world government

[Enforcer Talen]

what would it need to work? assume its set around 20 years from now, and can encompass 3/4 of the world.

no answers like, it cant be done due to these third world countries

[Enforcer Talen]

what would it need to work? assume its set around 20 years from now, and can encompass 3/4 of the world.

no answers like, it cant be done due to these third world countries

edit; how would you go about bringing this?

things that come to mind are an army, a world court, a space program, and trust busting abilities.

I can envision an army composed of volunteers, paid for by taxes on corporations or donations from governments. world court we have, iirc, space program would need to be massive, matching population growth. trust busting skills are key to handle megacorporations.

control over external trade would be good too, like a common market banning goods to certain countries.

[Joe]

It would need an outside threat to come into existence.

[Enforcer Talen]

I am skeptical. the south american tribes didnt really unite when facing cortez.

[Coyote]

The closest we'd come is a bunch of regional hegemonies that come together for occassional mass action when they feel the need is appropriate. Expecting a world government in the next 20 years, absent an alien invasion, is too much.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

what would it need to work? assume its set around 20 years from now, and can encompass 3/4 of the world.

no answers like, it cant be done due to these third world countries

That's the only answer that is even remotely feasible in twenty years, unless you gave me a magic wand made from the wood of the extremely rare mostwankiferous unobtanium tree so that I might instantly disintegrate all the people and nations which would object to a serious global government without the nasty side-effects of having to do it conventionally (such as nuclear fallout, global economic depression, etc.)

In twenty years, the absolute best you can hope for is a somewhat less-corrupt version of the United Nations.

[Seggybop]

Meh...

next 20 years?

Easiest would be for the US to unleash the Atomic Steamroller™ and forcibly unify humanity. I'm confident that it could be pulled off that way, but it would make WW2 look like a soccer game.

If an alien enemy appeared, it would probably result in the formation of an international military force, but it would likely break apart as soon as the situation is resolved.

There are some technological developments that could lead to unification peacefully, but I don't think we'll have fast worldwide transportation, fully automated production, or anything like that within the necessary time period.

[Rye]

Something that's a serious threat to everyone would be the only way to make them all unite, I'd guess, be it alien invasion, fast zombie plague that infects people like that early 20th century flu, something otherwise horrific and clearly affecting everyone Otherwise people just have their own agendasfrom which they can't see beyond the current generation, threaten that entire generation and they have a reason to unify.

[Guardsman Bass]

I can imagine(in 20 years) several fairly powerful UN programs, and a stronger UN bureaucracy, if the UN is granted more funds and the ability to form a standing army. Not a world government, but heavy interrelation between the international bureaucracy and the national bureaucracies and elites. Sort of like an international "Leviathan" as seen in Hobbes' writing, only much weaker.