Sovereignty

by Richard N. Haass (President of the Council on Foreign Relations)

from to Sept/Oct issue of Foreign Policy "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: 16 Ideas On Their Way Out"

--Powerful forces in the world today threaten the idea that "governments are free to do what they want within their own territory."

--Governments today must share power with "corporations, NGOs, terrorists, drug cartels, regional and global institutions, and banks and private equity funds."

--State borders cannot stop the flow of people, ideas, greenhouse gases, goods, dollars, drugs, viruses, emails, and weapons.

--Governments that neglect or mistreat their citizens and in the process create unstable situations that provide an opening for terrorists can expect "attack, removal, or occupation."

--States will also choose to give up some of their sovereignty to supranational organizations (such as the WTO) and treaties (such as the Kyoto Protocol).

--The author concludes that we will have a world made up of states that are not completely sovereign--neither world government nor anarchy.

"Laissez-Faire Procreation"

by Lee Kuan Yew (Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959-1990)

(from the Foreign Policy Sept/Oct issue "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: 16 Ideas On Their Way Out")

--Booming populations are a drag on developing countries and low fertility rates are sapping growth in developed countries.

--Wealthier countries will see attempts to migrate from poorer countries as a threat to resist.

--Efforts to increase birth rates in more developed countries have not generally been successful, so these countries may have to accept immigrants in order to maintain healthy economies. Immigration, however, presents a new set of problems.

--Will the United States continue to welcome immigrants as Hispanics change our "character and culture?"

--The social isolation of Muslims in Europe will make their assimilation more difficult.

--The author concludes that governments will begin taking a more active role in encouraging or discouraging procreation.