general assembly: recommends

• all 193 member states (1 country = 1 vote)

• non-binding resolutions

branches

• economic and social council

• international criminal court

  • handles individuals who have been charged with crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, genocide, etc.

  • judges are chosen as individuals, not as citizens of a certain country

  • ad hoc (temporary, case-by-case) tribunals existed before the ICC

• international court of justice

  • only responsible for country vs. country

  • non-binding results, selective jurisdiction (countries can choose not to abide by rulings on a case-by-case basis)

  • victor’s justice

• UN organs + specialized agencies

  • eg. UNICEF, WHO

security council: decides

• binding resolutions

• P5 (5 permanent members, have veto power) — Russia, France, UK, China, US

  • plus ten rotating members based on regional blocks within UN (eg. Latin America), serve for 2-year terms

  • based on 1945 distribution of power, not representative of the modern world

• allocates peacekeeping forces

secretary general: implements

• currently António Guterres