Why does the U.N. exist?

Question

What exactly is the purpose of the U.N.'s existence. Does it even play a role in Global societies today?

Answer 1

No. It is just corrupt and worthless. It plays not role in anything other than diplomatic immunity for the diplomats. Did you know that the American taxpayers pay for 90% of the cost? I'm afraid to ask how many millions that is a year. Maybe someone else knows in Yahoo Answers the amount.

Answer 2

Outside of the richer countries of the western world, absolutely it does. I posted this in response to another question but it aptly answers yours as well.

There are a few reasons I think the United Nations is an asset to the primary founding countries, the United States and the United Kingdom as well as the rest of the member states.

1. The United Nations provides an service in the form of opportunities for forming and maintaining security services in areas where the direct hand/involvement of and expense of the United States or United Kingdom is unacceptable to one or both parties on the ground.

For instance Cyprus , Golan Heights, Suez Canal the Timor's and over 20 other places where the UN operates currently. Most US politicians would be hard pressed to remember / locate let alone provide continuous justification for increased taxes and maintenance of a forward encampment of the USMC to Cyprus or the Suez or East Timor since there is little to no compelling national interest.

The personnel, expertise and costs are shared across the member states and while still 35-40% of that cost comes from the US, it could be significantly higher and usually coming from other countries who may have previously benefited from UN services, so their support may be more enthusiastic.

In this respect it lowers the impact on those states which otherwise would bear the larger responsbility by sharing the load of peacekeeping efforts as well as providing commonality to peoples who may have nothing else in common.

2. The UN also provides a forum for negotiation and peaceable settlement of differences, it also provides a forum for the Security Council and other empowered members to work collectively to react to and solve international crises. Numerous trade negotiations , standards debates and international treaties have been signed and negotiated there in ways which might not have otherwise been able to occur.

3. The location of the United Nations in NYC is also a convenient locale from the perspective of statecraft allowing free access and influence to and from various other intelligence means, we would not be able to operate as freely as we may wish if the UNHQ were in Beijing or Tokyo or Moscow. In this respect it is a question of denying such an advantage to another great power, although subtle this is definitely important.

4. Some of the more functional of the UN agencies actually do provide services in several areas, the UNHCR or UNICEF or other programs which have a humanitarian purpose and which require volunteers workers in difficult situations, these could be covered by other NGO's such as the Red Cross or other organizations but the Red Cross does not directly rely upon government monies under normal circumstances.

5. The UN can serve as a "neutral" platform from which to initiate programs or initiatives where the patina of an international effort is useful to the states in question. i.e.; Economic or Military sanctions are preferred to being seen as being imposed by the international community i.e.; Arms Embargo's rather than unilaterally such as the US/Cuba diplomatic embargo.

Time and again the UN is seen as the product of liberal elites and not atypically the hard-line conservatives of a given country see little to no purpose for or need to engage in collective international efforts, until some event occurs they did not choose to plan for or did not anticipate otherwise.

Invariably these "hard-line" viewpoints come as a result of the distance from serious conflict or circumstances which were well and truly out of their control - such as a natural disaster (the Tsunami or a famine), or an international conflict (Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Cyprus).

Certainly the UN has it's failings, like any other organization it is subject to corruption and waste and may be slow to respond or may not respond at all to a particular crisis based on the member states agreeing/choosing not to acknowledge  the situation at hand.

One of the legitimate concerns of the UN that I find is that it is a mixed organization containing representative republics or parlimentary nations as well dictatorships or otherwise marginal states, providing structures for both types of governments to address / express their interests might be helpful, but might require a new set of articles of foundation.

Answer 3

To annoy you

Answer 4

There is a book out, I just finished reading it. Pretty eye opening...it is called The UN Exposed by Eric Shawn.

Answer 5

The UN was set up to prevent another catasrophy like World War II, it also promote Human Rights and tries to create a framework for international law, e.g. International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court.

While the US is the largest contributer to the UN it only contributes 22% of the budget.  Which is interesting considering the US has 27% of the world's wealth.  Japan and Germany combined contribute 28% of the budget while only having 14% of the world's wealth.  This is unusual considering neither are permanent members Security Council the working leaders of the UN.

While there has been corruption scandals, what government hasn't, the UN still plays a major role.  Peacekeeping is one of the most important roles as well as insuring stability in new states, e.g East Timor and Kosovo.

The power and influence of the UN has been damaged by the recent US administration.  Circumventing the UN to invade Iraq weakened the UN measurably. Also, the US not signing up to the International Criminal Court is preventing full legitimacy so India and China have excuses not to sign up, Most of Europe, South America, North America, Oceania and  a good chunk of Africa has signed up.  Afghanistan has accepted the ICC's power.

Answer 6

Without UN and the voices of its organized members, the world would be living in Fools' paradises!  Think of increased deceit your government might tell you, and no huge organization with their members making complaining and disgruntled voices!