{"id":3563,"date":"2026-08-11T22:11:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/united-nations-envisaged-role-and-actual-record\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T23:02:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T17:32:04","slug":"united-nations-envisaged-role-and-actual-record","status":"publish","type":"psir_note","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/united-nations-envisaged-role-and-actual-record\/","title":{"rendered":"United Nations: envisaged role and actual record"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PSIR Notes<\/a>\u203a<\/span>II-A Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics<\/a>\u203a<\/span>United Nations: envisaged role and actual record<\/span><\/div>\n
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Paper I \u00b7 Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics<\/div>\n

United Nations: envisaged role and actual record<\/h1>\n
Syllabus \u00b7 Paper II-A \u00b7 9<\/b> \u2014 United Nations<\/span> : Envisaged role and actual record; Specialized UN agencies\u2014aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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<\/p>\n

From Functional Unions to San Francisco<\/h3>\n
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\u201cThe United Nations was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dag Hammarskj\u00f6ld, Secretary-General (1953\u20131961)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Established on 24 October 1945<\/span>; began with 51 states<\/span>, today 193 members<\/span>. The only genuinely worldwide and universal international organisation, with a broad agenda across almost every field of governance \u2014 the premier platform for matters that cut across national borders, which no single state, however powerful, can settle alone. States use it to discuss, develop and expand international law on trade, human rights, freedom of navigation and maritime use, counter-terrorism and more. The General Assembly<\/span> sits at the centre of the structure as the main venue for multilateral diplomacy.<\/p>\n

Precursors \u2014 functional cooperation first, political union later<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • International Telegraph Union<\/span>, 1865 (later the International Telecommunication Union) and the Universal Postal Union<\/span>, 1874 \u2014 both now UN specialised agencies. States first built international organisations from 1865 to cooperate on specific functional issues.<\/li>\n
  • International Peace Conference, The Hague (1899)<\/span> \u2192 tools for peaceful settlement, averting war, codifying the rules of war \u2192 the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes \u2192 the Permanent Court of Arbitration<\/span> (operational 1902).<\/li>\n
  • League of Nations (1919)<\/span> \u2192 founded after the First World War under the Treaty of Versailles; the direct forerunner of the UN. Mandate: \u201cto promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security.\u201d Dissolved on 20 April 1946<\/span>, transferring its assets, library and archives to the new UN Secretariat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Origins<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • The term \u201cUnited Nations\u201d was coined by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt<\/span>.<\/li>\n
    • 1942<\/span> \u2192 26 nations signed The Declaration of the United Nations<\/em>, pledging to fight together against the Axis Powers (Rome\u2013Berlin\u2013Tokyo) and not to make a separate peace.<\/li>\n
    • 25 April \u2013 26 June 1945<\/span> \u2192 the United Nations Conference on International Organization<\/em> at San Francisco; representatives of 50 nations.<\/li>\n
    • Charter ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and most other signatories \u2192 the UN formally came into being on 24 October 1945<\/span>.<\/li>\n
    • Seventy-five years on it still works for peace and security, international law, human rights and humanitarian relief \u2014 while taking on tasks its founders never anticipated: the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and collective climate action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The road to the Charter.<\/span> 1865 \u00b7 1874<\/span> (Functional unions \u2014 Telegraph Union, Postal Union) \u2192 1899 \u00b7 The Hague<\/span> (Peace Conference \u2192 Permanent Court of Arbitration (1902)) \u2192 1919 \u00b7 League<\/span> (Treaty of Versailles; dissolved 20 April 1946) \u2192 1942 \u00b7 Declaration<\/span> (26 nations; no separate peace with the Axis) \u2192 1945 \u00b7 San Francisco<\/span> (50 nations \u2192 UN born 24 Oct 1945, 51 states)<\/p>\n

