The reforms UN needs

[jackelgull]

The solutions these Congresses come up with did work, but they only addressed the political reality of the moment. The Berlin Congress for example, diffused tensions brought by colonialism for thirty or so years before it erupted into WW1. So it accomplished its job, but it only worked for the reality of the moment, not bringing any lasting peace. The UN on the other hand, is an organization hoping to do that, no matter how flawed the premise that nations would set aside their interests for the good of mankind is.

 

[gay_Aleks]

The Berlin Congress might have solved the colonialism problems if there were any, but you botched the Balkans up, and I am not saying because I like overly huge Bulgaria in 1878 or something

 

[Tahuti]

The solutions these Congresses come up with did work, but they only addressed the political reality of the moment. The Berlin Congress for example, diffused tensions brought by colonialism for thirty or so years before it erupted into WW1. So it accomplished its job, but it only worked for the reality of the moment, not bringing any lasting peace. The UN on the other hand, is an organization hoping to do that, no matter how flawed the premise that nations would set aside their interests for the good of mankind is.

I think that is exactly the strength. The UN was structured around the reality it was founded, namely, in 1945. Essentially, it has allowed incompetently rueld polities to take advantage of the UN.

The Berlin Congress might have solved the colonialism problems if there were any, but you botched the Balkans up, and I am not saying because I like overly huge Bulgaria in 1878 or something

Balkans = Bulgarian!

HELLO

 

[gay_Aleks]

Only the ones not inhabited by Serbians.

 

[classical_hero]

The UN may need a lot of reforms, but I think people saying it's useless just haven't read a lot about history or have a very myopic view about how things happened when there was no international body at least trying to keep things in a vaguely legal canvas.

Yet more people have died in wars under the UN than the LoN.

 

[jackelgull]

More nations have joined the UN than the League of Nations too.

 

[Akka]

Yet more people have died in wars under the UN than the LoN.

Of course, the facts that :
- The UN has lasted 70 years while the LoN only 25.
- The world population has tripled/quadrupled between the LoN and UN.
- There is more countries in the UN than the LoN.
- The whole decolonization part means a huge bunch of new unstable zones appeared that didn't exist during the LoN existence.
have nothing to do with it ?

We might hear about countless flashpoints in the world, but that's because we live in a very connected one. Despite all these news of war and whatever, we're, by FAR, in the most peaceful period the world has ever seen, by several factor of magnitude. Just look at how 50 years were spent in politically fractionned regions in the 18th century for instance. It's just not on the same scale.

 

[KMRblue1027]

Yet more people have died in wars under the UN than the LoN.

When 7 billion people live in UN member countries and the origination has existed for 4 times as long what the hell do you expect? Less and less people die to warfare as time has gone on in proportion to population though. We're living in a period of relative stability right now that I'd argue more has to do with nuclear weapons than anything else but the UN isn't the cause of war in the past 70 years at all.

VS

 

[Timsup2nothin]

So, three logical and rational counters to a total non-sequitur of no particular rationality...will that have any effect at all?

 

[bhsup]

Actually, it's directly responsible for a lot of death. Let's start with a civil war in Sierra Leone that the government was getting a handle on until the UN stepped in and said they couldn't use mercenaries anymore. Rebels regained control in many areas, slaughters of civilians spiked. It all went to hell because the by God blessed UN got holier than thou with the government.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Actually, it's directly responsible for a lot of death. Let's start with a civil war in Sierra Leone that the government was getting a handle on until the UN stepped in and said they couldn't use mercenaries anymore. Rebels regained control in many areas, slaughters of civilians spiked. It all went to hell because the by God blessed UN got holier than thou with the government.

Let's start with defining 'directly responsible'.