Guiding Questions

• Who holds power at the global level?

• Do international institutions promote justice — or preserve inequality?

• Can global justice exist in a world of unequal nations?

Global Power, Global Consequences

We live in an interconnected world.

No nation stands alone — but not all nations stand equally.

Institutions like the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) shape:

• War and peace

• Trade and debt

• Climate and development

• Human rights and migration

But these institutions raise hard questions:

• Who created the rules?

• Who enforces them?

• And who gets to break them without consequence?

Justice Across Borders?

Global institutions are supposed to uphold peace, equality, and cooperation.

Yet critics argue they often:

• Favor rich countries over poor ones

• Impose policies that hurt the vulnerable

• Lack accountability and transparency

• Allow powerful nations to act with impunity

When a small country breaks international law, it may face sanctions.

When a powerful country does — the world often looks away.

Is that justice?

A Brief History

• After WWII, the UN was created to prevent future global conflict

• The IMF and World Bank were built to stabilize and rebuild economies

• The WTO emerged to regulate global trade

These institutions reflect the power dynamics of the 20th century — especially the dominance of the United States and Europe.

Many voices — especially from the Global South — were excluded from the beginning.

Philosophical Perspectives

Immanuel Kant

Envisioned a “federation of free states” that would guarantee peace through shared principles — a dream of global justice.

Frantz Fanon

Argued that post-colonial institutions merely disguised new forms of domination — economic, cultural, and political.

Thomas Pogge

Claims that global poverty is not an accident — it is maintained by rules written by and for the powerful.

Two Perspectives

Global Governance as Progress

International institutions help nations cooperate, solve conflicts, and raise standards for all.

Global Governance as Control

These systems reflect the interests of wealthy countries and corporations, enforcing inequality behind a veil of diplomacy.

A Thought Experiment

Imagine a world court that has the power to try any leader — from any country — for crimes against humanity.

Would your country submit to its authority?

If not, can we still claim to believe in international justice?

Tools for a More Just Global Order

• Democratize global institutions — more equal voting power

• Cancel unjust debts — especially those inherited from colonial rule

• Climate justice — hold wealthy nations accountable for environmental harm

• Strengthen international courts — with real enforcement power

• Empower civil society — amplify grassroots voices across borders

• Support self-determination — especially for Indigenous and occupied peoples

Reflect and Discuss

• Do international institutions serve people — or governments?

• Can justice exist in a system where power is so unequal?

• What would a truly fair global order look like?

Suggested Readings

• Frantz Fanon – The Wretched of the Earth

• Thomas Pogge – World Poverty and Human Rights

• Amartya Sen – Development as Freedom

• United Nations Charter

• International Criminal Court – Rome Statute