1  

Multilateral  Democracy  in  the  21st  Century  notes  by  Neil  Eustaquio  taken  during  as  class  on  International  Organizations  conducted  by  Atty.  JV  Chan-­‐Gonzaga,  March  2013  

 I.  MULTILATERAL  DEMOCRACY  ...................................................................................................................................  1  II.  GROWING  INTERDEPENDENCE  BETWEEN  TECHNOLOGICAL  DEVELOPMENT  AND  THE  FORMATION  OF  A  GLOBAL  ECONOMY  .........................................................................................................................................................  1  III.  HISTORY  .....................................................................................................................................................................  2  IV.  OLD  SYSTEM  V.  NEW  SYSTEM  ................................................................................................................................  2  V.  COMMON  FEATURES  OF  INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  TODAY  ................................................................  2  VI.  IMPORTANT  RELATIONSHIPS  .................................................................................................................................  2  VII.  IMPORTANT  PROCESSES  ........................................................................................................................................  3  VIII.  “LEGISLATIVE”  FUNCTIONS  .................................................................................................................................  3  IX.  FORUM  FOR  NORM-­‐MAKING  V.  NORM-­‐MAKING  ................................................................................................  3  X.  EXCEPTIONAL  CASES  .................................................................................................................................................  3  XI.  “EXECUTIVE”  FUNCTIONS  .......................................................................................................................................  4  XII.  INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  TODAY  .........................................................................................................  4  XIII.  CONCLUSIONS  ON  MULTILATERAL  DEMOCRACY  .............................................................................................  4    

I.  MULTILATERAL  DEMOCRACY    Multilateral  democracy  refers  to  the  conduct  of  democracy  or  relations  among  three  or  more  states.    Oscar  Schafter’s   statement   in   the  1990s   rings   true  moreso   today   than  ever:   “[t]he  international  rules  of  International  Organizations  affect  every  area  of  human  life,  cut  across  territorial  boundaries,  and  even  into  matters  entirely  within  the  sovereignty  of   states.”   This   is   a   reality   that   was   not   contemplated   by   the   international  community  at  its  inception.    II.  GROWING  INTERDEPENDENCE  BETWEEN  TECHNOLOGICAL  DEVELOPMENT  AND  THE  FORMATION  

OF  A  GLOBAL  ECONOMY    

Today,  there  is  a  growing  interdependence  between  technological  development  and  the  formation  of  a  global  economy.      Technological  development  is  apparent  in  (a)  transportation  from  the  galleon  trade  to   the   airplane;   and   in   (b)   communications   networks   (e.g.   the   differences   in  efficiency,  and  the  corollary  proof  of  development,  in  this  regard  is  illustrated  in  the  fact  that  a  10  pound  call  card  bought  in  London  is  worth  different  hours  when  used  to  call  different  countries,  i.e.  2  hours  to  the  Philippines,  6  hours  to  Bangkok,  and  10  hours  to  the  United  States.)      Technological  development  (a)  encourages  specialization,  which  in  turn  leads  to  (b)  interndependence,  which  in  turn  lead  (c)  to  regulation  by  institutions.    

  2  

III.  HISTORY    History   has   shown   a   shift   from  unilateral   actions   by  Kings   founded   on   the   use   of  force,  to  multilateral  actions  made  through  consuls  and  legations,  starting  with  the  Peace  of  Westphalia,  and  the  Congress  of  Vienna.  The  multilateral  mode  is  described  as  “bursting  forth”  or  “writ  large”  from  bilateral  relations.    Throughout   this   shift,   International   Organizations   may   be   seen   as   arising   either  from  a  need  due   to   the   increasing   international   intercourse  or  as  arising   from  the  appeal  to  a  single  world  government.    The   pace   of   relations   is   beginning   to   require   regular   multilateral   conferences.  Before,  new  conferences  needed  to  be  called   for  every  arising   issue.  Before,   it  was  dependent  on  who  Austria  wanted  to  invite  to  conferences  -­‐  there  was  no  equality  of  rights,  -­‐  no  specialization.    

