Ch 04 - International Organisations12th Contemporary World Politics
The Purpose of the United Nations
According to Dag Hammarskjöld, what is the fundamental purpose of the UN?
According to Dag Hammarskjöld, what is the fundamental purpose of the UN?
Preventing Global Catastrophe
- The Quote: 'The United Nations was not created to take humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell.'
- The Speaker: Dag Hammarskjöld, the 2nd UN Secretary-General.
- Strategic Meaning: The UN is not designed to create a flawless utopia or solve every minor international issue. Its core existential purpose is to prevent catastrophic global wars and manage international conflicts through persistent dialogue (the diplomatic philosophy that 'jaw-jaw is better than war-war').
Prism Memory Hook
Dag said: No Heaven, Just avoid Hell.
Evolution of the United Nations
Which international organisation preceded the UN, and what catastrophic failure led to its dissolution?
Which international organisation preceded the UN, and what catastrophic failure led to its dissolution?
From League to United Nations
- The Predecessor: The League of Nations, which was founded in 1920 immediately following the devastation of the First World War.
- The Fatal Failure: The League completely failed in its primary mandate, as it was powerless to prevent the outbreak of the Second World War (1939–45).
- The Successor: Consequently, the United Nations was established in 1945 immediately after WWII to achieve the global security and peace that the League had failed to secure.
Prism Memory Hook
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Chronology of UN Formation
Trace the chronological sequence of key international conferences that led to the drafting and signing of the UN Charter.
Trace the chronological sequence of key international conferences that led to the drafting and signing of the UN Charter.
The Path to 1945
- Atlantic Charter (Aug 1941): A joint declaration signed by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British PM Winston Churchill.
- Yalta Conference (Feb 1945): The 'Big Three' leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Joseph Stalin) resolved to organise a formal United Nations conference.
- San Francisco Conference (April-May 1945): A comprehensive two-month international conference held to formally draft the UN Charter.
- Signing of the Charter (26 June 1945): The completed Charter was signed by representatives of 50 nations (with Poland signing shortly after to become the 51st original member).
Prism Memory Hook
Atlantic -> Yalta -> San Francisco -> Signing (A-Y-S-S)
Also in this chapter
29 more cards to study in Prism
- 4Founding of the United Nations
- 5The Six Principal Organs of the UN
- 6Composition of the UN Security Council
- 7The UNSC Veto Power
- 8The UN Secretariat
- 9Prominent UN Secretaries-General
- 10International Court of Justice (ICJ)
- 11ECOSOC & Trusteeship Council
- 12Post-Cold War UNSC Reforms (1992)
- 13Security Council Expansion (1965)
- 14Criteria for New UNSC Permanent Members (1997)
- 15UN Reforms: The 2005 Summit Decisions
- 16Distinction: UNHCR vs. UNHRC
- 17India's Claim to UNSC Permanent Membership
- 18Obstacles to India's UNSC Bid
- 19The UN in a Unipolar World
- 20UN Budget Contributions
- 21Voting Power in the IMF
- 22The World Bank
- 23World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- 24International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- 25International Labour Organisation (ILO)
- 26World Health Organisation (WHO)
- 27United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
- 28United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- 29Global Human Rights Watchdogs
- 30Visual Analysis: The UN as a 'Talking Shop'
- 31Visual Analysis: US Hegemony and the UN
- 32Visual Analysis: The 2006 Lebanon Crisis
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12th Contemporary World Politics
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