Cosmic State Theory: An inquiry into the rationale and possibility of cosmopolitics

INTRODUCTION

Humanity has been experimenting with various models of governing human affairs: theocracy, monarchy, feudalism, fascism, communism, capitalism, militarism, one-party system and multiparty democracy. All these attempts have been focusing on the assumption of limited space, resources and time – hence the establishment of geographical boundaries as legal demarcations for nation states. This approach has unfortunately brought about violent conflicts as different actors compete for limited resources.

There is another view of reality that transcends geographical and temporal limitations and considers reality from a cosmic point of view. Few individuals have managed to have this metaphysical perspective of reality: they include great mystics, saints, founders of various world religions, theologians, and philosophers, who have been trying to envision a new universe or an alternative world. While living in the physical world, these visionaries have their interior eyes focused on something beyond the confines of sense perception.

The cosmic state is one and it is what was there right from the beginning of creation. It is where humanity belongs, together with all other creatures, visible and invisible. The cosmic state is kept together by cosmic forces beyond the full comprehension of human intellect. Humanity will ultimately end up in this cosmic state after all the attempts to create a harmonious state have been exhausted, and after humanity has attained cosmic wisdom. This view of reality was suggested by the famous philosopher, paleontologist and evolutionist French Jesuit priest Teilhard de Chardin. Before the word globalisation was coined, Teilhard de Chardin used the term planetisation to describe the process of humanity and all reality coming together but also heading to omega point, as the ultimate goal of human and cosmic evolution.

All knowledge, resources, power and human efforts are geared towards creating cosmic harmony, even though not all human beings are aware of this ultimate goal and destiny. Insightful human beings who have labored to contemplate this cosmic state know that it is real and it will be actualised. Those who enter deep and genuine contemplation are capable of living as though this cosmic state was already a reality. The majority of people are trapped in the physical nation-states marked by competition, violence, greed, fear, deprivation, disease, anxiety, and the unending quest for the elusive ‘progress’. Even the small minority that enjoys relative peace and material prosperity, is in constant fear of losing these privileges both as countries and as individuals. This is the state of nature that Thomas Hobbes described as a situation where ‘life is nasty, brutish and short.’ The rise of militant violent groups such as Al Shabab, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Islamic State leads to suspect that Thomas Hobbes was probably right in his characterisation of the state of nature.

This essay makes a proposal for a cosmic state theory in the tradition of the previous optimistic attempts of Emmanuel Kant’s theory of perpetual peace, David Held’s global governance, global civil society, normative international relations theory and Daniele Archibugi’s cosmopolitics. The main line of argument is that the previous international relations arrangements in the form of the League of Nations, United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, European Union (EU), African Union (AU), etc, are all premised on the human quest for a cosmic state, even when the main architects of these organisations are not overtly clamoring for a global government architecture. All keen observers of the existing world system are aware that the current global arrangements cannot solve the challenges humanity is facing if we remain in the nation-state paradigm, but then are shy to call for a supra-state framework that can tackle global terrorism, poverty, pandemics and state-failure. The peace-meal reforms of the UN and its agencies will not bring about the desired change in the world system—a new global system is needed, hence the cosmic state theory. Time is ripe for a bold theoretical proposal to take humanity to the next level of political evolution that transcends the artificially constructed borders. The duties beyond borders cannot be fulfilled if humanity remains operating and theorising within nation-sate boundaries. The issue clearly is not whether we need a cosmic state, but when and how.

VARIOUS TRENDS

Liberal democrats think that ultimate harmony and human progress will come about when the free market and liberal democracy have taken firm hold among nation-states. The leading champion of this trend of thought is Francis Fukuyama who even had the audacity to declare the ‘end of history’. His main thesis simply put was that since liberal democracy and the free market have prevailed over the Marxist state-controlled economy, history had come to its climax. The socialists on the other hand think that ultimate harmony and human progress will come about under a classless society, with all the means of production in the hands of the proletariats.

Unfortunately, both the socialist and capitalist ideologies have not succeed in solving the pressing global challenges of abject poverty, armed violence, income inequality, global pandemics and currently, religious extremism. Interestingly, both ideologies have a global agenda.

