Global Public Goods

PROLOGUE

I am very pleased to write the prologue to this important volume. I consider this an important book for three reasons.

First, I believe that the book breaks new ground by extrapolating the concept of "public goods" from the national level to the global level. The book makes a convincing argument that the two tests of a public good, nonrivalry and nonexcludability, can be applied at the global level to such things as environment, health, culture and peace. In particular, I am persuaded that financial stability, the Internet and knowledge can be considered as global public goods.

Second, I agree with the book's thesis that we live in an increasingly integrated and interlinked world. In this new world, the sovereignty of the state is changing owing to two opposing developments. On the one hand, states are forced to cooperate in order to solve their problems. This applies to the environment, health, peace, knowledge and, as we have witnessed recently, financial stability. On the other hand, the trend is towards subsidiarity or the principle of devolving the power of decision-making to the lowest possible level.

Third, I think the book makes a persuasive argument for the need to  rethink the nature of international assistance. It is no longer enough to target international assistance at recipient countries or at specific sectors. The reason is that some global public goods cut across several sectors. How do we finance global public goods? Are existing institutions adequate? If not, how should they be reformed? Do we need new institutions? How do we incorporate into our institutions the ethos of tripartism: government, business and civil society?

This book seeks to answer these and many other important policy questions. It provides us with a new intellectual framework with which to think about international assistance. It also offers a powerful new argument for increased international cooperation in order to provide the global public goods that are needed to give globalization a human face.

Professor Tommy Ko
Ambassador-at-Large
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singapore

Executive Director
Asia-Europe Foundation