Social Justice in an Open World: The Role of the United Nations
national development policies is still an essential part of the United Nations ethos. Lately, however, quite apart from the debates and controversies surrounding the massive violations of humanitarian norms and respect for national sovereignty, it has been said with increasing frequency that with the current form of globalization and increased interdependence, Governments are experiencing a reduction in their autonomy and in their margin of manoeuvre to design and implement the policies of their choice. Analyses of the situation suggest that developed countries are constrained by the growing interdependence within the international arena and by the multiple types of relationships they have with one another (examples include the Group of Eight and the European Union), and developing countries are, to a much greater extent, limited in their political and socio-economic choices by the same interdependence and by multiple external influences that they either welcome or do not have the capacity to resist. Among these outside influences are international institutions that impose requirements and conditions developing countries must satisfy in order to receive aid and assistance, which explains why many of these countries assume the burden of "responsibility without power". Do these facts indicate that national responsibility for development is an illusion or a remnant of the past? The general trend of rising inequalities, associated as it has been during the past few decades with the dominant policy of economic liberalization and reduced government intervention, suggests that States have had to follow a common path but have been affected quite differently by events occurring in this context. As mentioned previously, inequality has increased overall since the 1980s, both within and between countries, though there have been important exceptions to this trend. Explanations for both increases and decreases in inequality are generally very complex, as they involve analyses of disparate political circumstances, cultures and structures. However, evidence suggests that the factors contributing to the recent increases in inequality include the diminished progressivity of the tax structure, reductions in expenditures on universal social programmes, rising unemployment, the deregulation of the financial sector, and a decline in the share of national income accruing to labour. All of these factors are, to varying degrees, at least influenced by public policies. Obviously, countries that possess greater power on the international scene have a wider array of choices; more concrete conclusions or observations would require far more detailed, in-depth research and analysis. Other general conclusions drawn from various regional and global inquiries are equally relevant to the debate on national policies for growth and equity. Economic growth is not neutral; it involves the distribution and redistribution of income, wealth, opportunities and power. In turn, policies for the purposeful redistribution of these endowments have an impact on the level, composition and quality of economic growth. The degree of inequality necessary for the effective functioning of