Module 6: The United Nations

Bentham and Kant

Internationalists like ___ and ___ imagined the possibility of a world government, nothing of the sort exists today.

False

(Explanation: There is no organization where states are accountable to.)

TRUE OR FALSE. There is an organization where states are accountable to.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. No organization can militarily compel a state to obey predetermined global rules.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. There is some regularity in the behavior of states, though; it becomes a global concern when they don’t.

Global governance

It refers to various intersecting processes that create global order.

Treaties
Charters of organizations

There are many sources of global governance. These are:

Transnational corporation

It is an enterprise that is involved with the international production of goods or services, foreign investments, or income and asset management in more than one country.

Transnational corporation

They share many qualities with multinational corporations, with the subtle difference being that multinational corporations consist of a centralized management structure, whereas these are generally decentralized, with many bases in various countries where the corporation operates.

Multinational corporations

These consist of a centralized management structure.

Transnational corporations

These are generally decentralized, with many bases in various countries where the corporation operates.

Their management structure

What is the difference between multinational and transnational corporations?

Non-governmental organizations

These are organizations which are independent of government involvement.

Non-governmental organizations

These are a subgroup of organizations founded by citizens, which include clubs and associations that provide services to their members and others.

Non-governmental organizations

These are usually nonprofit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences.

False

(Explanation: Non-governmental organizations are usually nonprofit organizations.)

TRUE OR FALSE. Non-governmental organizations are usually profit organizations, and many of them are active in humanitarianism or the social sciences.

Humanitarianism, social sciences

Non-governmental organizations are mostly active in ___ or the ___.

False

(Explanation: Non-governmental organizations do not have formal state power.)

TRUE OR FALSE. Non-governmental organizations, having formal state power, can lobby individual states to behave in a certain way.

International organization

It is an organization established by a treaty or other instrument governed by international law and possessing its own international legal personality.

1. United Nations

2. World Health Organization

3. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Enumerate three (3) examples of an international organization mentioned in the module.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. One major fallacies of international organizations is that they are merely amalgamations of various state interests.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. In the 1960s and 1970s, scholars believed that international organizations were just talk shops.

Michael N. Barnett and Martha Finnemore

Who wrote the “Powers of International Organizations”?

Classifications

According to Michael N. Barnett and Martha Finnemore, international organizations have the power of ____. They can invent and apply categories such as “refugees.”

1. IOs have the power of classifications; they can invent and apply categories such as “refugees.”

2. IOs can fix meanings such as in the concepts of “security” as referring to safety from military violence as well as from environmental harm.

3. IOs have the power to diffuse norms, which are accepted codes of conduct that may not be strict law, but nevertheless produce regularity in behavior.

4. IOs’ powers can be sources of great good like promote human rights or great harm, such as in the IMF's “one-size-fits-all” approach when its economists make

   recommendations to developing nations.

According to Michael N. Barnett and Martha Finnemore, what are the four powers of international organizations?

Moscow and Tehran

The idea for the United Nations (UN) was elaborated in declarations signed at the wartime allied conferences in ___ and ____ in 1943.

US Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Who suggested the name “United Nations”?

January 1, 1942

The first official use of the term, “United Nations” occurred on ___ with the Declaration by the United Nations.

Declaration by the United Nations

The first official use of the term, “United Nations” occurred on January 1, 1942 with the ____.

World War II

During ___, the Allies used the term “United Nations” to refer to their alliance.

the Allies

Who used the term “United Nations” to refer to their alliance during the World War II?

August to October 1944

From ___ to ___, representatives of the U.S., United Kingdom, France, USSR, and China met to elaborate the plans at the Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C.

United States, United Kingdom, France, USSR (Soviet Union), and China

From what countries were the representatives who met to elaborate the plans at the Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C. from August to October 1944?

Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C.

Where did the representatives of the U.S., United Kingdom, France, USSR, and China meet to elaborate their plans from August to October 1944?

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The meeting at Dumbarton Oaks Estate and later talks produced proposals outlining the purposes of the United Nations, its membership and organs, and arrangements to maintain international peace and security and international economic and social cooperation.

United Nations

It came into existence on October 24, 1945, after the Charter had been ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and by a majority of the other 46 signatories.

October 24, 1945

The United Nations came into existence on ____.

1. China

2. France

3. USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Soviet Union)

4. United Kingdom

5. United States of America

Who are part of the permanent members of the United Nations’ Security Council?

46 signatories

The United Nations has been ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council and by a majority of the other ____ signatories.

U.S. Senate

What government authority gave its content to the ratification of the UN Charter. by a vote of 89 to 2, on July 28, 1945?

89 to 2

The U.S. Senate, by a vote of ____, gave its consent to the ratification of the UN Charter on July 28, 1945.

July 28, 1945

The U.S. Senate, by a vote of 89 to 2, gave its consent to the ratification of the UN Charter on ___.

