One World Border

Coming up with simplistic solutions that solve the world’s problems and really work is kind of my thing. It’s what I do.

Today’s idea is a simple one:

Make all international borders 25,000 miles wide.

This idea can also be represented by a phrase. I like to call it “One World Border.”

What is a border? It’s an arbitrary construct of the human mind. Often based on topographical features like a river or coastline. Well, why not the shape of Earth? That makes a nice topographical feature, too. Since borders live in our imagination we can pretty much do whatever we want with them, if we decide to agree.

How might this work? Think about the United States. It’s a pretty big place yet citizens enjoy the right to travel to any of its 50+ territories without restriction or cumbersome papers. And all citizens, regardless of where they live, are equal in the sense that they share the same basic rights. (Weirdness with so-called “state’s rights” notwithstanding.)

What if the whole world worked like this?

Easy to say. But how to get there? Luckily I planned ahead and brought a map.

What’s the problem with too many borders? Under that system the Earth functions like a waterway with a series of locks, which each lock (country) maintained at an artificial level. One World Border makes it all more equal. It makes no sense for two countries to be side-by-side on a map yet enjoy two completely different standards of living.

To start, there would have to be a document, like a Constitution, that set out the basic human rights for membership. Then a cooperative system of benefits that I call the “Good Stuff.” Things like unfettered trade, business, travel, tourism and taxation between areas.

The goal would be to design a Constitution and enough Good Stuff so that countries would want to join. It would initially start small, ideally with at least three influential countries, then grow from there. The benefits of membership would be such that it would eventually become detrimental to be on the outside.

In theory, such a system would provide a more “fair” existence for more of the global population rather than propping up some areas at the cost of others. Things like murderous isolated dictatorships and guerrilla states would become increasingly rare. And there would be reduced motivation for armed conflicts around the globe.

Besides, we all know Earth won’t meet the membership criteria for the Federation of Planets until we figure this out. Might as well get started.

I know the notion of One World Border freaks some people who will shout, “Nation state! Nation state! Go team, go!” But eventually we’re going to have to get there. Wouldn’t it be nice for everyone if it was sooner rather than later?