The Hope for Democracy in the Near Future

Abstract

Global capitalism, though it causes inequality and outsourcing, creates a world network of contract law. Lawful behavior in business can lead to lawful behavior in politics – it can be overridden by dictators, but it does set a cultural standard in economic behavior. The scientists of the world are also united in a global scientific enterprise focusing on space issues, military technology, and health issues. Again, this endeavor can be perverted by dictatorial regimes, but as the internet connects all of us in a kind of “global village,” the cooperation of the world’s scientists could lead to cooperation in political policymaking. Finally, the advanced capitalist economies are generating a new middle class worldwide, who have more in common with each other than their culture of origin. Democracy and humanism are part of the culture of the new middle class – along with such phenomena as internet connectedness and the Google – YouTube – Twitter world.