Definition of international democracy
Defining democracy cannot avoid being exposed to different interpretations, even in its traditional context represented by the nation-state. Nevertheless, for our purposes we need an operational definition of “international democracy”.
Therefore, as a starting-point we will use the definition provided by Mathias Koenig-Archibugi[1], which will be further developed and suitably modified in order to be applied to regional, sub-regional and inter-regional organizations, in addition to the global ones. Here below we list the main features that an international institution should have to be defined an “international democracy”:
- It entrusts supranational institutions with the power to take binding decisions with reference to a given group of internationally relevant issues.
- It ensures that members of these institutions represent, and are accountable to citizens, through electoral mechanisms or through clear and formal political delegation relationships.
- It promotes the equitable representation of all citizens, linked to principles like the balanced representation of the constitutive territorial units and possibly some kinds of functional representation.
- It enables supranational institutions to make decisions in accordance with different decision-making procedures, but excluding veto rights for small minorities, unless legitimate vital interests are at stake.
- It entrusts supranational judiciary institutions with the task of settling disputes according to constitutional rules.
- It provides strong mechanisms to implement decisions and laws, possibly but not necessarily through a centralized control of coercion instruments.
This list will be extended to further features to get to a more comprehensive meaning of “international democracy”, e.g. women’s participation in institutions, protection of minorities, access to common goods, redistribution of resources, freedom of information and presence of cosmopolitan rights.
[1] M. Koenig-Archibugi, Is global democracy possible?, Paper presented at the Meeting of the Italian Political Science Society (SISP) held in Catania, 20-22 September 2007.