Basic Models of Global Democracy: Theoretical Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to consider possible democratic forms of solving global problems: unilateral actions of democratic states, making interstate alliances and treaties, development of global civil society, establishing supranational (global) democratic public power. Fundamental weaknesses inherent in each of these forms are analyzed. In particular, it is argued that since globalization poses a threat to national democracies, a democratic solution to global problems involves going beyond the national level. At the same time, interstate cooperation also has a fundamentally undemocratic character, since neither the content of treaties, nor the inequality of negotiating opportunities at their conclusion, are under the control of any supranational authority. Similarly, the fundamentally undemocratic nature of global civil society is demonstrated, which many authors rely on when developing concepts of transnational democracy. The fundamental possibility of building a global democracy in the form of a supranational public authority is defended. As an example, the model of the world republic by Otfried Höffe is considered. Attention is focused on the need to develop cosmopolitan (global) virtues and identity, without which any attempt to have a democratic solution to global problems is doomed to failure. It is argued that on the theoretical level, cosmopolitan identity as such and the virtues associated with it are not opposed to national and local identities. It is concluded that in terms of the democratic ideal, the fundamental difficulties that each of the considered models of solving global problems may face show the need to develop an integrative model of global democracy.

Keywords

• global democracy
• transnational democracy
• cosmopolitan democracy
• global issues
• cosmopolitanism