Those religiously inclined think that ultimate harmony and happiness will come about when the earthly order comes to an end and human beings have gone to heaven, with Jesus Christ as the ultimate victor and eternal king, just to use the example of one religious tradition. Important to note is that due to various conflicting interpretations of the cosmos and ultimate meaning from different religions, societies and countries are often caught in violent conflicts. This just indicates that issues of belief and metaphysics are real and are matters of life and death for a good section of the human race.

It is interesting to realise how each of the great systems, be they political or religious, have some utopian view of how things will ultimately be.

In terms of international relations theory, the post-cold war era has been marked by what Samuel Huntington called ‘the clash of civilizations’. The East-West divide quickly gave way to a clash of cultures with Islam taking the lead in challenging the dominant Western cultural paradigm of modernity. Another major development in the world system after the bi-polar world of the Cold War was the emergency of the uni-polar world where USA hegemony took center stage. But recently, a multi-polar world has emerged with China, India, and EU challenging the US’s dominance of world politics and economy. We can add global terrorism as another world force to reckon with. This has brought into the world system a new force of non-state actors—religion—and to be specific, Islam.

Uncomfortable with the thesis of the clash of civilizations, Joseph Nye came up with the concept of ‘soft power’, with the claim that states can live amicably and more peacefully if they adopt an approach of attraction and seduction instead of brute force in their interaction with other states. The argument of soft power being that countries are endowed with positive values and cultures that other countries can be attracted to, hence no need to resort to hard power comprised of militarism an economic warfare.

The much-celebrated interdependence among states as a result of globalisation now includes the globalisation of terrorist groups that have cells across boundaries. Not surprisingly, these terrorist groups take advantage of global goods such as internet, mobile phones and air travel to coordinate their terrorist activities. Terrorists have been quick to embrace the concept of supra-state citizenship, and so are able to escape the ever-vigilant state apparatus.

In all these trends, the main operating framework is the state system even though other non-state actors are acknowledged. But evidence on the ground suggests that the Westphalian state model is under severe strain. This is why there is urgent need to stretch the imagination and explore the possibility beyond the state. This is a shift from the civil society discourse that tried to situate political discourse in the infra-political space. Why not cast the gaze to the supra-political space and take the political discourse to the cosmic level? After all, human beings are just a step below the Angels in the cosmic hierarchy—thus they deserve more, not less.

PRINCIPLES AND NORMS OF THE COSMIC STATE

The cosmic state is governed by cosmic laws and cosmic morality. Attempts to create laws and morality by some sections of society are bound to fail since human beings are so diverse and cultures vary from place to place and from time to time. Any attempt to impose laws and morality on people is in fact dictatorship. Morality and ways of ordering life are imbedded in the cosmic consciousness of every individual, otherwise where did the first human beings get their laws and morality from? Fortunately, certain norms and laws by various religions and states have certain elements in common, especially the golden rule: ‘Treat others as you would like them to treat you.’ This could clearly be the foundation of all legislation.

Economics or the mode of production and exchange of goods is also rooted in the cosmos. Those who attempt to create grand theories of economics are just imposing their world view on others. Every human being is endowed with the knowledge of survival amidst the challenges of nature, with varying degrees of success.

Beliefs and spiritual values are also grounded in the cosmos. All human beings who genuinely reflect and think about the fundamental questions of life will ultimately come to the conclusion that there is an ultimate reality that keeps the cosmos in harmony. People will arrive at different opinions as to what this ultimate being is and what people should do in relation to this unfathomable reality. Some might refer to this ultimate reality as God, and others might just refer to is as vital or comics force. Hence the need to be tolerant of what opinions and beliefs other people have about this ultimate reality. The reasonableness of such belief and opinions is judged by specialists on the issues of ultimate reality and meaning. If there is an intellectual dispute about ultimate reality, experts from the various religious and philosophical traditions should convene and engage in open and frank dialogue instead of resorting to violence to resolve an intellectual dispute.

According to John Rawls, it is possible for people holding different and irreconcilable doctrines to live together in peace, as long as no one imposes his or her doctrine on others. Religious fundamentalism has failed to grasp this basic tenet of tolerance.

CITIZENS OF THE COSMIC STATE

Citizens of the cosmic state are those individuals who have arrived at cosmic consciousness and uphold the principles of the cosmic state. For practical reasons they will have to remain in the existing nation-state models, but they know that they belong to the cosmic state where true harmony is found. They abide by the laws and norms of the nation-states in which they live but they transcend such laws and norms, since they are guided by a higher cosmic moral and legal system. In case one is tempted to think this citizenship model is too idealistic, try and analyse the millions of people who work under international organizations such as the UN, World Bank, IMF, Vatican, and regional integration groups such as EU, AU, Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These people can be described as supra-state citizens. Remember also that two of the world’s major religions , Catholicism and Islam have a massive membership of 1.2 billion and 1.8 billion followers respectively. Imagine the immense power such numbers can wield.

