Ever again 1918? The threatening return of nationalism

Abstract

Since we live in one single world society the national state is the wrong reference for solving problems of war and peace. Social integration beyond global Institutionalization and Symbolization increasingly becomes illusionary. A good indicator is the fact that national democracy could be implemented with full participatory inclusion in ever more countries only through the rise of autonomous world law, defining citizenship and democrartic legitimation in last resort. Until 1945, democracy failed nearly everywhere because of nationalism, militarism, imperialism, especially after the first wave of reluctant global democratization after 1918. However, the system of world law was fataly demolished by eight massive violations of the prohibition of war through four of the five permanent members of the Security Council. The threat of 1918 is back and growing the longer the war in Ukraine lasts: destruction of democracy through nationalism, militarism, imperialism.