International Organisations, Class 12 Political Science

What International Organisations is about

Weightage: Contemporary World Politics: International Organisations carries 6 of the 80 theory marks.Source: CBSE Political Science (028) syllabus 2026-27, course structure

Key concepts

Why international organisations?

NCERT section Why International Organisations?

International organisations are not the answer to everything, but they are important. They help with war and peace and help countries cooperate for better living conditions.

1. Peaceful resolution of conflicts: countries have conflicts and differences, but this does not mean they must go to war. They can discuss contentious issues and find peaceful solutions; indeed most conflicts are resolved without war.

• An international organisation is not a super-state ruling over its members. States create it and it answers to them: it exists only because states agreed to set it up, and then it helps members settle problems peacefully.

2. Cooperation on common problems: some issues can only be dealt with when everyone works together:

• Disease: some diseases can be eradicated only if everyone inoculates or vaccinates.
• Global warming: rising greenhouse gases may raise sea levels and submerge coastal areas and cities; the effective approach is to stop warming itself, which needs at least all major industrial powers to cooperate.

3. Making cooperation work: recognising the need to cooperate and actually cooperating are different. Nations disagree on how to cooperate, how to share costs and benefits fairly, and how to stop others from cheating. International organisations provide information and ideas, mechanisms, rules and a bureaucracy, giving members confidence that costs and benefits will be fairly shared and agreements honoured.

After the Cold War: with the US and its allies victorious, many feared there would be no check on Western power. Could the UN promote dialogue with, and limit the power of, the US?

Worked example

Why do we need international organisations? Give two reasons. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. They help states resolve conflicts and differences peacefully through discussion rather than war.
2. They help countries cooperate on problems no state can solve alone, such as disease eradication and global warming, by providing information, rules and mechanisms that build confidence in fair sharing of costs and benefits.

Answer: To resolve disputes peacefully and to enable cooperation on common problems like disease and global warming.

Evolution and structure of the UN

NCERT section Evolution of the UN; Founding of the United Nations

From the League to the UN: the First World War led to the League of Nations, but despite initial success it could not prevent the Second World War (1939-45). The UN was founded as its successor in 1945.

Founding timeline:

• August 1941: Atlantic Charter signed by US President Roosevelt and British PM Churchill.
• January 1942: 26 Allied nations in Washington sign the 'Declaration by United Nations'.
• December 1943: Tehran Conference of the three powers (US, Britain, Soviet Union).
• February 1945: Yalta Conference of the 'Big Three' (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin) decides on a UN conference.
• April-May 1945: UN Conference on International Organisation at San Francisco.
• 26 June 1945: UN Charter signed by 50 nations (Poland signed on 15 October, so 51 original members).
• 24 October 1945: UN founded (UN Day).
• 30 October 1945: India joins the UN.

Objectives: to prevent international conflict and facilitate cooperation: to stop conflicts escalating into war and limit hostilities if war broke out; and, since conflicts often arise from lack of development, to improve social and economic development everywhere.

Membership and organs:

• By 2011, 193 member states, almost all independent states.
• General Assembly: every member has one vote.
• Security Council: five permanent members (US, Russia, UK, France, China), chosen because they were the most powerful and the victors after the Second World War, plus ten non-permanent members.
• Secretary-General: the most visible public figure and representative head. The present one is António Guterres (ninth; from 1 January 2017; former PM of Portugal 1995-2002; UN High Commissioner for Refugees 2005-2015).
• War, peace and disputes are discussed in the General Assembly and Security Council; social and economic issues by agencies such as WHO, UNDP, UNHRC, UNHCR, UNICEF and UNESCO.

Secretaries-General (a few): Trygve Lie (Norway), Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden, posthumous Nobel 1961), U Thant (Burma), Kurt Waldheim (Austria), Javier Perez de Cuellar (Peru), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt, 'An Agenda for Peace'), Kofi Annan (Ghana, 2001 Nobel; Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council), Ban Ki-moon (South Korea, second Asian; MDGs and SDGs; UN Women), António Guterres (Portugal).

Worked example

What are the objectives of the UN? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. To prevent international conflict: stop conflicts between states from escalating into war and, if war broke out, limit hostilities.
2. To facilitate cooperation among states, including improving the prospects of social and economic development everywhere, since conflicts often arise from lack of development.

