Technology offers unique sets of opportunities, from human flourishing to civilization survival, but also challenges, from partial misuse to global apocalypse. Yet technology is shaped by the social environment in which it is developed and used, prompting questions about its desirable governance format. In this context, we look at governance challenges of large technical systems, specifically the peaceful use of high-power lasers in space, in order to propose a conceptual framework for legitimate global governance. Specifically, we adopt a context-based approach to legitimacy to address the trade-offs between effectiveness (output legitimacy) and inclusivity (input legitimacy) in the governance of large technical systems. We show that distinguishing two basic phases of space laser policy which call for different legitimacy criteria helps balance out the trade-offs without sacrificing either effectiveness or inclusivity. Finally, we construe LTSs’ governance as a tool for creating globally networked spaces which may enable coordinated global democratic governance.

技术提供了一系列独特的机会，从人类繁荣到文明生存，但也提供了挑战，从部分滥用到全球末日。然而，技术受其开发和使用的社会环境的影响，引发了对其理想治理形式的质疑。在此背景下，我们着眼于大型技术系统的治理挑战，特别是高功率激光在太空中的和平使用，以便为合法的全球治理提出一个概念框架。具体来说，我们采用基于上下文的合法性方法来解决大型技术系统治理中有效性（输出合法性）和包容性（输入合法性）之间的权衡。我们表明，区分需要不同合法性标准的空间激光政策的两个基本阶段有助于在不牺牲有效性或包容性的情况下平衡权衡。最后，我们将 LTS 的治理解释为创建全球网络空间的工具，这可以实现协调的全球民主治理。