Imagine there's no countries

August 2024

Imagine there are no countries. Some readers may remember this line from John Lennon's famous song Imagine. In the face of rising nationalism, it might be worth imagining a world without countries as a powerful positive vision to offer as an alternative to the reorientation towards nationalism and tribalism.

Let us tune in with the full second verse of the song:

Imagine there's no countries // It isn't hard to do // Nothing to kill or die for // And no religion too // Imagine all the people // Living life in peace

Post-nationalism

Imagining a world without countries leads us to the idea of post-nationalism. It challenges traditional notions of nation states, sovereignty and national identities. At the same time, it inspires the creation and strengthening of supranational organisations, international treaties and global initiatives. It fits in with the efforts of various international bodies, non-governmental organisations and activist groups to promote global cooperation and address issues that affect humanity as a whole.

Post-nationalism grew out of the critique of nationalism. For many, the seeds were sown in the aftermath of the Second World War. The war's devastating effects highlighted the need for international cooperation to prevent future conflicts. The establishment of the United Nations in 1945 was a major milestone, embodying the collective aspiration for a world order based on peace and mutual respect rather than nationalist aggression.

With increasing global connectivity and interdependence, the concept of post-nationalism has gained traction. It is linked to debates about globalisation, universal human rights, supranational agreements and organisations, not least in relation to climate change and biodiversity loss, and global citizenship or cultural hybridisation.

The discourse around post-nationalism is lively and diverse. Proponents argue that it is a necessary development in an interconnected world, essential for addressing global challenges such as climate change, economic inequality and pandemics. They stress the importance of supranational governance, global citizenship and the protection of universal human rights.

Post-nationalism represents a significant shift in how we perceive and organise our world. While it offers promising solutions to global challenges, it also raises complex questions about identity, sovereignty and governance. The future of post-nationalism depends on how effectively the global community can balance national interests with the need for international cooperation.

Key features of a world without countries

Against this background, can we imagine a world without countries? The most obvious clues would probably include the following assumptions:

Peace. As mentioned in the song, without countries there would hopefully be no armed conflicts or wars between them. As well as armed conflict, the absence of countries could also put an end to the increasingly popular trade wars. Assuming it would also mean overcoming tribalism and other causes of civil war, we might be able to imagine a world at peace.

Democracy. Somehow a word without countries would have to be governed. Let's hope it would be some kind of democratic world government. With a population of about 8 billion people, it is unlikely to be a direct democracy. So, we have to come up with some kind of decentralised system for representative democracy. To get away from nationalism, it should not be based on nation states.  We would also have to come up with constituencies for electing members of parliament. They may not even have to be geographical. Using modern technology, we might be able to imagine a system that follows other lines of division. What about a number of seats in the global parliament for each age group? So, people of the same age around the world would vote for their representative. Of course, we could think of more non-geographical alternatives to gerrymander constituencies.

Freedom of movement.  In a world without countries, we would all have the right to stay in the place we call home, or to move somewhere else. People might still want to migrate, but they could simply move rather than flee. Whether you want to move to a new place two streets away from home or to the other side of the world, everything would be the same – except maybe the weather.

United in diversity. Imagining a world without countries and people moving around as they please also means that the cultural richness and diversity of our world would become part of our everyday life. It takes the old EU slogan 'united in diversity' to the next level. It will not always be an easy road. But history is full of examples of supposedly different communities coming together and forging a new common identity. We need to imagine what global citizenship or cultural hybridisation can do by blending cultures and creating hybrid identities.

Babel-fish. Language may be an obstacle to such global integration. However, given the technological advances of recent decades, we can assume that there will be a technological solution. It seems not too far-fetched that we will have a kind of Babel-fish, as readers may remember from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Joint solutions. Building on the above, the world might actually be better prepared to find common solutions to pressing global problems. We could make much more progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the very least, problems such as hunger, climate change and biodiversity loss should be easier to solve in a world without countries than in a world based on nationalism.

It might therefore be worth developing more detailed visions of what a world without countries might look like and what it might have to offer. Even if such visions are unlikely to be realised, they can stimulate change on a smaller scale. Most importantly, they will help counter the rise of nationalism with a positive narrative.

To return to John Lennon's song Imagine. The chorus goes:

You may say I'm a dreamer // But I'm not the only one // I hope someday you'll join us // And the world will be as one

by Kai Böhme