Answer: To prevent conflict and war and to promote cooperation and social and economic development.

Reform of the UN after the Cold War

NCERT section Reform of the UN after the Cold War

Reform is fundamental to any organisation in a changing environment, but there is little clarity and consensus on the nature of UN reform.

Two kinds of reform:
1. Reform of structures and processes: the biggest debate is on the Security Council, with demands to increase permanent and non-permanent membership to reflect contemporary realities, especially from Asia, Africa and South America. The US and Western countries want better budgetary procedures and administration.
2. Review of jurisdiction (issues): some want a greater role in peace and security missions; others want the UN confined to development and humanitarian work (health, education, environment, population control, human rights, gender and social justice).

Why reform? Changed realities after the Cold War:

• The Soviet Union collapsed; the US is the strongest power.
• Russia-US relations are more cooperative.
• China is fast emerging as a great power, and India is growing rapidly.
• Asian economies are growing at an unprecedented rate.
• Many new countries joined the UN.
• New challenges: terrorism, genocide, ethnic conflict and civil war, the spread of nuclear weapons, epidemics, climate change and environmental damage.

In 1989, as the Cold War ended, the question was: is the UN doing enough and is it equipped to do what is required?

Worked example

What changes in world politics after the Cold War created the demand for UN reform? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The Soviet Union collapsed and the US became the strongest power; Russia-US relations became more cooperative.
2. China emerged fast as a great power and India grew rapidly; Asian economies grew at an unprecedented rate.
3. Many new countries joined the UN after the break-up of the Soviet Union and East European communist states.
4. A new set of challenges emerged: genocide, civil war, ethnic conflict, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, climate change, environmental degradation and epidemics.

Answer: A new balance of power, rising Asian powers, many new members and new global challenges made the 1945 structure outdated.

Reform of the Security Council and the veto

NCERT section Reform of Structures and Processes

The 1992 General Assembly resolution reflected three complaints about the Security Council:
1. It no longer represents contemporary political realities.
2. A few powers dominate it, so its decisions mirror Western values and interests.
3. It lacks equitable representation.
On 1 January 1997, Secretary-General Kofi Annan initiated an inquiry into how the UN should be reformed.

Proposed criteria for new members: a country should be a big economic power, a strong military power, a large payer into the UN budget, a large nation in population, a nation that respects democracy and human rights; a country that makes the Council more representative of the world's diversity in geography, economic systems and culture.

Problems with the criteria: how big must an economic or military power be? Could a state buy its way in by budget contributions? Is a big population an asset or a liability? Would countries with excellent human rights records be effective members? Should representation be by continent, region, level of development or culture?

Composition and the veto:

• Five permanent and ten non-permanent members. The Charter gave permanent members a privileged position for stability after the war; their privileges are permanency and the veto.
• Non-permanent members serve two years, cannot be re-elected immediately, are elected to represent all continents, and have no veto.
• Veto: all members have one vote, but any permanent member's negative vote can stall a decision even if all others vote for it.
• Debate: some want the veto abolished as in conflict with democracy and sovereign equality. But permanent members are unlikely to agree, and without the veto, as in 1945, the great powers might lose interest, act outside the UN, and leave it ineffective.

Expansion history: Council membership was expanded from 11 to 15 in 1965, with no change in permanent members.

Worked example

What is the veto power? Why is it difficult to abolish it? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The veto is the negative vote of a permanent member of the Security Council; it can stall a decision even if all other members vote for it.
2. Only the five permanent members (US, Russia, UK, France, China) have it; it was given to ensure stability after the Second World War.
3. Many see it as against democracy and sovereign equality and want it abolished or modified.
4. But permanent members are unlikely to agree, and without it the great powers might lose interest, act outside the UN and make it ineffective.

Answer: A permanent member's power to block decisions; it is hard to abolish because permanent members oppose it and great-power support is needed for the UN to work.

Jurisdiction of the UN: the 2005 summit

NCERT section Jurisdiction of the UN

When the UN completed 60 years, heads of all member states met in September 2005 and decided on steps to make the UN more relevant:

• Creation of a Peacebuilding Commission.
• Accepting that the international community is responsible when a government fails to shield its own people from atrocities.
• Setting up a Human Rights Council, working from 19 June 2006.
• Agreeing to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• Condemning terrorism of every kind.
• Creation of a Democracy Fund.
• An agreement to wind up the Trusteeship Council.

