Suchergebnisse

IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA THE WORLD IS EXPERIENCING A REVISION IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY UNDERLYING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. MOST LITERATURE, THOUGH, LACKS A CONCEPT THAT EXPLAINS WHETHER THIS SORT OF CHANGE IS TAKING PLACE, AND IF SO, HOW IT COMPARES IN QUALITY AND SCALE WITH PREVIOUS CHANGES IN INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITY. THE AUTHOR PROPOSES TO DEVELOP THE CONCEPT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE ARTICLE, HE EXPLICATES THE CONCEPT. IN THE SECOND HALF, HE USES IT TO CHARACTERIZE INTERNATIONAL HISTORY AS ONE OF SUCCESSIVE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES, AND FINALLY TO JUDGE THE ALLEGATIONS OF CONTEMPORARY REVOLUTION.

The acceptance of the United Nations Charter by the overwhelming majority of the members of the family of nations brings to mind the first great European or world charter, the Peace of Westphalia. To it is traditionally attributed the importance and dignity of being the first of several attempts to establish something resembling world unity on the basis of states exercising untrammeled sovereignty over certain territories and subordinated to no earthly authority.

Discusses the meaning of citizenship in a situation where the nations-state, ie, the Westphalian form of state, is being eroded, thereby losing some of its essential functions. Since, as the argument goes, citizenship is embodied in civil society, & civil society needs a protective shelter in the form of a political authority structure, the decline of the nation-state implies a serious dilemma as far as the maintenance of principles of citizenship & human rights are concerned. Post-Westphalian scenarios are outlined, focusing on globalism vs regionalism. An argument is made in favor of "regional multilateralism," a regionalized world order, facilitating a regional civil society. 19 References. Adapted from the source document.