Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The United Nations charter was conceived to end future war after the allied United Nations won World War II. The concept had been tried and failed as the League of Nations.
International alliances did not have an encouraging history. The alliance that stopped the NAZIs cannot stop Putin or Hamas. Alliances are a lot like marriages, but more complicated. It is hard enough to get two people to agree about most things most of the time. Nations, states are more complicated than people. Nations have internal factions that can disagree making it hard for the state to even agree internally or negotiate an agreement with one or more other states. States can have very diverse needs and desires. The first attempt to join the American states was a confederation, although it survived the Revolutionary War it was not workable for the longer term of peace. Contemporary statesmen saw the flaws and created the more durable Constitution which balanced the rights of individual states and individual people with the need for a strong collective government. That they created this document in one summer is truly remarkable.
The European Union has been working on doing the same thing since 1945, grantedwith more challenges, having 23 languages and more than 27 cultures to balance. The European States had long histories as adversaries and very divergent priorities. They have had to find common ground and negotiate a portion at a time. The 13 American States were predominantly English speaking with a background in English law that had protected certain human rights and principles since 1659. The European states all had a history as monarchies.
In 1945 the United Nations Charter was agreed to by 51 Nation-States. It is more of a confederation than Union. The UN cannot compel members to recognize its authority. Its organization is unusual, at least to Americans. The general Assembly serves as a legislature, with certain powers, but no real enforcement. The Security Council is essentially the executive branch, but it is a committee with 15 members. Five of the Security Council are called permanent. The Republic of China, France, The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, The United Kingdom and the United States of America. Those were the most powerful nations at the time. The Republic of China, reduced to Taiwan, was overthrown by the Peoples (communist) Republic of China about 1949 with many disputed borders and regions it’s not the same country any more.
The Soviet Union Collapsed in 1991 leaving behind 15 so called Republics that were not really true republics. Most were vassal states manipulated by Russia. Two of the five permanent members no longer exist, yet their seat and veto (absolute power) are held by their successor. Russia is but a fragment of the USSR. The French 4 th Republic was succeeded by the 5 th in 1958. In some ways it is not the same country either. Some nations are more equal than others. The problem is the individual rump states have veto power making progress or enforcement of decisions impossible. Unlike the US, there is no way to overturn a veto by even one.
If the UN was as envisioned, a world federation, with real power, it could have intervened in Ukraine and Palestine, and imposed a solution, or cease fire. At best it can make suggestions and help some victims. A majority might end the veto power but that is enshrined deep in the charter amendment process. “Amendments to the present Charter shall come into force for all members of the United Nations when they have been adopted by a vote of two thirds of the members of the General Assembly and ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two thirds of the Members of the United Nations, including all the permanent members of the Security Council.”
The only way to change the charter is a new charter the way the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. It went into effect for nine states when those states accepted it. That of course creates new concerns about absolute power. I’m in way over my head. Where are Madison, Hamilton and Washington now that we really need them?
Ken Obenski is a forensic engineer, now safety and freedom advocate in South Kona. He writes a biweekly columnfor West Hawaii Today. Send feedback to obenskik@gmail.com
