The world has seen such a synthesis before. When, after the First World War, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the advent of the so-called New Diplomacy, whereby secrecy and the balance of power would be replaced by open covenants and collective security, many people regarded such things as the dreams of an idealist-preacher.
幸运的是，哥本哈根大会出现的反潮流同样值得注意。达成共识的国家（通常为邻国）团结一致共同发力：如何应对气候变化涉及某些弱小国家的切身利益，此举对它们来说是引人注目的。在谨慎对待此种群化现象的前提下，它们或许会巩固而非动摇全球共识的根基。