      Purposes and Principles of the Charter<\/h3>\n

      The four purposes<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. To maintain international peace and security.<\/li>\n
      2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for equal rights and the self-determination of peoples<\/span>.<\/li>\n
      3. To cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems, and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.<\/li>\n
      4. To be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in attaining these common ends.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The five principles<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Sovereign equality<\/span> of all members.<\/li>\n
        • Members fulfil their Charter obligations in good faith<\/span>.<\/li>\n
        • Disputes settled by peaceful means<\/span>, without endangering peace, security and justice.<\/li>\n
        • Members refrain from the threat or use of force<\/span> against any other state.<\/li>\n
        • Neither the UN nor its members interfere in matters essentially within a state\u2019s domestic jurisdiction<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          The Organs at a Glance<\/h3>\n
          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Organ<\/th>\nComposition<\/th>\nCore function<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
          General Assembly<\/span><\/td>\nAll 193 members; one state, one vote<\/td>\nChief deliberative body \u2014 the \u201cWorld Parliament of Nations\u201d; recommendations, not binding law<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Security Council<\/span><\/td>\n15 \u2014 the P5 plus 10 non-permanent members on two-year terms<\/td>\nPrimary responsibility for international peace and security; the only organ whose decisions bind members<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Economic and Social Council<\/span><\/td>\n54 members; usually a two-month session each year<\/td>\nCoordinates the economic and social work of the UN and its specialised agencies \u2014 the UN Family<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Trusteeship Council<\/span><\/td>\nChapter XIII; supervised 11 Trust Territories under seven administering states<\/td>\nPrepared them for self-government and independence; operations suspended 1 November 1994<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          International Court of Justice<\/span><\/td>\nSeat at the Peace Palace, The Hague \u2014 the only main organ not based in New York<\/td>\nSettles legal disputes between states; advisory opinions for authorised organs and agencies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Secretariat<\/span><\/td>\nOver 41,000 international civil servants from the 193 members<\/td>\nServices the other organs and runs the day-to-day work; headed by the Secretary-General<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

          The General Assembly<\/h3>\n

          The chief deliberative body \u2014 the nearest thing the world has to a global parliament, and known as the \u201cWorld Parliament of Nations\u201d<\/span>.<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Membership<\/span> \u2192 every member state is represented; one state, one vote, on the basis of sovereign equality.<\/li>\n
          • Voting<\/span> \u2192 ordinary questions by simple majority<\/span>; important questions by a two-thirds majority<\/span>.<\/li>\n
          • Powers<\/span> \u2192 may discuss and make recommendations on any matter within the Charter. Its resolutions carry the weight of world public opinion, morality and law, but are not legally binding<\/span> on members. It does not enact law like a national parliament.<\/li>\n
          • Key responsibilities<\/span> \u2192 appoints the Secretary-General on the Security Council\u2019s recommendation; elects the non-permanent members of the Council; approves the UN budget.<\/li>\n
          • Rests on the premise that a \u201cwar of words\u201d is better than one fought with bombs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            The Security Council<\/h3>\n

            The Charter gives it primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security<\/span>. It can meet at any hour, and its decisions are binding on members.<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Composition<\/span> \u2192 15 members. The P5<\/span> \u2014 permanent, veto-holding, nuclear-armed: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States. Ten non-permanent<\/span> members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.<\/li>\n
            • Functions<\/span> \u2192 asks parties to settle peacefully; may set out principles of settlement or mediate; may direct the Secretary-General to investigate and report; works to secure a ceasefire once conflict breaks out; with the parties\u2019 consent, deploys peacekeeping forces (troops or observers) to separate combatants and ease tension.<\/li>\n
            • Its decisions, unlike the Assembly\u2019s, are legally binding and enforceable \u2014 through military action or economic sanctions \u2014 under the principle of collective security<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              The veto<\/span> \u2014 A \u201cno\u201d vote by any permanent member blocks a substantive decision. The Charter frames this as the \u201cGreat Power unanimity\u201d<\/span> rule.<\/p>\n

              ECOSOC, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat<\/h3>\n

              Economic and Social Council<\/span><\/p>\n

              The absence of war does not by itself secure a peaceful order. The founders created machinery for social and economic advancement, to reduce the root causes of future conflict; ECOSOC<\/span> carries this task.<\/p>\n

