For a better world
The book is a call to action for creating an international order which can to tackle global problems, writes Rajshekhar Chandola

In this book, Jim Stark articulates the crisis that humanity is facing with nuclear proliferation, wars, global warming and climate change. The author coins the word “omnicide” to describe the possible mass extermination of humans that will come as a result of the use of weapons of mass destruction or environmental collapse due to overpopulation and global warming.

World government
The book offers hope that humanity can rise to the challenge of abolishing war, just as slavery was abolished in the 19th century. Stark proposes extending the rule of law and government to the global level and building a democratic world government which would replace the weak and ineffective structure of the United Nations with a transparent and democratic world government directly elected by the people of the world. Stark outlines his objective which is to replace the present system – where sovereign states feel compelled to have their own army for protecting their borders and national interests – with a system of world government.

The question arises: how can we bring about such a world government? Stark proposes that we use the Internet to conduct a referendum on democratic world government, and he has already created the tool on his website www.voteworldgovernment.org, managed by an organisation (Vote World Government) of which he is the president. The website is already running a referendum where anyone can vote in favour of or against the idea of having a democratic world government.

Stark argues forcefully and convincingly that the referendum being conducted by the website would, as it gains momentum, create political will through the pressure of public opinion in favour of a democratic world government. He points out that it is time we did at the international level what we have already been doing at the national level; i.e., practice democratic governance. He has also compiled over 200 quotes from world leaders and famous people like Einstein supporting a democratic world government.

One cannot help but agree with John Kintree, who proclaims, “Rescue Plan for Planet Earth is a triumph. It belongs in a class with Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense.’ Just as Paine was a commoner who dared to advocate independence from British rule for the United States of America, Stark is a commoner who dares to advocate the creation of a democratic world government through a grassroots initiated global referendum.”

And to quote Jerry Tetalman, California President of Citizens for Global Solutions and co-author of One World Democracy, “Rescue Plan for Planet Earth should be required reading in every school and by every politician.”