Discuss the significance of the United Nations. How is it unique among international organizations? What are some of its greatest challenges? In what ways is it most successful?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The UN is the largest multi-issue, global international organization. Its size, the diversity of its members, and the broad scope of topics it addresses mean that it struggles to exert authority over member states. Although it was founded as a way to address security concerns in the wake of World War II, the UN has been unable to eliminate armed conflict between member states and maintain peace and security in a meaningful way. The anarchic nature of international politics has impeded the UN’s ability to control the actions of its members. With no central authority to enforce its decisions, member states must voluntarily submit to the UN’s decrees, and many states and non-state actors fail to do so. Also, larger and more powerful members, such as the United States and Russia, have blocked enforcement decisions in the United Nations Security Council. The UN is most effective in narrowly-defined technical and functional areas outside of international politics and security. Through its many agencies and branches, the UN has been able to promote basic human rights, help protect the environment, and provide for economic and political refugees. Through its economic agencies, such as the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund, the UN has facilitated economic interdependence and cooperation among states.