IV.  OLD  SYSTEM  V.  NEW  SYSTEM    The  old  system  gave  way  to  the  new  system.  The  old  concert  system  based  on  a  high  degree  of  trust  within  its  club  of  political  individuals  gave  way  to  the  new  system  of  varied  political  intercourse  which  saw  the  human  rights  revolution,  the  regional  and  global  relations,    and  even  is  concerned  with  judicial  and  quasi-­‐judicial  functions.    One   characteristic   of   the  new   system   is   that   there   is   no   express   delegation   of   the  legislative   function   to   one  member-­‐state.   The   traditional   objection   to   such   is   the  possibility   of   the   two-­‐thirds   binding   the   one-­‐third,   which   really   allows   the  circumvention  of  the  treaty-­‐making  process.  Exceptions  to  this  are  the  FATF  and  the  OECD  which  engage  enforcement  even  to  non-­‐state  members  (thus,  an  exception  to  the  principle  of  pacta  tertiis  nec  nocent  nec  prosunt).  

V.  COMMON  FEATURES  OF  INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  TODAY    A  number  of   features  may  be   seen   as   common  among   international   organizations  today:   international   organizations   (1)   hold   periodic   or   regular   sessions;   (2)   are  organs   of   limited  membership,   i.e.   not   inclusive   of   all  member-­‐states,   such   as   the  Secretariat,  UN  Security  Council,  WHO  Assembly,  and  the  WIPO;  (3)  have  a  budget  and  a  finance  division  which,  in  treaty  organizations,  are  elected,  and  in  subsidiary  bodies,  appointed;   (4)  publish  reports;  and  (5)  have   institutional  programs,  e.g.   in  the  WHO.    

VI.  IMPORTANT  RELATIONSHIPS    

Important   relationships   exist   between   some   international   organizations:   (1)   as   to  international  economic  issues,  the  heads  of  the  WTO,  WB,  and  IMF  meet  every  year  and   make   a   report;   (2)   linkages   between   international   organizations   and   non-­‐government  organizations,   e.g.   the  UNESCO  accreditation  program  of  NGOs,   in   the  UNCTAD,  in  UNIDO,  and  in  WIPO.  

  3  

 VII.  IMPORTANT  PROCESSES  

 In   the  study  of   international  organizations,  attention  must  be  given  to  the  work  of  committees,  and  to  the  voting  rules.    The   work   of   committees   involve   an   overwhelming   number   of   bureaucratic   and  expensive  processes.      Voting  in  international  organizations  may  be  (a)  by  consensus,  in  which  no  member  makes  an  objection;  or  (b)  by  rule  of  unanimity,  which  should  be  distinguished  from  consensus;  or  (c)  by  rule  of  majority,  as  in  the  UN  Charter.    Each  voting  mode  has  its  own  advantages  and  disadvantages.  In  a  rule  of  majority,  advantages  include  (a)  avoidance  of  paralysis;  (b)  prevention  of  effective  veto;  both  necessary   for   large   organizations.   This   is   why   “agreed   language”   is   important.  Usually,  diplomats  are  given  a  binder  of  agreed  language  which  are  used  in  various  organizations.   For   example,   the   binder   in   WIPO   may   be   used   in   the   UN   General  Assembly.  The  disadvantage  is  in  the  possibility  of  the  minority  being  overrun.  For  example,  in  the  UN,  developing  countries  outnumber  developed  countries  three-­‐to-­‐one.  Ramming  an  action  by  rule  of  majority  runs  the  risk  that  developed  countries  may  not  implement  the  resolution.    In   these   processes,   face-­‐to-­‐face   relations   are   important.   Thus,   the   existence   of  embassies  and  missions,  among  others.    

VIII.  “LEGISLATIVE”  FUNCTIONS    

International   organizations   legislate   on   substantive   rules.   This   activity   is   usually  called  the  standard-­‐setting  function  of  international  organizations.  It  has  a  vast  area  of  influence,  as  in  the  areas  of  trade,  human  rights,  maritime  relations,  disarmament,  or  the  environment.    

IX.  FORUM  FOR  NORM-­‐MAKING  V.  NORM-­‐MAKING    

A  distinction  must  be  made  between  organizations  that  are  forums  for  norm-­‐making  and  organizations  that  are  norm-­‐making  per  se.  As  to  to  latter,   in  the  UN,  as  of  this  writing,   there   are   approximately   3,500   UN   meetings   that   have   treaty-­‐making  activities;  thrice  the  number  compared  to  those  in  2012.    