These are contentious too: which conflicts should a Peacebuilding Commission intervene in, and can it intervene in all? What is the international community's responsibility for atrocities? Who defines human rights and violations, and what action follows? How realistic are ambitious goals like the Sustainable Development Goals for developing countries? Can there be agreement on a definition of terrorism? How should funds promote democracy? (A cartoon on the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan since 2003 asks how the UN can intervene in such situations.)

Worked example

List any four decisions taken at the 2005 UN summit to make the UN more relevant. (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Creation of a Peacebuilding Commission.
2. Establishment of a Human Rights Council (operational since 19 June 2006).
3. Agreement to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and to condemn terrorism in all its forms.
4. Creation of a Democracy Fund and agreement to wind up the Trusteeship Council (also acceptance of international responsibility when governments fail to protect citizens from atrocities).

Answer: Peacebuilding Commission, Human Rights Council, MDGs and condemnation of terrorism, Democracy Fund and winding up the Trusteeship Council.

India and UN reforms

NCERT section India and the UN Reforms

India's general position:

• Supports restructuring: a strengthened and revitalised UN is desirable.
• Supports a bigger UN role in development and cooperation; development should be central to the UN agenda, as a precondition for peace and security.

Composition of the Security Council:

• The Council has stayed largely static while the General Assembly expanded greatly, harming its representative character. An expanded, more representative Council would enjoy greater support.
• Membership rose from 11 to 15 in 1965, but permanent members did not change. Most General Assembly members are now developing countries, which should have a role in decisions affecting them.
• India supports more permanent and non-permanent members; restructuring should be broad-based, with more developing countries.

India's claim to permanent membership:

• The textbook describes India as the most populous country, with almost one-fifth of the world's population.
• The world's largest democracy.
• Participated in virtually all UN initiatives; a long and substantial role in peacekeeping.
• Economic emergence on the world stage.
• Regular financial contributions; never faltered on payments.
• Permanent membership has symbolic importance, signifying growing importance; a reputation for power makes a country more influential.

Objections:

• Pakistan is reluctant to see India as a permanent veto member, and it is not the only one.
• Some are concerned about India's nuclear weapons capabilities.
• Some think its difficulties with Pakistan would make it ineffective.
• Including India might require accommodating other emerging powers (Brazil, Germany, Japan, perhaps South Africa), whom some oppose.
• Some feel Africa and South America must be represented as the only continents without permanent members.

So it may not be easy for India, or anyone, to become a permanent member soon.

Worked example

As a citizen of India, how would you support India's candidature for permanent membership of the Security Council? (6 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Representation: the Council has stayed static since 1965 while most UN members are now developing countries; India would make it more representative.
2. Population: India has almost one-fifth of the world's population (the textbook calls it the most populous country).
3. Democracy: India is the world's largest democracy.
4. Contribution: participation in virtually all UN initiatives and a long record in peacekeeping; regular payments of its dues.
5. Economic emergence on the world stage strengthens its claim.
6. Acknowledge objections (Pakistan, nuclear concerns, demands for Africa and South America) and argue that a broad-based expansion including India would give the Council greater support and legitimacy.

Answer: India's population, democracy, UN and peacekeeping record, regular contributions and economic rise justify its claim, as part of a broad-based, more representative Council.

The UN in a unipolar world

NCERT section The UN in a Unipolar World

Some hoped reforms would help the UN cope with a unipolar world in which the US had no serious rival. Can the UN balance US dominance?

Why US power cannot be easily checked:

• With the Soviet Union gone, the US is the only superpower, strong enough militarily and economically to bypass the UN.
• Within the UN its influence is considerable: it is the single largest contributor (22 per cent of the regular budget in 2019); the UN is located in US territory; many US nationals are in the UN bureaucracy.
• With its veto it can stop moves it dislikes, and it has a considerable say in choosing the Secretary-General.
• It can 'split' the rest of the world to reduce opposition.

So the UN is not a great balance to the US.

But the UN still matters:

• It brings the US and the rest of the world into discussion on many issues.
• US leaders, despite criticism, see it as useful in bringing together over 190 nations on conflict and development.
• For others, it provides an arena to modify US attitudes and policies, where arguments are heard and compromises shaped.

