Without Borders

Was absent-mindedly mulling this weekend, as I so often do, and had this crazy thought. What if we did away with all country borders? Just went geographical, so you live in Africa, or North America or Asia or whatever.

Of course, there would have to be no city-name duplication. Especially for postage purposes. But duplication would be handy if trying to "lose yourself".

Governments probably wouldn't want to give up control of their imaginary lines in the ground. What would a government worker do if they didn't have a government office to run? Would they even be employable? :) OK, that's a low blow, but you know what I mean. However, communities could re-take control of their own watershed, resources (human, physical, economic, structural, environmental etc.) and way of life. Re-establish inter-village trade and a reciprocal "swapping" system (replacing cash) to obtain essentials not available locally. Instead of relying on central government to do things, provide services, fix the mess - then complaining when they don't.

Cutting out the borders would mean humans can once again become migratory - changing location as drought takes hold, or crops increase, or needs ebb and flow. Unchecked by border controls, migration requirements or movement restrictions. Passports? What passports?

On the darker side, it would be a lot easier for a World Power to develop - a small group of individuals who may try to dictate to the rest of the world and run it their way. With government out of the way, it would likely be underground, subversive, intrusive into communities. Not a pretty picture.

But getting back to the lighter stuff. Or not.

Would wars cease? Would there be less "us" vs. "them"? And if there is no us and them, perhaps it would be easier to treat each other as fellow-humans instead of a lesser species or a fear-dominated power group. It would blur the lines of prejudice and responsibility, making us all accountable to each other, dependant on each other, right up the food chain (or watershed).

Would crime drop as commmunities close in around themselves to become mini-systems, care more and become increasingly accountable to each other as individuals?

The more I think about this random stuff, the deeper the implications go. Finance (money systems), travel, management of ecosystems and people groups. Agricultural issues - would we become seasonally-dependant once more, living on what grows in our area instead of importing nutrient-reduced GM crops? Would we be more careful with how we used our land, because we have a responsibility to our immediate community?

OK, before I go TOTALLY off on a tangent for the remainder of the day (what a pleasure that would be!), I'd better cut this short.

Unlikely scenario, but fun to think about...