Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, Allameh Tabataba’I University, Tehran, Iran.
2 M.A, Department of International Relations, Allameh Tabataba’I University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction
Contemporary global challenges such as injustice and poverty within nation-states have increasingly drawn attention to shared human vulnerabilities across the world. One of the analytical consequences of the growing scale and complexity of these problems is the evident incapacity of nation-states to provide effective governance at both national and international levels, despite sustained efforts to establish international organizations and institutions. Given humanity’s enduring pursuit of improved conditions of collective life, addressing these fundamental challenges raises a critical question: which political arrangements are capable of responding to global crises and fostering a desirable condition of human coexistence? One proposed response has been the development of institutional–political mechanisms grounded in universalist principles, among which the idea of a world state occupies a prominent position.
The idea of a world state has long been advanced as a theoretical response to transnational crises and the inability of nation-states to supply global public goods. Nevertheless, its normative legitimacy and theoretical feasibility remain deeply contested. The central problem addressed in this article is whether theories of the world state possess sufficient normative and functional coherence when evaluated against established criteria in the literature on global justice. Accordingly, the main research question asks: on the basis of which theoretical criteria of global justice can it be argued that the idea of a world state lacks normative and functional coherence?
Literature Review
Extant literature reveals that the critique of the world State Concept operates predominantly at three levels: philosophical, conceptual, and theoretical. Philosophically, critiques concentrate on the moral feasibility and normative legitimacy of such a global entity; notably, even scholars who viewed it as a vehicle for perpetual peace cautioned against its despotic or authoritarian risks. Conceptually, the core challenge entails reconciling a world State with the preservation of diverse national and cultural identities—an obstacle that theorists argue severely constrains the development of a shared global identity. Theoretically, the contestation among Realists, Liberals, and Constructivists underscores that even advocates of international institutions acknowledge the structural and institutional impediments to realizing a world State.
Methodology
This study is conducted within an interpretive–critical paradigm and adopts a fundamental research orientation. Methodologically, it employs conceptual analysis and normative evaluation to examine philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual critiques of the world state and global justice as articulated by key thinkers in this field. The research is based on systematic engagement with library and scholarly sources.
Results
Evaluating the idea of a world state is essential for assessing its feasibility and ensuring the realization of justice. This entails that any examination of the concept must address fundamental moral, social, and political questions, thereby guaranteeing that the idea, in practice, fosters equality and eradicates global injustices among humanity. In fact, while a world state may be structurally viable—through the establishment of supranational institutions and integrated governance systems—this viability does not equate to its justness or desirability. Under this argument, any governance framework devoid of popular acceptance and ethical standards is destined to fail; hence, a world state maintains legitimacy only if global citizens perceive that their interests and rights are protected. Therefore, if the concept of a world state is pursued without due consideration of justice, it will encounter popular resistance, non-recognition, and both agency-based and structural defiance, akin to the historical collapse of unjust political unions. In essence, justice is what confers legitimacy upon the idea of a world state.
Simultaneously evaluating the feasibility of a world state and its capacity to ensure justice is crucial, as an unjust global system, even if realized, would lack stability and sustainability. Conversely, if a just system proves unfeasible, it remains merely a theoretical abstraction. The ultimate objective of proposing a world state should therefore be to strike a balance between political realism and moral ideals, preventing both the collapse of this global system and its degeneration into an instrument of domination among states. Nevertheless, implementing global justice confronts profound practical and ethical challenges. These challenges stem from cultural, political, economic, and historical divergences among diverse societies, as well as the inherently complex and multifaceted nature of the concept of justice itself.
Discussion
The findings indicate that, despite claims to normative universalism, theories of the world state encounter significant theoretical inconsistencies and structural deficiencies when confronted with the requirements of global justice—particularly with respect to cultural pluralism, political autonomy, mechanisms of accountability, and distributive justice. These inconsistencies render the world state not only difficult to defend as a just solution to global order, but also potentially conducive to new forms of power concentration and inequality. The article concludes that, rather than a centralized and unified world state, multilayered models of global governance grounded in multilateralism offer greater normative and theoretical defensibility within the framework of global justice.
Keywords
- Alternative Political Thought
- Cosmopolitanism
- Global Justice
- National State
- Universalism
- World State
Main Subjects
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