The Foundations of a Global Civilization

As the World Trade Organization (WTO) begins its fourth year of operation, it has become increasingly clear that this intergovernmental organization could have a significant impact on all members of the global community. The WTO holds a unique distinction among international institutions as one which can effectively enforce its multilattferally agreed upon policies and agreements. The existence and nature of the WTO reflect an unprecedented commitment by its members to adhere to principles of shared sovereignty in making decisions. This continues to elicit considerable political criticism from domestic parties in many countries, as people collectively bear witness to perhaps the greatest voluntary erosion of national sovereignty in the history of the modem world. Despite such pressures, the fledgling organization has managed to survive the first and likely most difficult years of its existence. As confidence in the WTO increases, and member states consistently adhere to the binding dispute settlement decisions, the organization will assume a dominant role in defining the nature of international relations. As a legal institution, the WTO could become the most significant source of universal guidelines for international and domestic behavior at many levels. In other words, the emergence of the WTO marks the beginning of the true creation/a global civil society, in which parties agree to uphold and be governed by a collectively determined set of rules.

The global transition to a truly unified civil society will continue to be characterized by considerable difficulties, particularly for current policy makers. On the surface, the WTO's sole purpose is to address issues and problems associated with international trade policies and practices. Its agreements and policies are designed to provide a high level of stability in the international commercial arena. However, due to the unique nature of the WTO mechanisms, the organization may be used to pursueseemingly unrelated social goals with great effectiveness. Policy makers face the constant challenge of adopting measures which address public concerns over both market efficiency and human equity. Although some attempt to make a very clear distinction between purely economic goals and humane objectives such as labor, poverty, and environmental standards, it has become evident that both categories of interests have direct relations to international trade. As such, policy makers can and should use the WTO structure as a means to achieve a variety of economic and equitable goals where other established organizations have failed.

Once policy makers reach consensus as to the nature of individual political issues and their relationship to international trade, these issues can be "translated" into the unique language of international trade as provided by the WTO. For example, once officials establish a concretely defined relationship between trade and labor standards, they may then employ the mechanisms within the WTO to remedy policies and practices associated with labor woes. The WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding and the multilateral nature of the policies and agreements upheld remain the key to such successes in the future, as the binding nature of the decisions provide the legal fortitude necessary in tackling these heated issues.

In the dawn of the WTO era of world history, policy makers find themselves at the mercy of the ongoing evolution of the international political arena. As the WTO lays the foundation for a new global civil society, traditional diplomacy faces the very real possibility of being rendered effectively obsolete. Government officials the world over are witnessing a dramatic shift from the focus on traditional diplomacy to the increased importance of commercial diplomacy. The global community has collectively redefined the nature of international politics, largely abandoning the originally dominant concerns over national military security in favor of concerns over international commercial relations. This is not to say that the traditional security interests have become insignificant. Rather, these issues do not carry the same importance as they once did. International trade policy and practice has emerged as the more primary concern, and governing officials have been forced to adjust.

The WTO can and should be used as an institution to achieve peace in a universal civil society dedicated to collectively defined principles. The preservation of international security represents one of the least visible yet tremendously important possibilities/responsibilities of the WTO. In the age of globalization, countries dependent on solid trade relations are mutually committed to international security. The very definition of "security" continues to evolve, including such elements as trade, economic, social welfare, and environmental security. Unfortunately, some politicians seem threatened by such a paradigm shift. Traditional diplomats remain eager to capitalize on any international events which may justify their continuing prominence. To cite a current example, the "crisis" with Iraq is likely a dream-come-true for some policy makers, reasserting the importance of certain aging world views. However, it has become increasingly difficult to deny the fact that many security goals could be more effectively achieved not through standard security policy, but through trade policy influenced by the multilateral systems in place. With the strong emergence of the WTO, it remains unclear as to how long traditional popular politics
will be able to withstand the increasingly powerful presence of the commercial
diplomat as a figurehead of international politics.

As perhaps the most powerful international organization in existence, the WTO carries with it the potential to create a truly global civilization governed by a multilateral framework of policies and agreements. For the past several years, member governments have struggled to define the WTO as the centerpiece of theworld trading system. In turn, the WTO has grown to define the principles for which its members stand. Parties do not merely define law, they are defined by the very laws they create. As governments continue to adhere to the principles stated within the WTO agreements, the unified identity of the global community begins to truly emerge. The WTO is the center for international political action for the modem world. Governments continue to coordinate their individual policies based on the principles upheld by the organization. Once the members of the global community
have each joined the WTO, thereby agreeing to adhere to the multilateral framework of laws, the world will have truly witnessed the birth of the long awaited global civil society.

  
Author: James SIoan