Re: checks and balances in the world system

gernot kohler wrote:
> 
> the role of Russia in the current war/post-war situation in Yugoslavia is
> interesting from the viewpoint of global constitutionalism. According to 
>the
> theory of constitutionalism (Montesquieu, U.S. and other Western
> constitutionalisms), power corrupts and absolute power corrupts
> absolutely -- and, therefore, the protection of the rights and liberties 
>and
> incomes of the people requires checks and balances (countervailing powers)
> in the system (division of powers-- (1) executive, legislative, judiciary;
> (2) regions/federalist, (3)socialist view: power of workers vs. power of
> corporations). For the world system, some voices (socialist, liberal,
> conservative) have mentioned that the USSR had a disciplining effect on 
>NATO
> power during the cold war.  (Professor Bruce Russet even wrote an article
> many years ago in which he described the Cold War system as a global
> two-party system.) In the present situation in Yugoslavia, Russia provides
> some "check and balance" to NATO hubris and supports the principle of
> UN-type global constitutionalism. With respect to the entire world system,
> checks and balances (countervailing powers) against NATO/OECD domination
> (Western imperialism, global apartheid) are so weak as to be almost
> negligible -- a long way to go. If Western countries are as much in love
> with democracy as they profess, they should also democratize the world
> system itself, including democratization of the economic world system. 
>(just
> a commentary, no new insight)
> 
> gk

Gernot, does the viewpoint of global constitutionalism assume that the
governments of all of the nations who are members of a presumed
constitutional order keep their promises? More to the point, what is the
starting point of the constitutional order?
-- 
Pat Gunning
Web pages on Subjectivism, Democracy, Taiwan, Ludwig von Mises, and
Austrian Economics
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