The UN—A More Perfect Union? ✓ Solved

The UN— “A More Perfect Union?”

Craft individual essays in response to the provided prompts. You must use the current Turabian style with default margins and 12-pt Times New Roman font. For each essay, include a title page and reference page, also in current Turabian format. You must include citations to a sufficient number of appropriate scholarly sources to fully support your assertions and conclusions (which will likely require more than the minimum number of citations). Each paper must contain at least 5-7 scholarly sources original to this paper. The prompts require analyzing the role, legitimacy, and authority of the UN, exploring reasons that states may defend or criticize its legitimacy, examining its relationship with the international system of states, debating whether the UN is driven by political necessity or utility, and considering its function as a potential "world government" to address global collective action problems.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The United Nations (UN), established in 1945, was conceived as an international organization designed to promote peace, security, and cooperation among sovereign states. Its legitimacy and authority have been subjects of ongoing debate among scholars, policymakers, and global citizens. This essay explores the reasons supporting the UN’s legitimacy, critiques against it, and its relationship with the current international system, evaluating whether it functions primarily from political necessity or utility, and examining its role as a potential form of world government.

Justifications for the Legitimacy of the UN

One primary argument supporting the UN’s legitimacy is its foundation on principles of collective security and international law. Following the devastation of two World Wars, member states recognized the need for a forum to prevent future conflicts through multilateral cooperation. As articulated in the UN Charter, the organization seeks to maintain international peace and security, which offers a moral and legal basis for its authority (Reid, 2018). This collective security framework provides legitimacy, as it aligns with the shared desire of states to avoid the chaos of anarchy.

Secondly, the UN's role in fostering international cooperation on issues like health, human rights, and development lends it a form of moral authority. Agencies such as the WHO and UNICEF exemplify how the UN mobilizes resources and expertise to address global challenges, contributing to its perceived legitimacy (Shaw, 2020). These efforts reinforce the idea that the UN serves as a legitimate steward of international well-being, backed both by broad member support and its capacity to influence state behavior.

Third, the UN’s structure, notably the Security Council with its permanent members and veto power, reflects a system of international legitimacy rooted in the acknowledgment of great powers' central roles. While controversial, this structure recognizes the realities of power distribution and seeks to legitimize decision-making through a balance of interests among major states (Baylis et al., 2017).

Critiques of the UN’s Legitimacy and Authority

However, critics argue that the UN’s legitimacy is fundamentally flawed due to its inability to enforce decisions effectively. The veto power held by the P5 can obstruct action, as seen in numerous crises where Security Council paralysis hindered intervention (Thakur, 2018). This dominant influence of a few states raises questions about fairness and accountability, undermining the UN’s claim to universal legitimacy.

Furthermore, the organization’s dependence on member state funding and political will often turns it into a reflection of power politics rather than a neutral arbiter. States can manipulate the UN’s agenda for national interests, reducing its credibility as a global governing authority (Bellamy, 2021). The failure to prevent conflicts such as the Syrian civil war exemplifies the limitations of the UN’s authority when major powers prioritize their strategic interests over collective security.

Lastly, the question of sovereignty complicates legitimacy; some states perceive UN intervention as an infringement on sovereignty, especially in cases of peacekeeping or humanitarian missions perceived as intrusive or neo-imperialist (Engberg-Pedersen, 2019). This skepticism diminishes the acceptance of UN authority among certain nations and populations.

The UN in the Context of the International System of States

The UN’s relationship with the international system is characterized by a complex interplay of cooperation and competition. The organization was created in the aftermath of World War II, driven partly by the political necessity to establish a new framework for peace—thus, its creation was a response to an urgent need for stability (Karns & Mingst, 2019). Conversely, the UN also represents a strategic tool for powerful states to legitimize their interests and influence global affairs.

Many argue that the UN operates more as a platform for diplomacy than as a supranational authority. It facilitates dialogue among states but lacks the coercive power necessary to enforce collective decisions against rebellious or non-cooperative states. This establishes a dynamic where the UN’s authority is both functional and symbolic, depending heavily on the political context.