December 1945

In ____, the Senate and the House of Representatives, by unanimous votes, requested that the UN makes it headquarters in the U.S.

United States

In December 1945, the Senate and the House of Representatives, by unanimous votes, requested that the UN make its headquarters in the ____.

New York City

The United Nations headquarters building was constructed in ___ in 1949 and 1950 beside the East River on land purchased by an 8.5 million dollar donation from John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Who donated 8.5 million dollars for the land where the UN headquarters building was constructed?

New York City

How much did John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donate for the construction of the UN Headquarters building?

United Nations (UN)

It is an intergovernmental organization tasked with:

• maintaining international peace and security

• developing friendly relations among nations

• achieving international co-operation, and

• being a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

• maintaining international peace and security

• developing friendly relations among nations

• achieving international co-operation, and

• being a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization tasked with (4):

United Nations (UN)

It was established after World War II, with the aim of preventing future wars, and succeeded the ineffective League of Nations.

Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and The Hague

Aside the headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, where are the other main offices of the United Nations (UN) located?

January 9, 1951

The UN headquarters officially opened on ___.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The land of the United Nations (UN) headquarters is now considered international territory.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Under special agreement with the United States, certain diplomatic privileges and immunities have been granted, but generally the laws of New York City, New York State, and the United States apply.

Chapter II: Membership, Article 3

According to ____, the original members of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco, or having previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of January 1, 1942, sign the present Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110.

Chapter II: Membership, Article 4

According to ___, membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.

All other peace-loving states

According to Article 4 of Chapter II: Membership, membership in the United Nations is open to ____ which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.

General Assembly

According to Article 4 of Chapter II: Membership, the admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the ____ upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

193

How many are the current members of the United Nations?

Chapter II: Membership, Article 5

According to ____, a member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.

Chapter II: Membership Article 6

According to ___, a member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

1. Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic)

2. Chinese (Written character: Simplified Chinese)

3. English

4. French

5. Russian

6. Spanish

What are the six official languages of the United Nations (UN) that are used in meetings, and in which all official documents are written?

1. Bengali

2. Hindi

3. Malay

4. Portuguese

5. Swahili

6. Turkish

There are six new proposed languages and these are:

General Assembly (GA)

It is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations.

1945

When was the General Assembly established?

General Assembly

Comprising all 193 members of the United Nations, it provides a unique form for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter.

General Assembly

It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Each country in the United Nations has one vote.

21 Vice-Presidents

How many vice presidents are elected by the General Assembly for each session?

Two-thirds majority

Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members, and budgetary matters, require a ____.

Simple majority

Decisions on other questions are by ___.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The Assembly meets from September to December each year, and therafter from January to August, as required.

Security Council

It has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

15 members

How many members are in the Security Council?

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obliged to comply with Council decisions.

Security Council

It takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression.

Security Council

It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

It was established by the United Nations Charter in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations.

Economic and Social Council

It is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social, and environmental).

Economic, social, environmental

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is tasked to advance these three dimensions of sustainable development. What are these three dimensions?

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals.

False

(Explanation: The correct answer would be the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).)

TRUE OR FALSE. The Trusteeship Council is responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.

Trusteeship Council

The UN assigned to this council the task of supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the Trusteeship System.

Trusteeship System

The main goals of this system were to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence.

Trusteeship Council

It is made up of the five-permanent members of the Security Council—China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The aims of the Trusteeship System have been fulfilled to the extent that all Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighboring independent countries.

True

Under the Charter, it is authorized to examine and discuss reports from the Administering Authority on the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the peoples of Trust Territories and, in consultation with the Administering Authority, to examine petitions from and undertake periodic and other special missions to Trust Territories.

November 1, 1994

The Trusteeship Council suspended its operations on ___, a month after the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory.

Palau

It is the last remaining United Nations trust territory.

International Court of Justice

It is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and has its seat on The Hague.

International Court of Justice

It is based in the Peace Palace in the Hague, sharing the building with the Hague Academy of International Law, a private center for the study of international law.

Peace Palace

The International Court of Justice is based in the ____ in the Hague.

Hague Academy of International Law

It is a private center for the study of international law, sharing its building with the International Court of Justice.

International Court of Justice

Its primary purpose is to adjudicate dispute among states. It has heard cases related to war crimes, illegal state interference, ethnic cleansing, and other issues.

False

(Explanation: The correct answer is the International Court of Justice.)

TRUE OR FALSE. The Trusteeship Council is the only organ that is not located in New York.

International Court of Justice

It is composed of 15 judges who serve 9-year terms and are appointed by the General Assembly; every sitting judge must be from a different nation.

15 judges

How many judges are in the International Court of Justice?

9-year term

Each judge in the International Court of Justice serve a ____ term.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The International Court of Justice is appointed by the General Assembly.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Every sitting judge in the International Court of Justice must be from a different nation.