The United Nations: The Basics

The concept of the United Nations originated from the League of Nations that was founded at the conclusion of World War I. While the United States wasn't a member of the original League of Nations (due to lack of congressional approval and a belief in isolationism), Congress approved the admittance to the United Nations by an 89-2 vote cast on July 24, 1945.

The United Nations derives its "power" from a document known as the UN Charter. The UN Charter was drafted by 51 nations at the UN Conference on International Organization in San Francisco during the spring of 1945. The charter acts as the organization's constitution, and thus it addresses the U.N.'s purpose and regulations in an in-depth manner. The organization's primary purposes per the UN Charter are: the maintenance of international peace and security, the development of friendly relations between all nations, and finally, the promotion of justice and cooperation in the solution of international problems.

The United Nations is composed of six councils which each serve different purposes. The six councils include: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.

The General Assembly is the council in which all UN members have a part in: each member of the United Nations has a seat and vote in General Assembly matters. For logistical reasons, the entirety of the assembly only meets once annually, at the UN headquarters in New York City. Alternatively, in some instances, special sessions can be convened by the secretary-general, in order to address major issues at hand. The assembly is responsible for making policy recommendations to the Security Council, as well as electing 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council, the members of the Trusteeship Council, and the 54 members of the Economic and Social Council. In addition, the assembly must elect 15 judges to sit on the International Court of Justice along with the secretary-general.

The Security Council is composed of 15 members: 5 permanent ones (the United States, China, Russia, France, and Britain), and 10 elected members. The Security Council's purpose is to ensure international peace, and as such rarely (it has only occurred once in the council's existence) launches military operations as a means of "diplomacy". For matters of daily operations, it only requires 9 out of 15 votes, however for more serious issues, 9 votes are required and any vote of opposition by one of the permanent members, kills the measure.

While the Security Council and the General Assembly are the two most important bodies of the United Nations, the other "arms" also have a key role in maintaining peace and stability. The Trusteeship Council is responsible for producing regulations of how governments should rule dependent areas, in addition to establishing guidelines for the governing of all other UN trust territories (originally composed of the former territories of the Axis Powers, at the conclusion of World War II, the UN assumed control over them). There are no longer any trust territories under the United Nations' control.

The Secretariat is led by the secretary-general (who is elected on a 5-year basis by General Assembly), and he or she is responsible for managing a staff of 5,000 civil servants, who perform the daily operations of the United Nations. The secretary-general is also afforded the right to bring any matter vital to maintaining international peace and stability, before the Security Council.

The Economic and Security Council, as previously stated, is composed of 54 members, each elected for 3 year terms. As its name suggests, the council is tasked with performing the UN's social, economic, cultural, educational, and health-related operations, and as such, is vital to the success of the organization.

Finally, the International Court of Justice is the judicial aspect of the United Nations and is responsible for resolving international disputes. The court is physically located in the Hague, Netherlands, and is composed of 15 elected judges, each serving nine-year terms. The court doesn't necessarily have any legal jurisdiction of its own, and thus most cases presented to it are voluntary. The ICJ is also responsible with ensuring the legality of other UN operations.

The United Nations today boasts a membership in excess of 185, and is growing on a regular basis. All nations that are "peace-loving" are permitted to join, so long as they agree to the UN charter. As a formal matter, a 2/3 vote by the General Assembly is required for entry.