Conclusion: the UN is imperfect, but without it the world would be worse off. With growing interdependence and technology connecting more than seven billion people, its importance will only increase; peoples and governments must find ways to use it in their own and the wider interest.

Worked example

Can the UN serve as a balance against US dominance? Explain. (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. No, not effectively: as the only superpower the US can ignore the UN, and inside the UN it is the largest contributor, hosts the UN and has many nationals in its bureaucracy.
2. Its veto lets it block decisions, and it has considerable say in choosing the Secretary-General; it can split the rest of the world.
3. But the UN brings the US and the rest of the world into discussions, and US leaders value it for gathering over 190 nations.
4. It gives other countries an arena to modify US attitudes and shape compromises, so it is useful even if not a true balance.

Answer: The UN cannot balance US power, but it provides a forum for dialogue and compromise that can moderate US policies.

Key agencies and NGOs

NCERT section Boxes: IMF, World Bank, WTO, IAEA, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch

IMF (International Monetary Fund): oversees international financial institutions and regulations. 190 members (as on 19 February 2024) but they do not have an equal say: the G-7 (US 16.52 per cent, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Canada) hold 41.29 per cent of votes; India holds 2.64 per cent.

World Bank: created in 1944 during the Second World War; focuses on developing countries: human development (education, health), agriculture and rural development, environmental protection, infrastructure and governance. It gives loans and grants, exercising enormous influence on developing countries' policies, and is criticised for setting their economic agenda, attaching stringent conditions and forcing free-market reforms.

WTO (World Trade Organisation): sets rules for global trade; set up in 1995 as successor to the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT); 164 members (as on 29 July 2016). Decisions are taken unanimously, but major powers (US, EU, Japan) have used it to frame rules in their favour; developing countries complain of non-transparent procedures and being pushed around.

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency): established in 1957 to implement US President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' proposal; promotes peaceful use of nuclear energy and prevents military use; its teams inspect nuclear facilities to ensure civilian reactors are not used for military purposes.

Amnesty International (NGO): campaigns for human rights worldwide, promoting all rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; sees rights as interdependent and indivisible; publishes reports on human rights, often on misconduct by governments, which are not always happy with them, but which are important for research and advocacy.

Human Rights Watch (NGO): research and advocacy on human rights; the largest international human rights organisation in the US; draws media attention to abuses; helped build coalitions to ban landmines, stop the use of child soldiers and establish the International Criminal Court.

Worked example

Distinguish between the IMF and the World Bank. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The IMF oversees international financial institutions and regulations; its 190 members have unequal votes, with the G-7 holding 41.29 per cent.
2. The World Bank (1944) focuses on developing countries, giving loans and grants for human development, agriculture, environment, infrastructure and governance.

Answer: The IMF oversees the international financial system; the World Bank funds development in developing countries.

International Organisations in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Evolution and Structure of the UN
• Reform of the UN Security Council
• Key International Agencies and NGOs

International Organisations: key facts

Founding of the UN

Aug 1941 Atlantic Charter; Jan 1942 Declaration by United Nations (26 nations); Dec 1943 Tehran; Feb 1945 Yalta; Apr-May 1945 San Francisco; 26 Jun 1945 Charter (50 + Poland = 51); 24 Oct 1945 UN Day; 30 Oct 1945 India joins

Successor to the League of Nations.

UN structure

Members	193 (2011)
General Assembly	one vote each
Security Council	5 permanent (US, Russia, UK, France, China) + 10 non-permanent (2-year terms)

Council expanded 11 to 15 in 1965.

Secretary-General

António Guterres, ninth, since 1 Jan 2017 (Portugal)

Earlier: Lie, Hammarskjöld, U Thant, Waldheim, Perez de Cuellar, Boutros-Ghali, Annan, Ban Ki-moon.

Two kinds of reform

Structures and processes (Security Council, budget, administration) + jurisdiction (peace and security vs development and humanitarian work)

1992 GA resolution: three complaints.

Criteria for new members

Economic power, military power, budget contribution, population, democracy and human rights, representativeness

Each has validity and problems.

