Updating United Nations to Maintain Upward Trajectory of American Power and Influence

Abstract

The 9/11 attacks have created a new willingness to interfere in the internal affairs of others, while the Iraq war has revealed the power-role disequilibrium at the UN. I propose Secular Democratic Council (SDC) with the moral authority to act on the domestic affairs of any country. Restrictive membership and a novel voting formula based on literacy, population size, GDP and good governance can maintain international equilibrium, without the veto power. Although the SDC checks the US power, it can enhance American influence in the long run, while reducing the burden on the US taxpayers.

Keywords: Secular Democracy, Power Cycle, Good Governance, US Foreign Policy

JEL Classification: F02, H73, K33