For centuries, philosophers, political scientists, and jurists have struggled to understand the possibilities for justice and peace among a multiplicity of sovereign states. Like Dante, who sought to organize the world under the authority of the Holy Roman Empire, many theorists have tried to explain how sovereign states should be governed to ensure stability and peace in the absence of any established higher authority. Theories of World Governance traces the various conceptual approaches to world harmony from the close of the Middle Ages to today. Considering the immediate problems of order in a decentralized world community, Cornelius F. Murphy, Jr., outlines what he believes are the essential long-term conditions for world peace.
Covering a wide range of disciplines--from theology and philosophy to jurisprudence, ethics, and sociology--Murphy explores how theorists have reflected upon the necessary components of an effective global order. At the outset, the thought of Christian Europe was shaped by a belief in a natural order established by the Creator of the universe. However, with the advent of the Enlightenment, the connections between the human and the transcendent were severed. There was a movement from a theocentric understanding of the powers of the human mind to an intellectual outlook that blurred the distinctions between the divine and human. This study in the history of ideas examines the profound effects of the fundamental shift from transcendence to immanence upon the development of international theory. Murphy discusses the thought of Leibniz, Wolff, Kant, Hegel, and Phillip Allott, among others.
The study concludes with an extended reflection on the importance of a sound political philosophy to the future well-being of the global community. Possible improvements in the existing arrangements, such as reform of the United Nations, are discussed. Murphy suggests that in order for a society of sovereign states to be transformed into a world political community, human rights and self-governance within states must first be strengthened and, at the same time, individuals of all states must begin to realize their responsibilities toward the whole human family.
""A brilliantly coherent overview of the Western tradition of thought about world order. It is comprehensive and learned in following the main stages in this tradition that proceeds from Dante to several contemporary theorists.""--Richard Falk, Princeton University
""In a period in which there are growing doubts about the desirability and indeed the viability, of a world comprised of nation states, it is important to consider alternative forms of global order. . . . Theories of World Governance helps us to do just that. . . . The work is highly informative and offers wise cousel. Historians, philosophers, and legal and political theorists will gain from reading it, and it is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in issues of sovereignty and 'globablization.' I strongly recommend it.""--Prof. John Haldane, Director of the Centre for Philosophy and Public Affairs, University of St. Andrews
Cornelius F. Murphy taught international law at Duquesne University and is author of several books, including Beyond Feminism: Toward a Dialogue on Difference.
CONTENTS:Introduction1. From World State to State of Nature2. Transcendence and Immanence3. The Search for Ultimate Authority4. From a Society of States to a World Political SocietyBibliographyIndex