2005 summit decisions

Peacebuilding Commission; responsibility to protect; Human Rights Council (19 Jun 2006); MDGs; condemn terrorism; Democracy Fund; wind up Trusteeship Council

UN at 60.

India's claim

Population (almost one-fifth), largest democracy, UN initiatives and peacekeeping, economic emergence, regular payments, symbolic importance

Objections: Pakistan, nuclear concerns, others to accommodate, Africa and South America.

US influence in UN

Largest contributor (22% in 2019); HQ in US; US nationals in bureaucracy; veto; say in choosing Secretary-General

UN still an arena for dialogue.

Agencies

IMF	190 members, G-7 41.29% votes
World Bank	1944, loans to developing countries
WTO	1995, successor to GATT, 164 members
IAEA	1957, Atoms for Peace

Criticisms: conditions, big-power dominance.

NGOs

Amnesty International (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reports); Human Rights Watch (largest in US; landmines, child soldiers, ICC)

Research and advocacy.

Social and economic UN agencies

WHO, UNDP, UNHRC, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNESCO

War and peace in GA and UNSC.

How the board asks International Organisations

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember International Organisations

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• P5

  "US, R-U-F-C": US, Russia, UK, France, China.

  Use it when: Security Council permanent members.

• UN founding dates

  "26-24-30": 26 June Charter, 24 October UN Day, 30 October India joins (all 1945).

  Use it when: Dates MCQs.

• Membership criteria

  "EMB-PDR": Economic, Military, Budget, Population, Democracy, Representativeness.

  Use it when: Security Council reform.

• 2005 summit

  "PR-HMT-DT": Peacebuilding, Responsibility, Human Rights Council, MDGs, Terrorism, Democracy Fund, Trusteeship ended.

  Use it when: Jurisdiction reforms.

• Agency years

  World Bank 44, IAEA 57, WTO 95.

  Use it when: Agency facts.

International Organisations: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in International Organisations

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Saying the Secretary-General or non-permanent members have a veto

  Students over-generalise.

  ✓Do this: Only the five permanent members have the veto.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in statement MCQs.

• ✗Mistake: Calling the UN a world government

  Its size suggests authority.

  ✓Do this: An international organisation is not a super-state; it is created by and responds to states.

  Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Mixing up dates of the UN's founding

  Several 1945 dates.

  ✓Do this: 26 June Charter signed; 24 October UN founded (UN Day); 30 October India joined.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Listing only India's strengths for permanent membership

  Students write one-sided answers.

  ✓Do this: Add objections (Pakistan, nuclear concerns, other powers, Africa and South America) and a balanced conclusion.

  Usually costs: 1-2 marks in 6-mark answers.

• ✗Mistake: Confusing the IMF, World Bank and WTO

  All are economic bodies.

  ✓Do this: IMF: international financial system; World Bank: development loans; WTO: trade rules (successor to GATT).

  Usually costs: 1 mark per item.

NCERT exercise guide: International Organisations

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Practice questions on International Organisations

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   Which body promotes peaceful nuclear energy and inspects reactors to prevent military use?
   (a) World Health Organisation
   (b) International Atomic Energy Agency
   (c) World Trade Organisation
   (d) International Monetary Fund

   Hint

   Atoms for Peace.

   Answer

   (b).

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   When is UN Day celebrated?
   (a) 26 June
   (b) 24 October
   (c) 30 October
   (d) 10 December

   Hint

   The UN was founded on this day in 1945.

   Answer

   (b) 24 October.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

   Match:
   i. International Court of Justice a. Shelter and help during emergencies
   ii. UNHCR b. Resolves disputes among members
   iii. Secretariat c. Administration and coordination of UN affairs
   iv. General Assembly d. Debates and discusses global issues
   (a) i-b, ii-a, iii-c, iv-d
   (b) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
   (c) i-b, ii-c, iii-a, iv-d
   (d) i-b, ii-a, iii-d, iv-c

   Hint

   Courts resolve, refugees need shelter.

   Answer

   (a).

4. Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

   Assertion (A): The IMF's members do not have an equal say.
   Reason (R): The G-7 countries hold 41.29 per cent of the votes.
   Choose (a)-(d).

   Hint

   Voting shares.

   Answer

   (a) Both are true and R explains A.

5. Q5 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Why is the World Bank often criticised? (2 marks)

   Hint

   Conditions on loans.