Recent global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and terrorism have reinforced the importance of multilateral institutions like the UN. However, the organization’s effectiveness remains limited by the sovereignty of its members, especially when national interests are at odds with collective goals (Diehl & Balas, 2018). Therefore, its role continues to oscillate between a forum for cooperation and a reflection of power politics.

Political Necessity vs. Political Utility

Analyzing whether the UN is driven more by political necessity or utility involves considering its origins and current functions. The UN was initially established out of political necessity, as countries sought to prevent another catastrophic war through a structured international order. This necessity pushed states to cede some sovereignty in exchange for peace and security guarantees (Mingst & Karns, 2018). However, over time, the notion of utility—using the UN as a tool to advance national interests—has taken precedence.

For example, major powers leverage the UN to legitimize military interventions, diplomatic initiatives, and international policies. This strategic use underscores the utility aspect, where the organization’s relevance depends on its usefulness to powerful states’ agendas rather than solely on collective security principles (Thakur, 2018). Moreover, smaller states often find the UN more useful for amplifying their voices and gaining legitimacy on the global stage.

This dual nature suggests that while the UN’s foundation was rooted in necessity, its ongoing relevance now hinges on its utility for states, especially great powers, seeking to promote their interests while projecting legitimacy and leadership in global governance.

The UN and the Concept of World Government

The idea of a world government—a supranational authority with the power to enforce laws universally—is often debated in relation to the UN. Historically, the logic of collective action failures under the Articles of Confederation of the United States became a precedent for creating a stronger collective authority. The UN could be viewed as a step towards a form of world government, particularly if its authority were expanded and its enforcement capabilities strengthened (Boucher, 2017).

However, significant obstacles prevent the realization of a true world government. Sovereign states are deeply committed to sovereignty and often resist ceding authority to an overarching power—reflecting the core principle of international anarchy. The UN, therefore, functions more as a facilitator of cooperation rather than a governing body with coercive authority (Thakur, 2018). Nonetheless, the potential evolution of the UN into a more authoritative institution remains a contentious issue, raising questions about sovereignty, accountability, and legitimacy in a nuclear age.

From a normative perspective, if collective action chaos impedes global stability—a problem heightened by climate change, pandemics, and nuclear proliferation—then a move towards a more centralized global authority might be justified. The critical challenge lies in balancing sovereignty with effective global governance, ensuring that such a “world government” would be both legitimate and accountable to the world’s people rather than to individual states (Karns & Mingst, 2019).

Conclusion

The legitimacy and authority of the UN are complex, shaped by rationales rooted in collective security and moral authority, countered by critiques emphasizing power dynamics and sovereignty concerns. Its relationship with the international system is characterized by dependence on state cooperation, with its effectiveness and relevance relying on both political necessity and utility. While some envision the UN as a step towards a form of world government, significant political, legal, and normative hurdles remain. Ultimately, the UN functions as a vital, though imperfect, mechanism for fostering international order in an age of unprecedented global interdependence, underscoring the ongoing tension between sovereignty and collective security.

References

• Baylis, J., Smith, S., & Owens, P. (2017). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Boucher, D. (2017). The Limits of Global Governance: Negotiating Environmental and Human Rights Norms. Routledge.
• Bellamy, A. J. (2021). The Responsibility to Protect: A New Paradigm of International Security? Contemporary Security Policy, 42(1), 32-50.
• Diehl, P. F., & Balas, N. (2018). The Politics of Global Governance. Routledge.
• Engberg-Pedersen, P. (2019). The UN and Sovereignty: Challenges to Global Governance. Journal of International Relations, 45(2), 123-140.
• Karns, M. P., & Mingst, K. A. (2019). International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance. Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Mingst, K. A., & Karns, M. P. (2018). The United Nations in the 21st Century. Westview Press.
• Reid, R. (2018). The United Nations: An Introduction. Routledge.
• Shaw, T. (2020). Humanitarian Intervention and International Law. Cambridge University Press.
• Thakur, R. (2018). The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to the Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge University Press.