Forum Post: OWS Must March On the United Nations HQ and Demand a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly for Global Democracy (Based on EU Parliament Model)
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 11, 2011, 11:54 a.m. EST by robertsheppard
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Note: The Occupy Earth Manifesto was originally written as part of the Occupy Wall Street novel Spiritus Mundi by Robert Sheppard, and later became an important working document on the NY General Assembly website. See: https://spiritusmundinovel.wordpress.com/ It also features as a global component the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly as an aspect of global democracy and economic democracy, and which should also be a component of the Occupy Movement worldwide. See: http://en.unpacampaign.org/index.php These materials may be circulated and used freely for the program of the movement.
THE OCCUPY EARTH MANIFESTO
---Draft Demands, Goals and 17 Point Action Agenda of the Global Counterforce Alliance
- Implementation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly within the United Nations: The Occupy Wall Street movement should immediately march on the United Nations in New York and demand the adoption by the General Assembly of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, which is a proposal for the creation of a European Parliament-style international consultative assembly as a permanent organ of the United Nations alongside the Security Council and General Assembly. This is based on the model of the European Union Parliament, which has proven successful in democratizing EU institutions. It is not enough to reform American laws, but the entire system of global governance must be brought within the democratic process and Global Democracy must be acheived, especially as the US economy is now only one part of a Global Economy which cannot be reformed within the US alone. Article 22 of the UN charter allows the General Assembly to do so by a majority vote not subject to great power veto. Economic Democracy in the era of a globalized economy requires the extension of democratic processes to the system of global governance and the progressive evolution of international institutions such as the United Nations commensurate with the problems of the newly globalized economy and the globalization of all aspects of human life and of the environment. Eliminating the democratic deficit in our global international institutions will also help to address the maldistribution of wealth and income nationally and internationally. Modernly, almost all problems have become globalized and are beyond the power of single nation-states to solve on behalf of their peoples, from the World Economic Crisis, to Global Warming, terrorism, drugs and epidemics. The institutions of global governance must evolve commensurately, and as they evolve democratic checks and balances must evolve along with them. See: http://en.unpacampaign.org/index.php for more details.
This is Action Point Fourteen of the OCCUPY EARTH MANIFESTO, given below in full: http://occupytogether.com/forum/discussion/1360/march-on-the-united-nations-and-demand-a-united-nations-parliamentary-assembly-eu-parliament-model#Item_1
The idea of a UN Parliamentary Assembly is to give citizens, not just countries, a direct voice at the UN. We live in a global community now where we are all affected by global economics, global health and global conflict. We vote for our national politicians but why do we not have any direct vote for those representing us at the UN where important decisions are made?
Definitely. And yes, it is the next logical step. But the next. America for me is the priority. And, still, a parliamentary assembly in the UN doesn't guarantee solutions. For one thing, whether we accept it or not, the great powers, by the virtue of their 'greatness', wield strong influence in the UN. Unless we Occupy Great Powers, right now the US of A is the mightiest, we are not solving anything.
Thanks, now if OWS would make it so... the occupiers could leave the camps and hit the road to Philly. OWS would exit this decaying occupation situation and come out smelling like a rose. "The beginning is near!"
Would you support the National General Assembly meeting in Philadelphia as outlined in the 99% Declaration? Is that not the logical next step on the road to Occupy Earth? Thank you https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
Focus on America first. America is big enough a problem. UN Parliamentary Assembly has been proposed many times before, even before the inception of the UN itself, but never adopted. The problem with such democratic body, like all democratic bodies, the majority wins, even when the majority is wrong. It ends up in vote-buying. In case of the UN, we are speaking of nations. A great power can easily "buy" the vote of poor countries to get a majority to pass a resolution.
another banking scam