In an uncertain world, try multiple choice

OP-ED: "Where Will the Swine Flu Go Next?" by John M. Barry, New York Times, 28 April 2009.

OP-ED: "Globalism Goes Viral," by David Brooks, New York Times, 28 April 2009.

The big one back in 1918 killed almost 700k in the U.S. A big one in the fifties killed a large number here, but way under 100k. The infamous Hong Kong flu of 1968 only killed about 35k here, but that one hardly counts since our normal flu total is about that number--typically hitting the very old most heavily.

So we're a lot more connected and a lot more quickly connectable nowadays, raising the question of how we build up our system immunity over time. Given America's love affair with czars (!), you expect a centralized response, but as Brooks eloquently writes, there are more arguments for the decentralized, networked approach (it's faster, more credible, tends to perform better and it fosters experimentation).

Brooks calls his notion "subsidiarity." Historically, it's better known as federalism.

So yeah, we are the model for world government, but when it comes--waaaaay down the road--expect it to be a very strong federalism that won't look that much different from today's reality, just far more harmonized in rule sets.

Comments

[Lexington Green]

Subsidiarity is broader than federalism. Federalism is about divided government power. Subsidiarity is about the various non-governmental actors as well. The strength of the system is that is much bigger than the state, even a decentralized and multi-layered state.