The United Nations meets the Twenty First Century: The vitality and survival of international organizations

Confronting the Challenges of Global Governance depend on two factors:

 How is the world governed even in the absence  the capacity to change and
of a world government in order to produce  Adapt and the quality of their governance.
norms, codes of conduct and regulatory,
The United Nations is not a nascent world government,
surveillance and compliance instruments?
but it has and can continue to contribute to improving
 How are values allocated quasi-authoritatively
global governance.
for the world and accepted as such, without a
government to rule the world? -This chapter explores neither the complicated United
Nations Organization itself with headquarters in New
No Global Government
York and its 120,000 peacekeeping soldiers, nor the UN
Yet, on any given day, mail is delivered across system of specialized agencies, programmes and bodies
borders; People travel from one country to another via a with country offices worldwide (Weiss et al., 2014;
variety of transport modes; Weiss and Daws, 2007).

Goods and services are freighted across land, air, Global Governance, the Idea
sea and cyberspace; and a whole range of other cross-
 Governance is as purposeful systems of rules or
border activities take place in reasonable expectation of
norms that ensure order beyond what occurs
reliable, safe and secure service for the people, groups,
"naturally"
firms and governments involved.
 Global governance is a rules-based order without
Global Governance government.
 UN represents a structure of authority that rests
- the sum of laws, norms, policies and institutions that
on institutionalized state practices and generally
define, constitute and mediate trans-border relations
accepted (Hurd, 1999, 2007).
between states, cultures, citizens, intergovernmental
 Governance for the planet is weak.
and non-governmental organizations and the market.
 There is no central authority and precious little
United Nations (UN) system with universal state enforcement.
membership and mechanisms for involving non-state  UN member states — question the legitimacy of
actors comes as close as we have to a central clearing the rules promulgated if they do not agree with
house for information and action. The UN is both a them; and when they fail to implement or
global governance actor and site (Thakur, 2011). comply with the rules there is little enforcement
capacity available to compel them to do so.
UN record since 1945
 Governance without Government (Rosenau and
- demonstrates an under-appreciated capacity for policy Czempiel, 1992)
innovation, institutional adaptation and organizational  Commission on Global Governance, 1995
learning, for example with respect to peacekeeping  Growing recognition of problems that defy
missions. On policy innovation, the very word solutions by a single state, the other explanation
“peacekeeping” does not appear in the UN Charter, yet for the emergence of global governance stems
is the most characteristic UN activity in peace and from the sheer growth in the numbers and
security. importance of non-state actors (civil society and
market).
- On institutional adaptation, the Department of  In a diverse, complex and interdependent world
Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) was not part of the solutions to collective-action problems are often
original UN Secretariat structure, and the Peace building unattainable by states alone.
Commission was added to the overall mix in this  Civil society actors play increasingly active roles
century. in shaping norms, laws and policy makers.
-The chief multilateral organizations do not meet  They are participants in global governance as
current standards of representivity, consent, juridical advocates, activists and policy makers.
accountability, rule of law, broad participation and AN UNFINISHED JOURNEY
transparency – and therefore political legitimacy.
 Global Governance remains an unfinished journey
- Multilateralism is value-laden, connoting fundamental because we are struggling to find our way and are
social and political choices regarding the balance nowhere near finding a satisfactory destination.
between the market and equity, human rights,
 The UN provides and manages the framework for
governance and democracy
bringing together the world’s leaders to tackle the
pressing problems of the day for the survival, - concerns the expansion of economic activities across
development, and welfare of all peoples, state borders;
everywhere.
 The growing volume and variety of cross-border
 IGOs seem more marginal at exactly the moment
flows of finance, investment, goods and services;
when enhanced multilateralism is sorely required.
 Ideas, information, legal systems, organizations
o Multilateralism is under unprecedented
and people;
challenge from arms control to climate change,
 The rapid and widespread diffusion of
international criminal justice, and the use of
technology; and cultural exchanges
military force overseas.
 There are vast disparities in power and influence A few clarifications are required:
among states, IGOs, Multinational Corporation, and
International NGOs. 1. In this globalizing era, the movement of people
 Today’s world is governed by an indistinct remains restricted and strictly regulated.
patchwork of authority that is as diffuse at it is 2. Economic interdependence is highly asymmetrical.
contingent.
 Craig Murphy (1994) encourages us: “The longer 3. The average annual rate of world growth has steadily
history of industry and international organizations slowed during the age of globalization.
indicates that the task of creating the necessary
4. There was a growing divergence, not convergence.
global institutions may be easier than any of today’s
liberal commentators believe.” 5. Globalization has also unleashed many “uncivil
 Harold Jacobson (1984) observed that they “picture society” forces like international terrorism, drugs,
the process of humanity combining into ever larger people, and gun trafficking; and illicit money flows.
and more stable units for the purpose of governance
– first the family, then the tribe, then the city-state, Identifying and Diagnosing Problems, the UN's
and then the nation.” Comparative Advantage
o A process which presumably would eventually The main gaps that the UN meets in the 21st century are
culminate in the entire world being combined in those that is has confronted since 1945:
one political unit.”
 Alexander Wendt (2003) suggests that “a world state o Knowledge
is inevitable.” o Norms
 Global governance reflects the realization that states o Policy
and state-centric institutions do not have the o Institutions, and
capacity to address the challenges that render o Compliance
borders ever more porous.
AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
How can we improve the provision of essential
global public goods in an anarchical society? How do  World government – single-state that exercises
we develop “the capacity to get things done” without authority over the entire world
hierarchical international institutions with - Is the notion of a common political authority for
enforcement capacity and with no prospect with the all humanity, giving way to a global government.
creation of the horizon? - Imply an international system with some of the
capacities that we customarily associate with
 The system of global governance has not met the functional national governments – notably
test that “it must channel behaviour in such a way as powers to control or repel threats, raise
to eliminate or substantially ameliorate the problem revenues, allocate expenditures, redistribute
that led to its creation.” incomes and require compliance from citizens as
 Even without a world government, there is much well as ensure their rights.
room for more initiatives from governments and  Nay-sayers – a person who criticizes or object to
groups in power, better incentives, and initiatives - Include right-winger and left-winger
from secretariats and civil society.  Right-winger – a person who supports the
political right
Three United Nations
 Left-winger – a person whose political beliefs are
o States close to socialism
o Secretariats  Bretton Woods Institutions – are the World Bank
o Civil Society and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
 • International Monetary Fund – an organization
Globalization of 189, working to foster global monetary
cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate agency of the UN that is responsible for
international trade, promote high employment issues that concern information and
and sustainable economic growth, and reduce communication technologies
poverty around the world.  Universal Postal Union (1874) – specialized
 World Trade Organization – intergovernmental agency of the UN that coordinates postal
organization that is concerned with the policies among member nations, in addition
regulation of international trade between to the worldwide postal system.
nations  Kennedy ( 2005) – emphasis on the UN
 Many international relations specialists now system as “old-fashioned” because we
prefer “global governance”, the structures of emphasize the state-centric United Nations
which are anything but static. when so many other bodies – the European
 Global governance has demonstrated its value. Union, NGOs, multinational corporations are
Indeed, for telecommunications and postal not only central to contemporary global
services, some of these arrangements date back governance but often more supple as well
to the nineteenth century, when necessities for  Rorden Wilkinson (2002) – notes that there is
technical coordination first became obvious. much to be gained by analyzing international
 Murphy (2000) – by 1914 over thirty such organizations and global governance. He
institutions existed and by the end of twentieth specifically points to missing both “an arrays
century, hundreds more. of actors” and “the way in which varieties of
actors are increasingly combining to manage
What happened in the nineteenth century?
– and in many cases, micro-manage – a
 International institutions sprouted their roots growing range of political, economic and
as sovereign states made new arrangements social affairs”
for the increased interactions brought about  United Nations provides a fulcrum for
by the Industrial Revolution analysis as the most universal and legitimate
 Inis Claude (1971) – in his classic Sword into organizational framework. While it cannot
Plowshares he identified three major displace the responsibility of local, state and
developments national governments, the UN can and
 Sword into Plowshares – a concept in which should be the focus of multilateral diplomacy
military weapons or technologies are and collective action to solve common
converted for peaceful civilian application problems

