belong to the US. Canada itself is a bunch of bull."

You are SERIOUSLY asking for it...

"The only good things that came from Canada were a couple of athletes and Canadian Bacon."

And hockey. And basketball. And Java technology. And peacekeeping. And a whole lot more...

"Canada is just filled with a bunch of empty-skulled dumb asses and French people."

Empty-skulled dumb asses that slander neighbouring nations with absolutely no justification? Sure, we have them, but they make up a percentage of the population no higher or no lesser than what you get in the States. As for the French people, I'll let juntel flame your ass off.

"They never got invloved it any world war! They just stayed home with grizzly bears while us Americans fought our asses off in both WW's."

Actually, Canada joined World War I in 1914. The U.S. joined in 1917. Canada joined World War II in 1939. The U.S. joined in 1941. And who do you think supplied the uranium for the atomic bomb? Not to mention that during the Cold War, our missile defense system covered your ass on your northern border.

"If there wereever to be another WW, one of two things would happen:
A)Americans will get invloved, Canadians will continue to have grizzlies.
B)America would beat the **** out of Canada and take OUR land back (thus forcing them to be involved)!"

A) There hasn't been a World War since the Second, in a large part due to the fact that Canada led United Nations peacekeeping operations that shut down highly volatile situations such as the Suez Crisis, the Korean War, the Bosnian War... you Americans just have the Gulf War to your name. And you technically lost at Vietnam.
B) First of all, it was never your land. Also, the last time the States tried to invade Canada was in the War of 1812, and you guys didn't move the border one bit. We also had fun burning down the original White House (which wasn't white until you had to paint over the damage afterwards).

I hope you know, I had the moderator power to delete your post entirely, but it was more fun to SHUT YOU DOWN instead...

In 1812, Canada was still owned by Britain. So technically, it was the British who burned the white house, and the british who kicked our asses defending the border. If we tried again, we'd kick your asses. And dont get me started with british people!

From your logic, the U.S. never even attempted to invade Canada at all.

They could have done so, a long time ago. Why haven't they? Because Canada is too valuable to them, that's why.

.

Oh my, I think my post left anduin speechless...

Remind me to never debate with you......you're so thorough.

Hullo Thrawn.....good to see that you haven't changed much.

As IP so eloquently said, the US needs Canada. We're your largest trading partner. Thank you, IP, for the stuuf about WWI and WWII; I was all ready to jump in with that, but I didn't need to. Thrawn, if you think Canadians never did anything for the allies in wartime, do a little research on places called Vimy Ridge and Dieppe.

Hmmm... Interesting... We had a thread about the same topic at the JC not so long time ago...

Anyway:

There are some good things about a planetary goverment. Too bad they're mostly idealistical. There are anyway so many bad things about, so it wouldn't work out... Like inner problems, all the stir about ethnic groups...

We would have to work really hard to make it all work... Lots of changes would be needed.

The only way a world government would work is if EVERYONE would be willing to put aside their differences & work together, and frankly there's just too much prejudice out there for the whole world to cooperate. not just prejudice by skin color or religion or any of the recognized ones, but also the prejudice inherent in nationalism. And the prejudice against certain countries, like many countries feel towards the US - the "great satan," according to places suck as Iraq (i think - or was it Iran?).

As for who would lead this government, any way it would be organized would create problems. If we gave each citizen a vote & had candidate & parties, like the US system to elect a president, how do we count citizens? which "token age" would we all agree on for adulthood - 18, 21, puberty? woud we count slaves, in those countries where slavery hasn't been abolished? (side question: would we have to go through another war & destroy another economy to end slavery in those countries?) If we chose a leader from the world's largest nation (now: China) , then the world would very quickly be under the control of that country's government. In any way the government woudl be set up, small countries with unique cultures (particularly the un-Americanized) would be swallowed up & assimilated, & there cultures lost, & i think that would be very sad.

I think that humanity isn't ready for a world government. If we can ever put our pettiness & prejudice aside, and learn to recognize our differences without over-asserting them, than maybe we'll be ready.

aryne *

PS - "the surest sign of intelligent life is that noen have tried to contact us" - Calvin & Hobbes

PS2 - thank you, IP - if there's one thing i can't stand it's pointless bashing.

PS3 - i do admire the UN for its attempts at unifying the planet, but we're just not ready.

"They never got invloved it any world war!"

That made me laugh at first, but only at first.
The US own surveys say that american students (therefore americans) are not very knowledgeable of their own history, let alone world history.

The US has a very long history of non-interventionism; that's why they did come late (as noted above by IP) in wars.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm just saying the http://www.earlyng.homestead.com/files/klonkku.gif's posts above about Canada and the war is just a matter of pitifull ignorance (which is a source of putrid bigotism).

I also wonder what the http://www.earlyng.homestead.com/files/klonkku.gifs who posted above would think of today's Germany... According to their pixel-size brains today's Germany I guess would be worse even than Canada!!!

Finally, I would like to reassure people here that I DO NOT THINK that all americans are like that; most americans I think are like most canadians, most germans, most etc...
They are good people who do not like war, nor hate.

Let's not let the bigots among us turn us against each other.

Well said, juntel.