The United Nations, 4th Edition Reality and Ideal

by Baehr, Peter R.; Gordenker, Leon

• ISBN13: 9781403949059
• ISBN10: 1403949050
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-03
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This text examines the structure, operation and history of the United Nations. It explains the historical roots of the UN system, its legal and organizational structures, and what the organization and its partners do in relation to major global events and issues. This revised and updated edition gives extended attention to peace-maintenance, human rights and economic and social development and examines the special position of the United States.

Author Biography

Peter R. Baehr is Honorary Professor of Human Rights at Utrecht University. Leon Gordenker is Professor Emeritus of Politics at Princeton University.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	x
Preface to the Fourth Edition	xi
Preface to the Third Edition	xii
Preface to the Second Edition	xiii
Preface	xiv
List of Abbreviations	xvii
1. Introduction	1	(18)
Independent states	1	(1)
Interdependent societies	2	(1)
International law	3	(1)
Reforming world politics	4	(2)
Conferences and decisions	6	(1)
Functional cooperation in the 19th century	7	(2)
The Concert of Europe	9	(1)
The Hague Peace Conferences	10	(1)
The League of Nations	10	(4)
World War II and the UN	14	(3)
The San Francisco Conference	17	(2)
2. Charter and Structure of the United Nations	19	(23)
Close relatives	20	(2)
The General Assembly	22	(2)
The Security Council	24	(1)
The Economic and Social Council	25	(1)
The Trusteeship Council	26	(1)
The International Court of Justice	27	(2)
The Secretariat	29	(4)
Cluster of UN agencies	33	(2)
Organizational tension	35	(7)
3. Membership and Decision-making	42	(19)
Chinese representation	43	(1)
Divided states	43	(1)
Ministates	44	(1)
Weighted voting	45	(1)
Decision-making processes	46	(2)
Fundamental changes	48	(1)
Voting groups	48	(3)
Groups and voting positions	51	(1)
The political significance of resolutions	52	(3)
Slow decision-making	55	(1)
Finances	56	(2)
U.S. debt to UN	58	(3)
4. The Maintenance of Peace and Security	61	(39)
Pacific settlement of disputes	62	(2)
Coercive measures	64	(3)
Practical use of Charter concepts	67	(2)
Israel and neighbors	67	(1)
Cyprus	68	(1)
Congo	69	(1)
New style peace operations	69	(3)
Namibia	69	(2)
Cambodia	71	(1)
Collective coercive measures	72	(7)
Korea	72	(1)
Iraq and the attack on Kuwait	73	(5)
After Iraq I	78	(1)
Terror attacks on the United States	79	(1)
Iraq II	79	(2)
Frustrations in Middle East	81	(1)
Uniting for peace	82	(2)
Hybrid forms of peace-keeping	84	(6)
Somalia	84	(1)
Yugoslavia	85	(3)
Rwanda	88	(1)
Haiti	89	(1)
Central America	90	(1)
Second thoughts on peace-keeping	90	(2)
Limits and potentials in maintaining peace	92	(2)
Arms control and weapons of mass destruction	94	(4)
Non-proliferation	96	(1)
Ban on nuclear testing	96	(1)
Demilitarized and nuclear-free zone	97	(1)
Chemical and biological weapons	97	(1)
Conclusion	98	(2)
5. Human Rights and Decolonization	100	(25)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights	103	(3)
The international covenants for human rights	106	(4)
Other human rights activities	110	(2)
High Commissioner for Human Rights	112	(1)
The Israeli-Occupied Territories	113	(1)
Specialized Agencies	113	(1)
The International Criminal Court	114	(1)
The right of self-determination	114	(1)
Declaration on non-self-governing territories	115	(1)
The Trusteeship System	116	(1)
Declaration on Granting of Independence	116	(1)
The imposition of economic sanctions	117	(1)
East Timor (Timor Leste)	118	(1)
Remaining colonial issues	118	(1)
Apartheid	119	(2)
Conclusion	121	(4)
6. Cooperation for Economic and Social Progress	125	(21)
Global conferences	126	(2)
Economic and social data	128	(1)
Reduction of poverty	129	(5)
Technical assistance	130	(3)
UN Population Fund	133	(1)
UN Capital Development Fund	133	(1)
UN University	133	(1)
UN Volunteers	134	(1)
UN Children's Fund	134	(1)
UN Conference on Trade and Development	134	(3)
New International Economic Order	137	(1)
The global environment	138	(2)
Refugees and disasters	140	(1)
Narcotics drug control	141	(1)
AIDS	142	(1)
Conventional economic, social and cultural cooperation	143	(3)
7. The 21st Century: a Changing UN	146	(13)
Collective legitimization	148	(1)
The Soviet Union	149	(1)
The Five Policemen	150	(1)
The Third World	151	(1)
The United States	152	(1)
The Secretary-General	153	(2)
The specialized agencies	155	(2)
The UN in the 21st century	157	(2)
Appendix: Charter of the United Nations	159	(24)
Selected Bibliography	183	(7)
Index	190