Universalism Revived: Needs-Based Cosmopolitanism As A Foundation Of Global Democracy
Universalism Revived: Needs-Based Cosmopolitanism As A Foundation Of Global Democracy

Summary/Abstract: In the paper it is argued that cosmopolitanism based on human needs would be the most legitimate way to organize the emerging global community. Such cosmopolitanism should be rooted in the notion of basic human needs, for instance: security, autonomy, identity and well-being. Although the notion of human need is universalistic (thereby providing space for meta-consensus), the “human nature” derived from this notion is not necessarily fixed. Deliberation on the needs and political practice of their satisfaction will enable the real progress of cosmopolitanism, more quickly and without numerous problems that the human right-based approach is facing nowadays. Global democracy requests certain universalism in ethics, but it has to be different from those previously attempted, while also the everyday position of individuals in different parts of the world has to be improved considerably.

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