ブックタイトル佐藤栄作論文集９～１６

概要

佐藤栄作論文集９～１６

第16回優秀賞dizzying speed, and with increasingly massive scale and consequences. Revolutionaryprogress and groundbreaking innovations in the field of science, technology andcommunications are compounding these changes, and in effect, blurring or completelyignoring boundaries among states.Globalization is the commonly used term to describe such a borderless and fastmoving era we are experiencing today. This term is in fact not fully accurate. AsThomas Friedman（1999）argues, globalization was achieved long time ago, withthe discovery of steamships and telegraph, and the institution of the postal system,and expansion of trade. The inventions of the 1990s, and the global fad that surroundthem, like the webpage, e-mail and e-commerce, i.e. all the new icons of the presentage, are not re-creating globalization. They are simply pushing it further -- makingglobalization faster, cheaper and deeper.Where does the UN stand amidst these developments? Is“hyper-globalization”making the UN stronger, or is it undermining its position? Overall, is the UN equippedto keep up with the pace and realities of the new era, particularly, in tackling downnew issues and problems that very possibly call for an entirely different set of rulesof-the-game?In essence, what needs to be ascertained is the UN's preparedness. This is indeed atall order?for any organization?as the globalization we are witnessing today is onethat is truly pervasive, with deep and far-reaching impacts in practically all spheresof humankind activities. In the light of this, it is most important we avoid putting toomuch hope and expectations on the UN. Instead, we must take a close look at thecharacteristics of the new era, and make sober assessments on how they might affectthe workings of the organization, i.e. as the new conditions and imperatives.In the first place, globalization dramatically alters the structure and composition of807