Are the Moral and Value Foundations of Multilateralism Changing?

ABSTRACT. Referring to the national or regional level it is quite commonplace to acknowledge the existence of different types of social relations and structures, many traditional ones and some of more recent origin. The paper argues that with regard to the world-level, the concept of a modern world society has made some progress over the last few decades in contrast to and in competition with tradional state-centered and segmented world views. Only small minorities of the national populations hold internationalist values and convictions commensurate with a modern world society perspective. Results from the only (but somewhat dated) relevant world-wide survey of the various publics ’ attitudes towards the United Nations system illustrate the point. Evidence from various social-science disciplines substantiates the view that it is longer formal education that enhances an individual’s capacity to accept highly abstract and encompassing values and handle corresponding cognitive information. The world-wide educational expansion of the last few decades is interpreted as having widened the value foundations of multilateralism. By multilaterlism I mean a common effort by the international community, based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, to address in a pragmatic manner the world’s many needs and problems, so that the entire human family can realize its full potential.- J. PEREZ DE CUELLAR, 198