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Expanding Worldviews: Astrobiology, Big History and Cosmic Perspectives pp 325–340Cite as

Towards a Planetary Polity: The Formation of Global Identity and State Structures

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Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ((ASSSP,volume 58))

Abstract

This article looks into the interconnection between the development of a global identity and a planetary polity from a long-term view. It is argued that global political integration is facing special conceptual challenges compared to the historic dynamics of social evolution. The article explores obstacles and catalysts for the formation of a world state. Critical global challenges put notions of national sovereignty into question. Images of Earth from space represent a new cosmic perspective. Questions touched upon include what defines a nation and its people? How is individual and collective identity constituted? On what principles would a global polity need to be based on from a planetary view?

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Over 100 states have a population size of less than ten million each, jointly representing less than 5% of the world’s total. This includes around 40 micro-states with a combined population size of only about 12 million or 0.2% of the total.

  2. 2.

    In the area of global goods, such as the atmosphere or the oceans, the ‘tragedy of the commons’ remains an appropriate conceptual framework that explains overuse, cf. (Leinen and Bummel 2018, p. 135ff).

  3. 3.

    This process of global state formation is a main theme in Leinen and Bummel (2018).

  4. 4.

    The lack of adjustment to the danger of nuclear arms was one of the examples mentioned by Ogburn (1957, p. 174).

  5. 5.

    Global military expenditure rose to US$ 1917 billion in 2019 or 2.2% of global GDP (SIPRI 2020).

  6. 6.

    On the social construction of race, for instance, see Smedley and Smedley (2005).

  7. 7.

    E.g., ‘Earthrise’ (Apollo 8, 24 Dec. 1968) and ‘Blue Marble’ (Apollo 17, 7 Dec. 1972).

  8. 8.

    Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 and Indicator 12.8.1.

  9. 9.

    Baratta (2004 p. 255) lists 40 constitutions from Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia where this is the case.

  10. 10.

    Recently, Koenig-Archibugi (2020) discussed five approaches to defining the demos in the field of political theory. It is beyond the scope of this piece to enter into this debate.

  11. 11.

    On inclusive and exclusive nationalism, see also Dowds and Young (1996).

  12. 12.

    In the Spring 2019 edition, for instance, trust in the European Union stood at 44% whereas trust in national governments at 34% (European Commission 2019).

  13. 13.

    On the security dilemma, see Herz (1950).

  14. 14.

    On this goal see UN (1978).

  15. 15.

    For an in-depth discussion of world federalism see Glossop (1993) and Höffe (2007).

  16. 16.

    This paragraph is based on Leinen and Bummel (2019).

  17. 17.

    See for instance Schwartzberg (2013) and Lopez-Claros et al. (2020). On a UN Parliamentary Assembly as a step towards a global parliament, see Brauer and Bummel (2020).

  18. 18.

    On the safe operating space and planetary boundaries, see Rockström et al. (2009).

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Acknowledgments

Parts of this article are based on Leinen and Bummel (2018).

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  1. Democracy Without Borders, Berlin, Germany

    Andreas Bummel

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  1. Andreas Bummel
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Correspondence to Andreas Bummel .

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  1. Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, London, UK

    Ian Crawford

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Bummel, A. (2021). Towards a Planetary Polity: The Formation of Global Identity and State Structures. In: Crawford, I. (eds) Expanding Worldviews: Astrobiology, Big History and Cosmic Perspectives. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, vol 58. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70482-7_17

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