More importantly, countries should use the institutional frameworks that globalization has established to address the crucial problems of economic development. The solutions to these predicaments include the development of cooperative regulating capacities and institutions that aim to foster development in developing countries. These efforts should be combined with a push for more equitable treatment within previously established international exchange bodies.

All of these measures could be part of the answer to international risk, as lawless organizations often attempt to exploit economic instability for their own gain. The difficulty lies in knowing which measures should be adopted as countries work to prevent economic security threats. To address this uncertainty, a coalition of nations should form to cover and monitor the many facets of economic instability. Complex prevention and assessment could easily take shape within an international governing body such as an Economic Security Council, which would be tasked specifically with identifying and tackling these issues. A reformed and revitalized United Nations system could then successfully fulfill a dual role as a forum for common aspirations and a representation of the international society.

Toward a More Viable Collective Security System

This evolving era requires that we agree on new ambitions for humanity and undertake concerted and coherent action at the global level. The convening of an international conference or the creation of a permanent international organization would give the appearance of a united front against security threats. This positive external image would then have to be supplemented by sufficient effort to surpass previous attempts at integration. The UN High-Level Panel has already outlined a policy of prevention for old and new threats. While it acknowledged that development would be a cornerstone, it also stated that collective security was primarily the business of “efficient and responsible states.”

In contrast, the states involved in an effective organization must be a coalition of developed and developing nations. This kind of cooperation is itself important for the eventual eradication of security threats, as it builds permanent foundations of trust between countries of different cultures and economic standings. It is essential that globalization be turned into a positive reality for people of all countries. With this in mind, the United Nations and Bretton Woods institutions should establish a coordinated approach to peace and development. Defense and the promotion of human rights are crucial elements in this new proposed system of collective security, while economic development lies at its core.

In sum, the promotion of social justice could be the best answer to the challenges of global security. Likewise, for all countries to progress economically, they must be integrated into a new security system. This integration requires a methodology different from any we have yet seen in international relations. It may be possible to create new institutions within our existing ones; the United Nations can be reformed to accommodate the updated security system, or different organizations can be formed. However, in direct response to our integrated context, we must work to create a fluid system in which all countries contribute to global regulations and policy, while sharing their ever-changing, and hopefully growing, capabilities.