                \n
              • 54 members; usually meets for a two-month session each year.<\/li>\n
              • Coordinates the economic and social work of the UN and its specialised agencies \u2014 together known as the UN Family<\/span> or UN System<\/span>.<\/li>\n
              • Work includes the economic development of developing countries, development and humanitarian aid, promotion of human rights, action against discrimination against minorities, the spread of science and technology, and cooperation on housing, family planning and crime prevention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Trusteeship Council<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Created under Chapter XIII<\/span> of the Charter (1945) to supervise 11 Trust Territories administered by seven member states, and to prepare them for self-government and independence.<\/li>\n
                • All Trust Territories attained independence or self-government by 1994. Operations suspended on 1 November 1994<\/span>; a resolution of 25 May 1994 dropped the requirement of annual meetings \u2014 it now meets only as and when needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Secretariat<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • Services the other organs and administers the day-to-day work; over 41,000<\/span> staff worldwide, drawn from the 193 members.<\/li>\n
                  • Staff serve as international civil servants<\/span> and pledge not to take instructions from any government or outside authority.<\/li>\n
                  • Headed by the Secretary-General<\/span>, appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Nine Secretaries-General to date:<\/span> Trygve Lie \u00b7 Norway \u00b7 Dag Hammarskj\u00f6ld \u00b7 Sweden \u00b7 U Thant \u00b7 Myanmar \u00b7 Kurt Waldheim \u00b7 Austria \u00b7 Javier P\u00e9rez de Cu\u00e9llar \u00b7 Peru \u00b7 Boutros Boutros-Ghali \u00b7 Egypt \u00b7 Kofi Annan \u00b7 Ghana \u00b7 Ban Ki-moon \u00b7 Republic of Korea \u00b7 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres \u00b7 Portugal (current)<\/p>\n

                    The International Court of Justice<\/h3>\n

                    Established in 1945 under the Charter as the principal judicial organ<\/span>; seat at the Peace Palace, The Hague<\/span> \u2014 the only main organ not based in New York. Judgments are enforced by the Security Council under the Charter \u2014 but a permanent member can veto enforcement.<\/p>\n

                    Two-fold jurisdiction<\/span> \u2014 Contentious cases<\/span> \u2014 legal disputes submitted by states, decided in accordance with international law. Advisory proceedings<\/span> \u2014 opinions on legal questions referred by authorised UN organs and specialised agencies.<\/p>\n

                    \n

                    The bench \u201cas a whole must represent the principal legal systems of the world and the main forms of civilization.\u201d<\/p>\n

                    on the composition of the Court<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

                    Role in dispute settlement<\/span><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Uses negotiation, enquiry and mediation<\/span> for the pacific settlement of disputes between states.<\/li>\n
                    • Only states that are UN members and parties to the Court\u2019s Statute, or that have accepted its jurisdiction, appear in contentious cases. Judgment is final, binding on the parties, and without appeal<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Achievements<\/span><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • Guarantees every party a fair and impartial hearing \u2014 the Kulbhushan Jadhav<\/span> case, where it asked Pakistan not to proceed with the execution.<\/li>\n
                      • Laid down principles for judging disputes \u2014 baselines on territorial waters, fishing rights, and calculating the continental shelf.<\/li>\n
                      • Settled the El Salvador\u2013Honduras<\/span> border dispute and the Cameroon\u2013Nigeria<\/span> conflict.<\/li>\n
                      • Advisory opinions that set the tone for post-conflict affairs \u2014 declaring in 1971 that South Africa\u2019s presence in Namibia<\/span> was illegal; admitting the genocide case against Myanmar<\/span> over Rohingya atrocities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Limitations<\/span><\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • No jurisdiction to try individuals for war crimes or crimes against humanity; jurisdiction is confined to states<\/span>.<\/li>\n
                        • Individuals, corporations, NGOs and other non-state bodies cannot participate directly, keeping many human-rights and humanitarian issues outside its reach.<\/li>\n
                        • Can hear a dispute only when one or more states request it. Jurisdiction rests on consent, not compulsion<\/span>.<\/li>\n
                        • Lacks full separation of powers: permanent members can veto enforcement, even in cases they consented to be bound by.<\/li>\n
                        • Larger powers such as the US, and allies like Israel, have openly refused to comply; developing countries criticise it for serving Western interests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          Prabhash Ranjan<\/span> on the Russia\u2013Ukraine dispute: the Court raised the question of whether a state may unilaterally use force against another to punish or stop an alleged genocide, but did not rule on whether Russia had violated the Genocide Convention, as that is a matter of merits \u2014 which suggests Russia\u2019s use of force is hard to defend under the Convention. Cynics note that as a permanent member Russia can veto enforcement of ICJ decisions; yet the indifference of authoritarian populist governments to international law does not lessen its importance.<\/p>\n

