The Power (or lack thereof) of States

States in the past seemed to have the free reign to do whatever they pleased. Think about how many wars took place in the world (particularly Europe) between the 18th and mid 20th century. Nowadays, most wars are technically "conflicts," as war is not usually declared anymore, rather just waged; see Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, etc. States certainly seem to act "better" than they did in the past, perhaps because of the globalized media documenting important situations around the world (although certainly not paying enough attention to some). Talking about an open, liberal society in the last few weeks, I think that states realize that it is in their best economic interest to comply with social norms set out by international organizations such as the UN, the IMF, the WTO, and other organizations which I'm sure also have acronyms.

However, if nations are striving to keep their moral high-road attitude abroad, does that necessarily mean that they're practicing what they preach at home? Look at the United States. I feel that a state should not allow its citizens to go to bed hungry, or poison its air and water, or deny medical coverage for those who are not sick enough to warrant care, or attack a country that was not a direct threat to its security. Yet the US certainly does not have the greatest track record dealing with these issues, as we've been reluctant to join the world in hunger prevention and environmental programs, however we have gained traction in the health care department. The US should probably have not gone into Iraq in the first place, but if the US wants to keep our moral standing in the world (however eroded it may be), we need to show that military force is only necessary in times of immediate danger. There also needs to be more of an effort among these "moral leader nations" to put pressure on developing countries who have poor human rights records or even genocide. I will admit, for the world to work more efficiently, all states need to respect the sovereignty of one another. But the question remains: are all states ready to work by global rules together?