The Simplification of Life Under a World Union

Why navigate across a maze when you can break the walls and go straight across?

There are, in today’s world, countless differences and barriers existing due to the nation-based order. Some of them have been necessary for nations, while others have no justification but are there because of nations’ separate existence. These differences and barriers complicate life for the ordinary person, but under a Union they would be removed and life would become simpler.

As nations progressed separately of each other, they each developed their own systems for various purposes. These differences are not cultural; they are just arbitrary and are an inconvenience for people. To give a few examples:

• Out of 195 recognized countries, 141 drive on the right of the road while 54 on the left side (1). These include about 65% and 35% of the world’s population respectively (2).

• Three countries (Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States) do not officially use the metric system (3). In many other areas, the imperial system and local units continue to be in use in daily life.

• There are 15 different types of plugs in use around the world, named from Type A to Type O (4), which are incompatible with each other.

• The voltage of power supply varies greatly across nations: 100 V, 110V, 115 V, 120 V, 127 V, 220 V, 230 V and 240 V, with 220 V being the most common (4). Most of the world uses a 50 Hz frequency, but some countries use 60 Hz. As a result, electrical devices and appliances are often not compatible across nations.

It is evident that these differences do not serve any purpose, but exist just for the sake of it, because nations do not want to take the inconvenience of switching to a common system. In the nation-based world order there is no authority to compel nations to change, and matters would remain complicated. But in a united world we can and will standardize these systems and reduce our trouble.

Under a Union the world will also have a uniform system of laws and regulations. People and organizations can then ensure compliance much more easily than if every national group has its own rules. One will not have to worry if what is allowed in one nation is also permissible in another.

Nations have found it necessary to restrict and control the movement of people in their national interests. While this is a violation of freedom, it is also a headache for anyone who travels across national boundaries. First one must have a document from one’s own nation (a passport), then one must have permission from the other nation (a visa) which is often very cumbersome to obtain.

Similarly, nations have also needed their own currencies to ensure economic control and sovereignty. But all the world's currencies (about 180) and their constantly fluctuating exchange rates are another confusing system under the national order.

Human beings have been making their own lives complicated, but there is no need to do so. The removal of differences and barriers would be far more beneficial than continuing them for the sake of national identity. With a world union we will break the maze and simplify our lives.