                          Way forward: the most far-reaching attempt yet to apply the rule of law to international disputes. Scholars call it the UN\u2019s least effective body, with a modest effect on post-war international law \u2014 even so, it remains the archetype of international adjudication and, as the \u201cprincipal judicial organ,\u201d holds a special place among international courts.<\/em><\/p>\n

                          Peace and Security: the Envisaged Role<\/h3>\n

                          Collective security<\/span> \u2014 Aggression by one state against another is treated as an assault on all members<\/span>. The Security Council is the key organ, and acts against an aggressor only when all five permanent members agree.<\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • The Cold War between the US and the USSR blocked the UN from resolving many crises, despite the Charter\u2019s careful drafting. Even so, it mediated ceasefires and negotiations and supplied peacekeeping forces that helped defuse several conflicts.<\/li>\n
                          • Its record in non-political work \u2014 refugee care, human rights, economic planning, health, population and hunger \u2014 has been far stronger.<\/li>\n
                          • A veto halts action and negates the principle. During the Cold War (1945\u20131991<\/span>) the Council was repeatedly paralysed by vetoes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Collective security \u2014 the design, and the point at which it breaks.<\/span> AGGRESSION<\/span> (An attack on one member is an attack on all) \u2192 SECURITY COUNCIL<\/span> (Binding decision \u2014 but only when the P5 concur) \u2192 ENFORCEMENT<\/span> (Sanctions \u00b7 authorised force \u00b7 peacekeeping with consent). THE VETO: one \u201cno\u201d from a permanent member halts action and negates the principle.<\/em><\/p>\n

                            The Record in Major Conflicts<\/h3>\n

                            On balance the UN has outperformed the League of Nations, especially where the interests of the major powers were not directly engaged (the Congo civil war, 1960\u20131964). Like the League, it has often failed where a great power\u2019s interest was at stake (Hungary 1956<\/span>, Czechoslovakia 1968<\/span>).<\/p>\n

                            \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                            Conflict<\/th>\nWhat the UN did<\/th>\nVerdict<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
                            Palestine<\/span> \u2014 1947 onwards<\/td>\nPartitioned Palestine and created Israel; supplied supervising forces, arranged ceasefires, cared for Arab refugees<\/td>\nOne of its most contested decisions, rejected by the Arab states. Three Arab\u2013Israeli wars followed (1948\u201349, 1967, 1973). The question stands unsettled \u2014 Arab division and steadfast US support for Israel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                            Korean War<\/span> \u2014 1950\u201353<\/td>\nThe Council quickly condemned North Korea\u2019s invasion and called on members to aid South Korea<\/td>\nThe one time the UN acted decisively in a crisis touching a superpower\u2019s interest \u2014 possible only because the USSR was boycotting the Council over the exclusion of the PRC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                            Suez Crisis<\/span> \u2014 1956<\/td>\nCouncil condemnation vetoed \u2192 the General Assembly passed the \u201cUniting for Peace\u201d<\/span> resolution (64 to 5), demanded withdrawal, and sent 5,000 peacekeepers<\/td>\nAfter Nasser nationalised the Canal, Israel, Britain and France invaded Egypt. Pressure from the US and USSR was decisive, but the UN was largely effective in keeping the peace. Far less success in the 1967 war<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                            Iran\u2013Iraq War<\/span> \u2014 1980\u201388<\/td>\nYears of mediation, then a brokered ceasefire<\/td>\nHelped by the near-exhaustion of both sides<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                            Gulf War<\/span> \u2014 1991<\/td>\nAfter Iraq invaded oil-rich Kuwait (August 1990), the Council demanded withdrawal, then authorised a large force<\/td>\nKuwait liberated in a brief, decisive campaign. Critics: Kuwait was helped only because the West needed its oil \u2014 small states such as East Timor (seized by Indonesia in 1975) received no such help<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

                            Why Peace Enforcement Has Fallen Short<\/h3>\n

                            No standing UN army \u00b7 No consensus among the P5 \u00b7 The veto power of the P5 \u00b7 Shortage of funds \u00b7 Member states unwilling to cooperate<\/p>\n

                            Socio-Economic Development \u2014 MDGs to SDGs<\/h3>\n
                            \n

                            Most of the UN\u2019s resources go to the Charter\u2019s pledge to \u201cpromote higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development.\u201d<\/p>\n

                            UN Charter<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n