Unsc
Explain why there is a persistent move to reform the United Nations Security Council and why both the United States and China have reservations about making a prompt decision on the overhaul of the Council. Apply theories of international relations you have already studied to account for the American and Chinese behavior. Support your answer with examples.
Introduction
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the main organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Due to all of this body’s flaws, calls for reform have increased. Increasing calls for reform have led to several proposals for the better functioning of the Council. There, however, has been no agreement on how to change so far due to the opposition and reluctance of major powers of the Council. This paper will first discuss reasons why the current Security Council should be restructured and what is wrong with the current Council, and describe various proposals under deliberation. Second, it will discuss why the United States and China are unwilling to enlarge the Council and explain their behaviors by applying realist theory of international relations.
Reasons why the UN Security Council needs to reform
There are several factors that underline the need for the UNSC reform. The first factor is the Council’s small size. According to Chan (2010), the UN has grown from 57 to 193 members, but the Security Council has only 15 members: five veto-bearing permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United States and United Kingdom) plus ten non-permanent members which are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. The representativity of the Council membership has decreased accordingly, and as a result its rules and decision-making do not reflect the will of the modern international community. In other words, the Council’s legitimacy is losing. That is why many countries are advocating for the Council reform.
Second, the regional representation of the Council
Introduction
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the main organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Due to all of this body’s flaws, calls for reform have increased. Increasing calls for reform have led to several proposals for the better functioning of the Council. There, however, has been no agreement on how to change so far due to the opposition and reluctance of major powers of the Council. This paper will first discuss reasons why the current Security Council should be restructured and what is wrong with the current Council, and describe various proposals under deliberation. Second, it will discuss why the United States and China are unwilling to enlarge the Council and explain their behaviors by applying realist theory of international relations.
Reasons why the UN Security Council needs to reform
There are several factors that underline the need for the UNSC reform. The first factor is the Council’s small size. According to Chan (2010), the UN has grown from 57 to 193 members, but the Security Council has only 15 members: five veto-bearing permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United States and United Kingdom) plus ten non-permanent members which are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. The representativity of the Council membership has decreased accordingly, and as a result its rules and decision-making do not reflect the will of the modern international community. In other words, the Council’s legitimacy is losing. That is why many countries are advocating for the Council reform.
Second, the regional representation of the Council