Re: Nations, States, and Organizations in Full Thrust

John spake thusly upon matters weighty: 
> 3.   The UN cannot even function against even a minor power without
> permission from a major power.   (But then, this is fiction.)

Probably because there is no such thing as a tax-paying UN citizen. 
They lack the tax base and the base of fervor (like nations have) 
that helps drive large military operations. They live (if they run as 
they do today) off the table scraps of the big powers. 

There has always been problems expanding the view of mankind. I'm 
sure the individual-tribe boundary, the tribe-city boundary, the 
city-province boundary, the province-nation boundary and the 
nation-power block boundaries have all had their proponents and 
opponents. I see globalism/internationalism now as a force opposed by 
nationalist interests, much the way that small petty dukes and 
kinglets opposed the formations of large kingdoms or empires in olden 
days. 

And until the UN gets a tax base, some citizens (I'd volunteer to be 
a Citizen of Earth if offered the opportunity.... despite being a 
very happy Canadian), and therefore some sort of real policy, real 
popular support and a real bankroll, they'll never be able to do too 
much. And they'll still manage to help a lot of folks despite all 
their shortcomings...

Thomas.  
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