Yet, we must find ways to reap its benefits for all people while also mitigating or overcoming its dark side. According to the 1999 UN Human Development Report, the challenge of globalization in this new century is not to stop the expansion of global markets. In this era of globalization, it is the security of people that should really matter, not the security of governments, institutions, enterprises, or organizations. The role of the latter is to contribute to the security of people. This human security includes aspects that are political, physical, social, economic, environmental, and human rights.
Human security is both short term and long term.
Current needs must be met in ways that preserve the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The challenge, then, is to channel and manage globalization so that it contributes toward meeting human needs, both now and for the future. It seems to me that, just as globalization should contribute toward meeting human needs, it is the people, and only the people, that can and must shape globalization to achieve this goal. For well over 200 years, the people of the United States have worked to make this country a more perfect union, based on the principles of democracy. In this election year, that work continues.