X.  EXCEPTIONAL  CASES    

In  the  area  of  the  environment,  there  are  no  organizations,  but  only  mechanisms.    There  are  also  organizations  which  do  not  conform  to  the  principle  of  pacta  tertiis,  such  as  the  ICAO,  FATF,  OECD.  (As  a  side  note,  in  the  OECD  there  is  work  to  arrive  at  

  4  

Tax   Information   Exchange   Agreement  which   allow   states   to   talk   to   each   other   to  obtain  information  to  address  double  taxation  and  to  overcome  secrecy  laws.    

XI.  “EXECUTIVE”  FUNCTIONS    

International   organizations   have   an   administrative   department   serving   as   its  backbone   usually   called   the   Secretariat   and   led   by   a   Secretary-­‐General,   Executive  Director,   Managing   Director,   President,   or   other   like   names.   In   theory,   this  administrative   department   should   not   be   involved   with   policy.   Their   usual  statement   is   that   they  “are  a  Member-­‐driven  organization;”  but   in  reality,   they  are  very   influential.   Their   influence   may   be   coursed   through   their   advice,   reports  (annual  or  otherwise),  technical  assistance  (e.g.  studies),  or  may  even  by  in  the  form  of   drafting   resolutions   which   serve   as   initial   data   or   information   for   proposals,  which  should  really  be  a  “legislative”  function.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  when  dealing  with  international  organizations,  this  administrative  arm  of  the  organization  would  serve  as  a  good  ally.    

XII.  INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  TODAY    Today,   this   international   organizations   have   more   activities   in   the   form   of  monitoring   and   supervision,   e.g.   visitation,   verification,   enforcement   measures  (whether  through  politics,  economics,  or  by  force),  or  even  in  the  form  judicial  and  quasi-­‐judicial.  Currently,  there  is  an  eye  on  judicial  specialization,  as  in  the  ICJ,  ICC,  and  ITLOS,  but  the  jurisdiction  of  such  require  state  consent.    

XIII.  CONCLUSIONS  ON  MULTILATERAL  DEMOCRACY    

Multilateral   diplomacy   is   no   longer   the   business   of   governments   alone,   but   now  affects   individuals  and  businesses.  Contemporary   literature  has  not  addressed  this  particular  nature  of  international  organizations  today.    The  kinds  of  international  organizations  are  so  varied,  from  the  10  member  ASEAN,  the  SADAC,  APEC,  EU,  LOB,  to  the  international  organization  of  Bananas  and  Plantae  based  in  Los  Banos.    Why  is  there  an  emergence  of  multilateral  democracy?  Scholars  argue  that  it  due  to  the   need   for   centralization   and   independence.   Centralization   offers   a   stable   and  formal   structure   with   an   administrative   arm   and   a   legitimated   or   increased  legitimacy   of   action.   Independence   separates   the   owners   from   control.   These  organizations   shapes   political   structure.   International   organizations   strengthen  international  cooperation.  It  provides  specialized  agencies  and  staff.    International  organizations  are  neutral  and  depoliticized,  especially  with  regard  to  technical  and  specialized  issues.  This  neutral  and  depoliticized  nature  is  true  in  the  beginning,  but  would  later  shift  to  a  political  nature,  at  which  point  such  issues  are  let  to  ministers  to  make  the  hard  threshold  decisions.  

  5  

 The  following  are  other  apparents  conclusions  about  international  organizations:    (a)   The   challenges   or   existing   realities   of   international   organizations   lie   in   the  principles  of  territoriality  and  the  independence  of  states.    (b)  International  organizations  are  increasingly  involved  in  norm-­‐setting.    (c)  International  organizations  are  handling  issues  of   increasing  scope  (e.g.  before,  the  scope  in  Europe  was  only  to  maintain  the  balance  of  power.)    (d)   International   organizations   involve   an   increasing   diversity   of   actors   (e.g.   the  Philippine  delegation  on   climate   change  are   staffed  by  NGOs   such  as   the  AHRC  or  Dean  La  Vina.)    (e)  International  organizations  consist  of  epistemic  communities.    [Neil:  My  apologies,  was  not  able  to  complete  notes  on  the  following  topics.]    (f)  Founded  on  …    (g)  Continuities  -­‐>  state-­‐based    (h)  International  organizations  have  set  aside  the  ad-­‐hoc  or  consent  system.