A United World

1. World peace:

The division of the world into nations makes it natural for them to fight among each other. People in each nation believe that they are fighting the ‘others’—but, looking at the bigger picture, humanity is getting nowhere. The world spent 1.971 trillion dollars on ‘defence’ in 2019, or 2.2% of its GDP—all of which could be put to better use (see 5). In a united world there is no need for war as there is no one to fight; world peace and world piece are mutually exclusive.

2. Free markets, increased opportunities:

Nations have erected all sorts of hurdles that impede the world economy—from tariffs and trade restrictions to different currencies and selfish economic policies. Unification will create a free market for the world with uniform regulations and without mercantilism. Businesses will have the freedom to operate anywhere in the world. And consumers will benefit from improved availability and variety. Humans stand to gain immensely by breaking the walls that divide them.

3. Migration and refugees:

National identities are very protective about migration—they want to keep the others out and their own in. This means that you need documents and permissions to move around the world, which is an infringement of liberty (see 7). Some nations worry about excessive immigration, others about loss of workforce through emigration. But the world as a whole is facing no such problem; it is benefiting as individuals move to seek better opportunities. And it would benefit even more if barriers were lifted.

Having a nationality is compulsory in this world, and those who do not are forced to live as refugees. Their condition is deplorable—they have nowhere to go as they have no identity and no nation would take them in. This is one of the worst effects of the divisiveness of humanity and prevents refugees from living a dignified life.

4. Uniform laws and justice:

The legal system of the world is extremely unfair and discriminatory—different laws apply to people based on their national identity. All humans are equal and must not be subject to differing rules due to some imaginary divisions. The world should have uniform laws which all individuals and organizations can comply with. World integration will also lead to better and faster justice—both social and legal.

5. Development and progress:

Resources are distributed unevenly but that does not mean they have to be distributed unfairly. Each nation tries to maximise its share and to develop itself but rarely tries to improve the welfare of people in other nations. An integrated world will ensure equitable and sustainable development. And as for advancement of humanity, the world together has more resources done any of its subsets could possibly have. So both scientific and social progress will be boosted, along with worldwide collaboration.

6. Environmental action:

The environmental crisis threatens the existence of all humans equally. And it is exacerbated by the selfish actions of nations, which are only concerned with their own comfort and growth. Nations and the people in them are often too narrow-minded to work for the good of the whole world, so there is little environmental action. The earth requires massive worldwide action which transcends all borders and divisions—which in turn requires world unity.

7. More freedom and rights:

The nation-based world order imposes many restrictions on human freedom, which can be done away with if humanity comes together. Boundaries between nations constrain freedom of movement. Draconian laws stifle free speech in the name of national security. People are indoctrinated to believe that nations are the natural state of the world as opposed to freedom of belief.

Besides these freedoms, a united world will not intrinsically ensure more rights for the people. But there are indirect reasons for greater rights in unity. One, the world is too large to be controlled in a totalitarian manner by government and can be expected to remain freer and more liberal. Two, the people have nowhere else to go, so they will fight and agitate for more rights. Three, the world must consider the aspirations of all the people or it will become unstable and disintegrate.

8. Human unity:

Perhaps the greatest advantage of a united world is the unity itself. From a lot of selfish and competing groups, humanity will be one community with a common future. From a narrow-minded identification, humans will grow to the higher consciousness of belonging to the world. Unification is the means to several ends and also an end in itself; it is up to humans to break their walls and build a united world.