Three Major Development MANAGING KNOWLEDGE

 1st Development  Raymond Aron - an influential French historian,

The first concert system of multilateral, high- argued a half-century ago that "the diplomat and the
level political gatherings such as the Congress soldier live and symbolize international relations
of Vienna was devised which established which insofar as they are interstate relations,
“diplomacy by conference” among European concern diplomacy and war" (Aron, 1967:5;
powers emphasis in original)
 2nd Development DEVELOPING NORMS
The Hague system, whose goal was a
universal membership conference system Once a threat or problem has been identified and
that would meet regularly to build a peaceful diagnosed, the UN helps to solidify a new norm
world politics based on law and reasoned behavior.
deliberation, as well as to consider specific
 New norms need to be articulated, disseminated
problem or crisis.
and institutionalized.
 3rd Development
 The First UN of states meets to permit the
The creation of Public International Union
expression and eventual coagulation of official views
“Whereas both the Concert and The Hague
from around the planet on international norms in
reflected the significance of the quest for
spite of the obvious problems of accommodating the
security and the importance of high political
perspective of 193 members.
issues.
 The Second UN is also an ongoing bureaucratic
 International Telegraphic Union founded in
experiment in including non-Western inputs in
1865 now called International
spite of the obvious problems of running a
Telecommunication Union – specialized
secretariat with a multitude of nationalities,  Weiss and Thakur (2010) – many of the
cultures, languages and administrative habits. recommendations from Cardoso report were
 The most effective form of behavior regulation is implemented almost immediately in the
for complete convergence between rules and response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
norms.