   Answer

   Because it sets the economic agenda of poorer nations, attaches stringent conditions to its loans and forces free-market reforms, exercising enormous influence on developing countries' policies.

6. Q6 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   What are the functions of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch? (4 marks)

   Hint

   Two human rights NGOs.

   Answer

   Amnesty International campaigns for human rights worldwide, promoting all rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and publishing reports that often focus on government misconduct, useful for research and advocacy. Human Rights Watch, the largest international human rights organisation in the US, researches and advocates on human rights, draws global media attention to abuses, and helped build coalitions to ban landmines, stop child soldiers and set up the International Criminal Court.

7. Q7 · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   'Reforming the UN means restructuring the Security Council.' Do you agree? Give arguments. (6 marks)

   Hint

   Structures and jurisdiction.

   Answer

   Partly. For: the biggest reform debate is on the Security Council: the 1992 resolution's complaints (not reflecting realities, Western dominance, inequitable representation); demands for more permanent and non-permanent members from Asia, Africa and South America; debates on the veto; India's claim. Against: reform has two parts. Structures and processes also include budget and administration. Jurisdiction reform covers the 2005 decisions: Peacebuilding Commission, responsibility to protect, Human Rights Council, MDGs, condemning terrorism, Democracy Fund, winding up the Trusteeship Council; and debates on whether the UN should focus on peace and security or development and humanitarian work. Conclusion: Security Council restructuring is central but UN reform is broader.

8. Q8 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   Suppose a school council has five 'permanent' members from the oldest families, each able to block any decision, while 300 other students elect ten members for short terms. Using the UN debate, explain why other students might demand reform, and why the five might resist. (4 marks)

   Hint

   Representation, veto, legitimacy.

   Answer

   Students would argue the council no longer reflects the school's realities, is dominated by a few and lacks equitable representation (like the 1992 complaints), and that the block (veto) conflicts with equality. The five would resist because they gain from permanency and the veto, and might argue that without them the council would lose its strongest supporters and become ineffective, as is argued for the UN.

9. Q9 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   What was the League of Nations and why was the UN created after it? (2 marks)

   Hint

   First and Second World Wars.

   Answer

   The League of Nations was created after the First World War to deal with conflict and help the world avoid war. Despite initial success it could not prevent the Second World War, so the UN was founded in 1945 as its successor to achieve what the League could not.

10. Q10 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Why is it difficult to agree on criteria for new permanent members of the Security Council? (4 marks)

    Hint

    Questions raised about each criterion.

    Answer

    Each criterion has validity but problems: how big an economic or military power must a country be? Would budget contributions let a state buy its way in? Is a large population an asset or liability? Would countries with excellent human rights records be effective? Representation could be by continent, region, development level or culture, each raising difficulties; and governments favour criteria that suit their own interests.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.Which Secretary-General said the UN's purpose was to save humanity from 'hell' rather than take it to 'heaven'?Show answer

   Dag Hammarskjold, the UN's second Secretary-General.

2. 2.How many members did the UN have by 2011?Show answer

   193.

3. 3.Who initiated an inquiry into UN reform on 1 January 1997?Show answer

   Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

4. 4.When was the Security Council expanded from 11 to 15 members?Show answer

   In 1965.

5. 5.When did the Human Rights Council become operational?Show answer

   On 19 June 2006.

6. 6.What is the share of the US in the UN regular budget for 2019?Show answer

   22 per cent, the largest.

7. 7.What proposal did the IAEA implement?Show answer

   US President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' proposal.

8. 8.Which NGO helped establish the International Criminal Court?Show answer

   Human Rights Watch (by helping build the international coalition).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Can you give three reasons why international organisations are needed?
• ☐Can you recite the founding timeline of the UN?
• ☐Can you name the five permanent members and explain the veto?
• ☐Can you list the changes after the Cold War that demand reform?
• ☐Can you state the 1992 complaints and six criteria for new members?
• ☐Can you list the 2005 summit decisions?
• ☐Can you give India's grounds and the objections to its claim?
• ☐Can you explain why the UN cannot balance US power but is still useful?
• ☐Can you state one fact each about the IMF, World Bank, WTO and IAEA?
• ☐Can you describe Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch?

International Organisations: frequently asked questions