Rui Wang Professor Ahmad Kamal New York University September !

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(ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER AMENDMENTS )

(he purpose of this paper is to illustrate and analyse the a)tual amendments whi)h have been implemented in the United Nations* +harter sin)e its in)eption in ,-!. (he paper )on)ludes by )riti)al remarks on the )hanges of the UN +harter and the signifi)an)e to ameliorate the +harter. Similar to any other )onstitutions" the UN +harter serves as )onstitutional pri)iples of the organi/ation and is sub0e)t to amend. 1owever" over si2ty years" only four ad0ustments have been adopted. (hey are listed as follows3 4irst" the number of membership within the Se)urity +oun)il5S+6 has enlarged from to !. (his amendment of Arti)le #% was proposed in ,7% and ra)tified in ,7!. Se)ond" the number of membership within the 8)onomi) and So)ial +oun)il has in)reased twi)e from 9 to #: then to !- in ,7% and ,: respe)tively by amendments to Arti)le 7 . (hird" the number of re;uired affirmative votes to make de)isions within the S+ has e2panded to nine members instead of seven. 4inally" the Arti)le $, has thus amended in a))orden)e with the above revisions. <n addtion to the aforementioned a)tual amendments" stru)tural )hanges have been adopted without formal amendments. (he Soviet Union*s permanent seat in the S+ was assumed by Russia while (aipei&based Republi) of +hina was assumed by =ei0ing& based People*s Republi) of +hina. =ased on the above amendments" very true is that more )ountries are liable to voi)e their opinion due to the e2pansion of two ma0or )oun)ils. =ut underneath the surfa)e" permanent members* veto still endows the five member states* authority upon the UN*s agenda. (herefore" despite an ostensible outlook of an in)reasingly in)lusive organi/ation" the UN*s )onstitutional development grows in a rather )onservative way by a))omodating members interests without 0eopardi/ing those of the member states.

<n )on)lusion" one )an thus state that the United Nations* endeavor to produ)e a fle2ible and adaptable +harter is applaudable and should be a)knowledged. 1owever" its efforts fall short in fundamental )hanges of an unbalan)ed distribution of power among UN members" not least between the member states and the rest of others. 'nly if the +harter )an be more legitimately adaptative to amendments in )hanging )onditions and times" )an the UN*s validity and e;uibility be signifi)antly improved. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.8mpower the United Nations with the >oi)e of the People" http3??empowertheun.org?unreformproposal.html