Weaving the Tapestry of Life: The United Nations and Global Governmentality

Abstract

ECLACEconomic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ECOSOC Economic and Social Council I could never be thankful enough for all those people who helped me in writing this dissertation, in various ways. My family, and especially my parents, who have provided the stabile and loving background for me since I was a child, so that I could pursue my goals, which has been such a privilege. My husband, who supported me emotionally from the point where I started the Phd program and made it possible for me to go on my intellectual journey. My supervisor, who helped me at some crucial moments during the process. A special thanks goes to my friends and colleagues at the Karl Polanyi Research Centre for Global Social Studies. I have learned a great deal from them, and it has been a pleasure working with them in the past years. I am eternally indebted to Attila Melegh, who has taught me so much and has been a true mentor. Our discussions and common projects have had a great influence on me intellectually, and with his extraordinary human values he has been a real role model. I learned a lot from many colleagues in various workshops, conferences and discussions. I would like to thank especially the members of my Thesis Committee and especially my opponents, whose comments were most valuable.Last but not least, I would like to thank my brother, Miklós, for being always there to help, technically, morally and also in a substantial sense. He has been the best intellectual partner for as long as I can remember, and his commitment to achieving a better world is a true inspiration. With this, I would like to dedicate this work to him. Changes in perception and attitudes, of which we have had pronounced signs since the last session of the General Assembly suggest that we may be witnessing a transition, however slow or occasionally uncertain, towards a new pattern of relationships at the global level. The transition has the logic of necessity behind it. It is certainly justified by the insupportable cost and the incalculable dangers of a self-perpetuating arms race. It could derive support from the realization that security cannot be viewed in military terms alone nor does the application of military power resolve situations in traditionally expected ways. It is, or can be, propelled by the need for greater attention to the problems of economic modernization or to the social problems that economic growth has left untouched. It is evidenced by trends towards horizontal co-operation between States adhering to different social systems without prejudice to their political alignments. It would seem to respond to the multi-polarity of the world's economic power. All these factors, combined with the technological revolution and the sense of global interdependence, seem to call for radical adjustments of outlook on the part of the world's leadership. There is, of course, no guarantee against temporary reverses, or setbacks in the process, nor can ambivalence in the relationships of power blocs be excluded. However, the direction appea...