Power of the United Nations

Description: Power and Influence of the United Nations

After WWII the world decided to install an international body to maintain peace and security. The hope was that such an organization would prevent conflicts between nations and make future wars impossible by fostering the idea of collective security.

Enablers:

• Fear for WWIII: World War II was something that no-one wanted to relive a international organization was set up. The name came partly from the one "United Nations Fighting Forces" used during the war by the Allied forces.
• Cold war: We need some sense of security and coorporation
• Rogue Nations and International Terrorism: Iran, North Korea, Iraq, etc. Together we can justify retaliating.

Inhibitors:

• Bureaucracy
• Original charter is (too) old and ineffective now:
• Member state governments: They have the real power:
  • Members ignore resolutions
  • Members proceed with actions withouth UN support/agreement

Paradigms:

• Before: Attacking one country was a simple cost benefit analysis.
• After: Attacking one country now involved waging war against all the UN members.

Timing:

After the catastrophes of WWII.

"I don't know what weapons WWIII will be fought with, but WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones."

Albert Einstein

References:

• [1] United Nations