The global political landscape poses complex challenges to democracy. It is shaped by shifting geopolitical power shifts and changing roles for international organizations and institutions, the rise of modern communications technologies, the growing impact of economic and environmental issues on politics and society, increasing social inequalities, and political polarization. These factors skew political representation and voice and can contribute to democratic backsliding.
One response has been to promote a more effective form of global governance, often referred to as “global democracy.” Proponents see the need for an ongoing effort to bring the world closer to democracy. They argue that individuals who are significantly affected by laws, regulations, and policies should have a say in writing them. They advocate a new model of democracy called “cosmopolitan” that is more inclusive and egalitarian than existing forms of national democracy. This approach is sometimes allied to justice-based arguments, such as the need for global rules that secure human rights.
Global democracy aims to turn intergovernmental and multinational institutions into democratic global ones by letting citizens vote on them. Its long-term goal is to federate these global institutions into a full-fledged democratic world government. Its immediate objectives include building a limited number of democratic global institutions that are in charge of crucial fields of common interest, such as world public services and peacekeeping. It also includes promoting global governance norms and structures that can prevent predatory global leaders from abusing their power (as demonstrated by the corruption scandal surrounding the IMF). The global democracy movement has encountered significant resistance. Many critics have argued that it is impossible to build democratic institutions that can take on sovereign powers and that the intrinsic benefits of global democracy do not outweigh the costs.
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