User:Book/BlogEntry: 2008 March 13 21:06:39 EAT

From KLAMediaWiki

One may of course doubt that self-government needs even to be given thought under the existing conditions of extreme inequality. I admit that my approach is to some extent futuristic, even Utopian, because I consider, in particular, the possibility of world (self-)government.

On the other hand, the globalisation is already a fact of life, and world government (which is euphemistically called "global governance") is therefore a burning necessity. There are a number of recognized global problems which may only be solved through common action. These problems are actually quite well covered by the 21 Actionable Themes of the World Social Forum, around which our website is structured.

But we have not made ourselves a clear picture of how we would like world government organized. At present, the most serious candidate seems to be world government by the USA. If we do not want that - and I do not want it - then what do we want?

Before trying to give you my answer, let me quote from an old writing by H.G.Wells:

"Let us make clear what sort of government we are trying to substitute for

the patchwork of to-day. It will be a new sort of direction with a new

psychology. The method of direction of such a world commonweal is not likely

to imitate the methods of existing sovereign states. It will be something new

and altogether different.

This point is not yet generally realized. It is too often assumed that the

world commonweal will be, as it were, just the one heir and survivor of

existing states, and that it will be a sort of megatherium of the same form

and anatomy as its predecessors.

But a little reflection will show that this is a mistake. Existing states are

primarily militant states, and a world state cannot be militant. There will

be little need for president or king to lead the marshalled hosts of

humanity, for where there is no war there is no need of any leader to lead

hosts anywhere, and in a polyglot world a parliament of mankind or any sort

of council that meets and talks is an inconceivable instrument of government.

The voice will cease to be a suitable vehicle. World government, like

scientific process, will be conducted by statement, criticism, and

publication that will be capable of efficient translation." / From H.G.Wells:

The Open Conspiracy [1931], in H.G.Wells on World Revolution. Edited and with

a critical introduction by W. Warren Wagar. Praeger 2002, pp 70-71.

Much water has flowed under the bridges since ca 1930 when Wells wrote his blueprint for the world revolution. Yet it is very relevant and full of foresight, I think. The last paragraph of the above quotation, in particular, with its thesis about a silent form of government by publication, helps me to formulate my own thoughts about library power.

Unfortunately, we now all live under some very negative general conditions, which Wells himself had foreseen. For instance, the permanent threat of the extermination of humanity in an eventual World War III, where the existing dreadful stockpiles of ever new ABC-weapons would certainly be used.

But there have also been positive developments. The scientific research on the atom did not only lead to nuclear weapons and insecure nuclear power stations. Electronics, computers and the Internet where also made possible by that research.

My opinion on self-government is founded on the more hopeful perspective, which has been opened by the Internet. The Internet is largely a self-regulating system beyond the control of the national governments. We observe an objective trend towards a Cosmopolitan world civilization where the members of the various nations are knit together through an Internet, which functions separately from their nation-states.

Of course, the still prevailing hierarchical system of competing and rivaling nation-states with the USA (later on it might become another superpower) on top may bring about a final catastrophe of the type WW III even before the positive potential of the Internet has been realized. On the other hand, the Internet has already conquered part of the power that lies in the control of information and knowledge.

The Net, which is often called Cyberspace, is the new public sphere of the world. It takes power from the traditional states and gives power to the globalised public.

In the long historical perspective of human civilizations, the Internet is perhaps best understood as an extension of the library. An Italian librarian, paraphrasing his earlier Indian colleague Ranganathan, put it this way in a recent book: "una biblioteca é un ipertesto che cresce." The library is a growing hypertext. (http://www.bibliografica.it/catalogo/ridi-ipertesto.htm)

Therefore, we need to develop a common intelligence and understanding (but not necessarily a common opinion) about the further development of the public library in this networked world. Let me hear from you again!