The United Nations would like to do away with national sovereignty, and create a united world with one central government - the United Nations. Many within the UN see this as the only way to solve problems such as war, famine, poverty, pollution, genocide, and organized crime. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) newsletter, "The UNESCO Courier", printed the following:
 

According to [UN Secretary General] Boutros Boutros-Ghali, "the only institution that exists, and which has the means for solving such global problems, is the United Nations."   In a world which is interdependent and increasingly aware of its common destiny, the solution of problems requires coordinated action at the global level, whether it concerns environment or public health, the fight against corruption or organized crime. These and many other issues transcend national borders. No country, however powerful, can solve them by itself.

To meet all these challenges for the future, which are complex, global and interlinked, there is no task quite so difficult or so pressing as learning to live together. Faced with an increasingly globalized market, are we moving towards more developed forms of international and regional democracy?

New actors have emerged on the international scene who are changing the practice of democracy, participation, association, and even the rules of the game in international cooperation. Granted, the 21st century will most likely not see the disappearance of the world order based on the state; but within states and at the international level, the power of civil society seems set to grow. Will a new culture of democracy strengthen the links between representative and participatory democracy? The 21st century must therefore provide an answer to this crucial question: how can we humanize globalization in light of these new challenges and threats?

There is the goal, to move away from a world order based on the state, to "more developed forms of international and regional democracy." That, in essence, is globalization. At a recent forum sponsored by UNESCO, delegates considered the pro's and con's of the various democratic philosophies - representative vs. participatory. They quoted an individual on what a democracy should be like. Who did they quote? It wasn't one of the founding fathers of the United States, nor any figure from other democracies you might think of. No, the "expert" on democracy they chose to quote was the father of communism - Karl Marx. Bear this in mind when you hear words like "globalization" and "new world order". Think also of the different philosophies and definitions involved when you hear them speak of democracy.

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