POSC 202 - Rise & Fall of the Great Powers (G1) Name Wong Ci (S8817215I) Assignment 2 Draft Content

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Question (11) International Organisations Without the creation of international and regional organizations, there would have been more rather than less warfare among member states. Discuss with regard to at least ONE among the following: the League of Nations (LoN), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), AND/OR the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Table of Content I. II. Abstract Historical Background a. The Formation of the UN b. UN vs. League of Nations c. Neoliberalism and the UN III. The Success of the UN a. UN & the Cold War b. Halting the use of Nuclear Warfare -Cuban Missle Crisis c. The UN as a Moral Institution IV. The Limitations of the UN a. Lack of a Personal Force- Somalia & Yugoslavia b. Failure to Control Powerful States- The Iraq War V. VI. VII. International Relations are Evolving- Will the UN Continue to be Effective? Implications Conclusion

POSC 202 - Rise & Fall of the Great Powers (G1) Name Wong Ci (S8817215I) Assignment 2 Draft Content Page & Summary

Summary This paper will argue that although the UN has not been able to been successful at all fronts, its creation and existence has still served to reduce potential conflict and warfare in the international arena. I will be examining events that took place from 1945 2012. The effectiveness of the UN will be analyzed through a neoliberalist lens.

This paper will begin by comparing the United Nations with the League of Nations. It will show how the United Nations is indeed an improved version of the League of Nations and how its improved power structure could solve problems which the League could not.

The success of the UN in reducing warfare will be argued in three ways. Firstly, I will point out how the UN was effective in mediating conflict between the superpowers during the Cold War. Seondly, I will also show how the UN has managed to halt the use of nuclear warfare. Lastly, I will illustrate how the United Nations has acquired important moral status in the international society and how its existence as a legitimate institution with moral authority has acted as a deterrence in preventing states from engaging in physical warfare.

The failures of the UN will also be highlighted to show that the institution indeed has limitations. I will identify its lack of a personal force and the continuous domination of the superpowers in the security council as inherent weaknesses. Case studies from Yugoslavia, Somalia and the Iraq War will be used.

To conclude, I will explain how international relations are evolving and whether the UN can continue to stay relevant in this new era.