Preview

The UN is now an outdated body, discuss.

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1599 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The UN is now an outdated body, discuss.
“The UN is now an outdated body.” Discuss.

The United Nations is a body that was set up at the end of WWII to maintain peace and security amongst states. The UN is the successor to what was the League of Nations. The League of Nations, set up after WWI by President Wilson, had a similar goal to that of the UN's. To maintain peace and security, and at the time, attempt to prevent another World War. This of course was not achieved.

In regards to the question stated, there are differing opinions as to whether the UN is now obsolete and unnecessary as a body. In this essay I will discuss both sides of the argument before concluding whether or not the UN is an outdated body.

First, I will discuss the views that the UN is now outdated and obsolete.

In suggesting the UN is outdated, much criticism has been focused on the make up of the Security Council. This is because the members of the Security Council are simply considered to be outdated. Many argue that the Security Council is outdated because it continues to reflect the great power politics of 1945, with the USA, Russia, China, the UK and France being permanent members with veto powers. Pressure to reform the Security Council has been significant, many strongly suggest that new permanent members should be included in the Security Council. Member states that are more reflective of today's great power politics, rather than states reflecting the Great Power Politics of 1945. Many suggest that new members should include either modern day economic powers and significant UN contributors such as Japan and Germany, or rising states that can represent a broader range of continents such as Brazil and South Africa. Many have suggested that specific UN bodies are outdated for this very reason, there is no representation of Africa or South America within the UN Security Council. This is somewhat absurd when you consider that Brazil has a larger economy than the UK, yet has no representation within the Security Council. With

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    After World War I, Woodrow Wilson presented his Fourteen Points to achieve world peace. Among these points was the suggestion of forming the League of Nations. This organization was to help member countries discuss with one another about pressing issues. At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the League of Nations was created. The organization is made up of the secretariat, council, and the assembly (League of Nations). The Disarmament Commission was by far the most important commission for peace. The League had a few successes but many more losses before its end when no members wished to meet any longer. World War II began shortly after. The war was a great tragedy to all of the nations involved. A feeling of a need of peace, similar to that following World War I, consumed the world. An organization called the United Nations was formed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt went into effect on October 24, 1945 (United Nations, Eleanor). Its purpose was extremely similar to that of the League of Nations. The UN was to keep peace be acting as a "mediator" between the groups involved with the conflict (United Nations, Eleanor). Peacekeeping missions are very significant in the battle for world peace. Both of these organizations had its successes and failures along its existence. The failures of the League of Nations and the United Nations seem extremely similar, and it is surprising how the problems of the League could not have been identified and corrected as the United Nations was formed.…

    • 2804 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The author of this article, Stefan Talmon, is a professor on Public Law, Public International Law and European Law, and currently teaching at Oxford University. In this article, he examined the resolutions (Resolution 1373, 1540 etc.) made by the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the Security Council has entered its legislative phase. The author used legal approaches to scrutinize the UN Charter as a supporting standpoint to his statement.…

    • 1273 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sampling Frames

    • 12393 Words
    • 50 Pages

    This document is being issued without formal editing. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the United Nations Secretariat.…

    • 12393 Words
    • 50 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    After the failure of League of Nations, the necessity of an international organization of wider character was felt. This need was fulfilled with the creation of UN in 1945. It had the responsibility to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems.…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yes. Almost everyone agrees that the UN ought to be reformed. The difference is just what type of reforms are needed.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Since its creation, the United Nations has helped resolve a number of conflicts, both regional and global. Unlike other organs of the United Nations, the Securty Council is the only body whose resolutions, when adopted under Chapter VII, are binding on all states.…

    • 2540 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN Charter was authorized by a majority of the 51 Member countries. The main purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well being of all people. However, the UN peacekeepers have to face many problems in order to maintain world peace such as, non-agreeing members of Security Council, high maintenance cost, unwillingness of the members to intervene in another nations problem.…

    • 533 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United Nations Organization (UNO) or simply United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose main objectives are stated to be; facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. The UN delegates these responsibilities to various agencies which include 193 member states. The organization consists of six main bodies as well as several other prominent agencies. The success of the UN, measured given their main objectives, can be seen by many as a complete and utter failure in various instances. The main body which receives most blame for these failures would be the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in charge of international peace and security. What seem to be countless cases of failure to provide humanitarian aid, failed peace keeping efforts, failure to prevent genocide, failure to implement provisions to Security Council resolutions, as well as many other highly publicized failures have plagued the UN’s reputation. Cases of such matters can hardly be used to defend the UN’s success in facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. Other bodies of the UN have also been put under scrutiny, most recently a controversy within The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Although the UN has also seen its successes, one could argue that there are clearly great weaknesses in the system of international organization which the UN presents.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    UN Charter Outdated

    • 1674 Words
    • 7 Pages

    In order to comment on the need of amendment to the United Nations Charter, a look into the background and aims of the United Nation is a must. Historically, the United Nations was formed as an aftermath of the failure of the League of Nations to prevent the Second World War. The main basis for the formation of the United Nations was to establish security among nations in order to prevent a Third World War. In 1944, the United Nations Charter was drafted by the four Super powers: the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union.…

    • 1674 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    United Nations Reform

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages

    a major threat to the continuation of the UN for two reasons: Some of the…

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    United Nations: 50 Years of Peace and War, University of California Press, John Taylor, Phd. 1998…

    • 4004 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The United Nations is an international Non-governmental organization founded on 24 October 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United Nations (UN) is an international organization of 191 countries, with the central role of promoting peace and security, development as well as human rights around the world. Unfortunately, the UN seems drifting towards irrelevance because millions have died in hundreds of conflicts around the world in more than 50 years since the UN's establishment, such as the conflicts in Somalia, Bosnia and Afghanistan. However, it is too early to judge if the UN has become a failure. In world affairs, the UN still plays important roles, as "The Economist" says, 'if the UN did not exist, it would have to be invented".…

    • 669 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    qwas

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The way United Nations works is very unique and many parts play significant roles to make it a viable organization. First it is the role of states that have different functions and powers that contribute to the UN. Major powers such as the United States, China, Russia, France, and Great Britain play key roles that make the UN a viable organization. There are also non state actors such as regional organizations, and NGO’s that also have significant roles towards the United Nations.…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays

Related Topics