The cosmic citizens are not bothered by the inconveniences of the nation states, as their minds and hearts are engrossed in the bliss and harmony of the cosmic or supra-state system. No one imparts cosmic citizenship on another—it is the individual who transcends the confines of the nation-state, who enjoys the bliss of the cosmic state. Each citizen of the cosmic state discovers the cosmic state by themselves, through disciplined meditation, learning and contemplation. For one who pays great and genuine attention to the nation-state and its leaders, will gradually realise that this system cannot be the ultimate good or reality that human beings aspire to.

One has to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to arrive at the rare stage of human evolution to discover the cosmic state. Once discovered, the worries and anxieties that mark the nation-state fade away, even though once in a while one is tempted to slide back into the nation-state sphere. But one who has become a cosmic citizen is able to recollect oneself and avoid the attractions and illusive seductions of the nation-state system.

Dissatisfaction with the nation-state model leads citizens of the cosmic state to create alternative institutions in an attempt to create harmony in the chaos of the nation-state. That is why many religions have come up. That is why many non-state organisations have come up also. They demonstrate a certain profound existential uneasiness with the workings of the nation-state, which unfortunately they cannot get rid of easily, since it is so-far the only viable framework for organising human affairs, despite its numerous limitations.

One who has fully embraced the cosmic state is able to enjoy the delights of nature and cosmic love through contemplation and psychic connection—the deep and profound feeling that one belongs to wider human race instead of a tribe, or nation-state. Such a one has a deep insight into the earthly realities as well, while focusing their attention on the ultimate reality.

A citizen of the cosmic state is able to transcend family, state, market, school, gender, race, party, religious and tribal affiliation, even if one still belongs to and operates in those frameworks. A citizen of the cosmic state is marked by great existential freedom and profound insight into the ultimate cosmic reality, and lives life abundantly. He or she might be compared to what Nietzsche termed ‘superman’. In terms of life projects, the citizen of the cosmic state has great passion for learning world politics and is committed to issues of peace, leadership, good governance, education, justice and ecology.

Human institutions come and go, but the cosmic state will never end as long as the cosmos still exists. The cosmic state cannot be destroyed by human means since it is not a human creation—it is only discovered or found through contemplation and long study.

The institutions charged with keeping the vision of the cosmic state shall be the various global organisations committed to promoting peace, justice and sustainable human progress. Members of such organizations will be versed with knowledge in any of the following fields closely related to cosmopolitics: globalisation; global governance architecture; mass communication; ICT; global civil society; international relations and politics; international political economy; political and legal theory; soft power; peace; international development; cosmopolitics and strategy.

CONCLUSION

Political discourse right from Emmanuel Kant’s quest for perpetual peace up to David Held and Daniele Archibugi’s cosmopolitics seems to be a quest for a cosmic state theory that invites humanity to transcend the nation-state paradigm. Some institutions such as the League of Nations, the UN, AU, EU, World Bank, IMF, international organisations, world religions, also point to the human quest for a cosmic perspective even at an organisational level. There is some hesitant move towards a cosmic state. Grand theorists of human nature such as Teilhard de Chardin have also pointed out the evolutionary path and trajectory that human beings have been taking from the earliest hominids. It seems that the stage humanity is at now is that of a cosmic state.

The details of the cosmic state can be worked out once the basic theory is accepted. It has also become evident that the existing nation-state model cannot successfully handle the global challenges facing humanity such as global terrorism, poverty, state failure and global pandemics. One can also add global ecological disasters. Cosmic state theory, it seems to me, is a concept whose time has come. The existing global governance system and regional integration models seem to be peace-meal attempts to construct a cosmic state, albeit begrudgingly.

* Dr Odomaro Mubangizi teaches philosophy and theology and is Dean of the Philosophy Department at the Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Addis Ababa. He is also Editor of the Justice, Peace and Environment Bulletin. His doctoral thesis was on ‘Linking Development and Peace: Towards a Normative Theory of International Relations for the Great Lakes Region of Africa.’

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