A Constitution for the Federation of Earth (Session 1)

War, nuclear weapons, poverty and a damaged climate cross every border. Yet each is handled by governments that answer only to their own citizens. The World Citizen Book Club opened its reading of the Earth Constitution, one detailed answer to that gap, in the first of five sessions.

Discussion Highlights

Executive Director Bob Flax moderated while Glen T. Martin was delayed. Flax opened with a map of four routes toward a federal world order. Three were transforming the United Nations, integrating the regions and uniting the democracies. The fourth was writing a constitution first and then seeking its ratification. Many constitutions have been drafted for the Earth, he noted. Of all of them, only the World Constitution and Parliament Association had tried to take one to nations and peoples for ratification.

Members questioned the map. Several argued that a constituency of world citizens must come before institutions, and asked whether that is a fifth route. Others raised the internet and digital tools as ways to organize across borders. Some discussed the part religion and ethics play in motivating people, and the difference between sovereignty and absolute sovereignty. One member asked how CGS’s own approach relates to the Constitution. That approach is building political will inside existing governments.

Martin joined for the last few minutes. He described the history behind the text and offered to take questions at later sessions. The next session was set to cover Articles 1 through 9.

The World Citizen Book Club meets online on the second Saturday of each month and is open to anyone, whether you have read the book or not. See what the club is reading next.