In her chapter “Fragmented Responsibility in a Global World,” Author Charlotte Ku asks many questions about authority, liability, and obligation. She begins with a discussion of what responsibilities exist between individual sovereign states. In general, a nation will act in its own best interest, however, in an interconnected world, and especially one desirous of peace, the limit on the actions of one state is when it begins infringing on the sovereignty of another.
Ideally, each nation would be able to act freely without negatively affecting its neighbors if the idea of interstate responsibility was applied consistently. We know from history, however, that respect for another state’s sovereignty is not always upheld. This leads to conflicts of varying severity, from diplomatic disputes to world wars. One method of holding states accountable has been the creation of international governing organizations such as the UN. This new layer of government presents new questions that need to be addressed. What level of responsibility and authority should IGOs have? Should they be allowed to overrule a sovereign government if that government is committing violence against its own people? Should they be able to send aid, military personnel, or medicine, if these services are refused by a government or unwanted by a nation? How can such a high power be held accountable and who should be liable when individuals or subsegments of the group make mistakes?
IGOs and NGOs have generally respected national sovereignty and domestic authority by requesting permission and invitation for the delivery of assistance. However, public international institutions and private aid organizations now also require that such assistance be distributed to all elements of a population, not only to certain ethnic and religious groups, but also to the most vulnerable, including women, children, the elderly, and those with infirmities. This can potentially set up a conflict between relief efforts and governments that fail to meet their own responsibility to protect their people. (Ku, 2022, pg. 90)
No level of governance from the most local to the global is free from error. As Ku points out, thousands of people in Haiti were killed by a Cholera outbreak caused by sick aid workers from Nepal. Peacekeepers and other UN operatives have been accused of crimes, sexual abuse, trafficking, and other egregious acts both facilitated by their role in the UN and as individuals. Who is responsible for this? Should the individuals be held accountable or the organization they serve? If the UN is to blame, what authority exists to reprimand them or ensure justice? There are no easy answers to these questions, but in order for the concept of global governance to function, they need to be addressed.
Adding an additional level of complexity are the growing role of the private sector and the increasing power of individuals. Private companies and non-profit organizations are playing a larger role in shaping and aiding the world. Issues of responsibility and accountability for these organizations based in different countries with different laws and regulations need to be managed. Additionally, as we have seen with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the actions of individuals can have consequences for the entire world. In the USA masking compliance became divided down party lines. An individual’s decision to not wear a mask not only puts them in jeopardy but their local community and the global population as well. Increased diffusion of the virus is what allowed new mutations and strains to develop and prolong the situation. Choices made at an individual level actively made it more difficult for America to fulfill its responsibility to the rest of the world in efforts to halt the spread of the disease.
The question of responsibility is not an easy one to answer. The further it is contemplated, the more multifaceted and complex issues arise. However, in a time when globalization has already taken hold, and the world is becoming increasingly intertwined, the questions are essential. They can potentially be uncomfortable to examine. In cases like climate change, some governments and nations are producing more than their fair share of the problem, but face fewer immediate consequences than other smaller nations. In this case, as in many others, I see this discomfort as an indication that deeper reflection is required.
About the Author:
Stella Hudson is a Graduate Assistant with the Baha’i Chair for World Peace. She graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2021 with a B.A. in English. She is attending the University of Maryland and pursuing a Master’s of Library and Information Science.