Influx Project Presentation

LSE, 2/12/10

Rebellion or Revolution?

‘Rebellion simply objects to

something, while revolution’s

relative respectability stems

from also proposing an alternative’.

Camus (Paraphrased)

Overview

• Why Influx?

• What is the UN?

• Influx Perspective of UN

• What is the Influx Project?

• Influx Ratings

• UN Problems/Influx Solutions

• Other Approaches to UN Reform

• Your Engagement

Why ‘Influx’?

Increasing the influence of individuals, to create a better UN,

whatever you feel that is.

What is the UN?

• Organisation of Member Governments

• Complex, No Single Definition

• 4 Key Aims:

1) Human Rights

2) International Law

3) Sustainable Development

4) Conflict Resolution

Influx Perspective of UN

• Inadequate: Rigid, outdated design, lacking in incentives for members to be ‘better’ members.

• Unfairly Judged 1: Big enough to be mistaken for a grown up but adolescent. (opposite to dog years)

• Unfairly Judged 2: About progress, not perfection which builds unrealistic expectations.

• Incomplete/Unpowered: It’s only as good as we make it.

Influx Perspective of UN• Basically it’s a referee. There is need for a

better referee. (population and resources)

• Need for a different referee (different conflict)

What is the Influx Project?

• Technically- The independent development of an

informal, public & qualitative membership of UN. A

platform for the wider public and UN to share

responsibility for promoting the values of the UN.

• Basically-

Aim of the Influx Project

• Technically- It exists to build and gauge comparative support for the UN and spread common understanding.

• Basically- Creating a better referee.

Tone of the Influx Project

• Napster for the UN.

(technology)

• Naked Chef for the UN.

(popular appeal)

• If it was a sport, what would it be?

If Influx Was a Sport

• Bicycle Polo

• Previously for elites only

Influx Ratings

• The Formula: Supporters registering as a proportion of those banking online in a country. ‘I want a better UN and to me that means…’

=Those who can express interest in better UNThose who do

• Fair comparison across states of different sizes, political orientation, power and stages of development.

• Ratings provide members with the incentive to be ‘better’ members.

Influx Rating- Example

Country People Registered (2010)

People Banking Online (2006)

National Influx Rating

National Influx Ranking

Botswana 2000 5000 0.40 13

India 15000 50000 0.30 46

UK 74000 1000000 0.07 169

Switzerland 120000 1000000 0.12 95

South Korea 250000 3000000 0.08 166

Influx Rating- In The World

The Driving Force

Harvest something in abundance: National Pride

For building international co-operation.

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

BREAKDOWN & BREAKTHROUGH

1) In Almost One Sentence

2) Trust

3) Legitimacy

4) General Structure

5) Specific Structure & Decision Process

6) Finance

7)Character Defects

UN Problems- Influx Solutions

IN ALMOST ONE SENTENCE

‘Lack of Political Will’Current record for comprehensively summing up why UN doesn’t achieve its

aims. (Margaret Karns, United Nations University, Tokyo, 2004)

The Influx Project will release that will,

when and where it exists, and build on it.

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

TRUST

• Trust and co-operation required for trust and co-operation

• ‘Only if you do too’ problem

• Homework: Prisoner, commons dilemmas

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

LEGITIMACY

• Theoretical ‘We the peoples…’

• Credibility- ignored, disillusioned staff

• Bias- privileged members/friends

• Democracy is minority, domestic reaching and not accurate description of UN (democratise)

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

GENERAL STRUCTURE

• Governments priority to maximise power (people-centric, lubrication)

• Static & Inflexible (dynamic system)

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

SPECIFIC STRUCTURE & DECISIONS PROCESS

• General Assembly (verify decisions)

• Security Council (question veto use)

• Diplomatic Deficit

• Accountability

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

FINANCE

• Conditional Payment, Witholding, Dominance

• Short term (encourage payments due)

• Long Term (direct finance option)

• E.g. Football match analogy.

UN Problems – Influx Solutions

CHARACTER DEFECTS

• Bureaucracy (quicker, better consensus)

• Information Deficit (MDG good, more simplicity required)

• Toothlessness (not more force, less need)

• Sovereignty (open the debate, over-ride?)

Influx Weak Points

• Language Bias (8, more than UN)• Somewhere Centric (boat/space)• Omissions (connections spread)• Identity (minorities, stateless can register as such)• Momentum (critical mass, cost)• Unprecedented agreement to change charter

(goal)• Potential for sabotage, corruption (governance)• Limited funding (pilot)

Other Reform Approaches

• Expand Security Council- Perpetuating same problems, just with new players

• No change worth doing would be agreed or passed

• Criteria (Geographic, Demographic, Economic, Military, Historical)

What you can do

• Feedback

• Register

• Network (people, places)

• Help put it all into action (team)

• Make a better plan