Matthew Knott

Whenever anyone asked Captain Kirk, "Where do you come from", he didn't say Kansas, or even America, he said Earth. In Gene Roddenberry's future, Earth was ruled by a central government, and as with many things this is another idea of the Star Trek world that will almost certainly come to pass, for no other reason than the survival of the human race.

Already, we're willing to go to war over oil, and with the food crisis growing, how long until we're going to war over food, and other raw materials.

The concept of world government will be resisted with many a dying breath, probably literally. Would you, as your nations leader, just succumb to rule from a higher power? Unlikely, but however you look at it, a single world ruling body is a logical outcome and solution to the worlds problems.

Resources

Under a single government, wealth and resources would no longer be hoarded and coveted by the the superpowers. The standard of living in areas such as Ethiopia would improve dramatically. Also as previously mentioned, the need to go and fight for resources would be removed. Armed forces and military assets would gradually be needed less, the last thing that any nation would want is to go to war with every other nation on the planet. Military expenditure being reduced means more money to invest in technologies that improve quality of life.

Science and Medicine

With the worlds scientists working together, advances in science and medical care would improve greatly. Huge advances could be made by a concentrated research effort in a fraction of the time it would take multiple independent teams of scientists. Research into alternative fuels and cancer treatment would be two of the areas that require this approach to ensure to continued existence of mankind.

Aid and Disaster

The ability to cope with natural disasters is another powerful benefit of a unified government. As we've seen recently with Burma, political barriers can be harder to overcome that physical ones. 

So often it's the poorest nations that suffer the most, mainly through the poor quality of their buildings. If their homes were constructed using know-how prevalent in other parts of the world, the death toll could be cut dramatically in earthquake hotspots.

Single Currency

Another area that would be hard fought globally is the adoption of a single global currency. This would actually simplify trade and travel greatly, bringing financial stability across the globe.

A single currency has already been successfully implemented across many countries within europe with a high degree of success. Britain's delay in adopting the Euro does lend a strong indication that it would be one of those nations most resistant to a single government and single world currency.

Building Community

Emigration / Immigration add variety to communities around the globe. America is a nation built almost entirely from immigrants from around the globe.

Reasons for emigrating are varied, some leave home because of war or conflict, others based on lifestyle, but an increasing problem, especially in poorer countries, is the emigration of skilled workers, particularly doctors and general medical staff, and scientists.

The loss of these key personnel can severely impact a countries development and the quality of life of its citizens. Under a single government, the pay could be equalised globally meaning that doctors can move around globally more easily, but are less likely to be forced into moving away from their home nations.

Resistance

As previously mentioned, there would be strong resistance from many nations, those who protect their borders fiercely, such as North Korea, would resort to violence before succumbing to a single government.

It’s likely that the formation of the one government would have to continue without these nations initially, and ultimately force them into coalition through sanctions and trade embargos. This would be an undesirable path, but is a valid alternative to violence.

Ultimately, with the way the world is changing, the populations of these isolated nations would throw down the shackles of their oppressive leadership and force them into the one government structure.

Another side effect of unification will be the reduction of cultural identity. The loss of a nations currency for example would be a major dent in its identity. Language would also slowly reduce to just english as a first language, the change is inevitable. On the flip side, lower emigration rates would help build the cultural identity.

I think this is the biggest thing that will happen in the next few years, and will signal a new age of man, with technological and social evolution proceeding at a never before seen pace.

Tags: Government Single Unification Unified Global World Survival Nations

The latest opinion poll conducted, puts the conservatives around 20% ahead of Labour. This is disturbing to say the least.

As someone who remembers life under the Conservative Party, I hope we never return to those days.

Despite constant media attention on Gordon Brown, pprtraying him as an oaf, this seems to be more media hype and manipulation, and I'm a firm believe in judging people by what they actually do rather than listening to the opinion of the media.

Under Labour, Britain has prospered, unemployment is down substantially on the Major years which saw Britain go through one of its worst recessions ever.

If people look at the Conservative policies, hopefully they will see that these are just pipe dreams for the most part, and a lot of their popularity is generated by the constant media attacks on the current government.

Labour aren't perfect, but what political party could be? The Conservatives paint themselves as the party that can create a perfect britain, lower taxes improve services, but when you look beyond the facade, their policies and contradictive, and could not exist together. To improve services you need money, dropping taxes reduces money, so therefore, cuts are made elsewhere. Hospitals are not built, class sizes increase, people loose support that they have under the Labour government.

Labour should keep doing what they are doing, I trust them with the future of the country. Their decisions may not always be popular ones but we have seen that the unpopular choices often render long-term stability.

For this reason, I hope to god that we don't see the Conservatives back in power.

Tags: Labour Conservatives Red Party Politics Opinion Poll Vote Popularity Media Tabloid Britain UK Government

Today, the British Medical Association has demanded an end to car parking fees at hospitals as explained in this BBC article. 

Free parking is great, but the NHS makes £4 million annually from these charges. As we constantly hear about the debts that the NHS and hospital trusts are in, surely it would only make matters worse to remove that source of income from them.

On the radio today, a BMA representative was outlining his reasons for removing parking fee's. One contradictory point the interviewer did not pick up on was that firstly, parking fees dissuade visitors to the hospitals, then mentioned that you have to drive around looking for a space currently. 

I've got to point out that if people are no longer dissuaded then traffic volumes will go up, so you will still have to drive around but probably end up parking illegally within the carpark, or worse, as with the local hospital here, park on the main road, again illegally.

Secondly, if visitors have to struggle to find a space now, if a hospital wanted to expand their car parking facilities, how will they fund this? Drop their expensive renal or brain surgery unit? I think not. 

In an ideal world, the NHS would be organised, efficient and well funded, but it's none of those things and taking this money will only make things worse. 

I think the BMA has just become one of those bodies who look to instill a change publicly, when really they could end up making things worse, removing money from hospital budgets to pay for specialist consultants.

These things usually blow over after a week or so anyway, so hopefully we'll hear no more of it.

Tags: BMA British Medical Association NHS Parking Cars Hospitals