FORMULATING RECOMMENDATIONS INSTITUTIONALIZING IDEAS

 The policy stage refers to the statement of Institutions provide another example of the impact of
principles and actions that an organization is ideas.
likely to take in the event of particular  Some seven decades into the UN’s history, virtually
contingencies. every problem has several global institutions
 United Nations is in many respects a policy actor working on significant aspects of solutions.
in its own right (Thakur and Weiss, 2009).  Institutions can facilitate problem solving even
 Developing a norm of desirable changes in though they do not possess any coercive powers.
behavior and approach by states (First UN).  IGO’s can increase the number of productive
 This is a function that is quintessentially in the interactions among their member states that can in
job descriptions not only of the member states turn help build
but also of the staff of international secretariats  John Ruggie (1982) explained “international regimes
(Second UN) have been defined as social institutions around
 Often complemented by trusted consultants, which actor expectations converge in a given area of
NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and international relations”, which create “an inter-
expert groups (Third UN). (Schechter, 2005) subjective framework of meaning”.
 Perhaps a simple but effective way to illustrate
Judith Goldstein and Robert O. Keohane (1993) explain
the process of formulating recommendations is
that there are three casual pathways by which ideas
to take a topic at the heart of the global
ultimately affect policy:
governance, namely civil society, and examine
how the UN makes its intellectual contribution o By becoming road maps that point actors in the
 In February 2003 Secretary-General Kofi Annan right directions;
established the Panel of Eminent Persons on o By affecting their choices of strategies when
United Nations Relations with Civil Society, there is no single equilibrium;
chaired by Brazil’s former president, Fernando o And by becoming embedded in institutions.
Henrique Cardoso. Its 2004 report “We the  UN history suggests that the source of ideas to fill
Peoples”: Civil Society, the UN and the Global international institutional gaps is more likely to be
Governance – had a clear starting point: governments and IGOs than civil society.
“Governments alone cannot resolve today’s  Institutions embody ideas but also can provide a
global problems. platform from which to challenge received wisdom.
 United Nations 2004 pertinent in determining  These are the generalized system of preferences for
how the world organization meets the challenges less industrialized countries was not on the
of global governance in the twenty-first century. conventional free trade agenda but grew from both
1) Multilateralism no longer concerns governments the:
alone but is now multifaceted, involving many o UN Conference on Trade and Development.
constituencies; the UN must develop new skills to (UNCTAD)
service this new way of working; o General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
2) It must become an outward-looking or network  Once the knowledge has been acquired, norms
organization, catalyzing the relationship needed to articulated and policies formulated, an existing
get strong results and not letting the traditions of its institution can oversee their implementation and
formal processes be barriers; monitoring.
3) It must strengthen global governance by  The international community of states might well
advocating university, inclusion, participation and consider creating a new IGO dedicated to addressing
accountability at all levels; and this problem area. For example:
4) It must engage more systematically with world o The 1996 establishment of the joint UN
public opinion to become more responsive, to help programme HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
shape public attitudes and to bolster support for o Which followed a 1993 resolution by the WHO’s
multilateralism. World Health Assembly and is meant to be the
main advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS
with the mandate to lead, strengthen and  21st century multilateralism cannot be confined
support worldwide responses to the epidemic. therefore to relationships among states but must
 The zero tolerance policy towards sexual reflect the plurality of international relations,
exploitation by UN soldiers has been existence for including the key roles of non-states actors. NGO’s
some time, for instance, yet the problem continues. themselves must acknowledge and act on
Inevitably, even with full knowledge, adequate acknowledgement, that they are now oftentimes
norms and policy and operations to back them up, actors and participants in global policy process.
some individuals or groups always cheat, challenge,
and defy the norms and laws.
 The modalities and procedures for enforcing
compliance with international norms and laws are
absent for the United Nations.

CONCLUSION: THE UN’s IDEATIONAL ROLE, THE 21st

CENTURY CHALLENGE

 First, many viewed international cooperation and

law as more effective than isolated efforts and the
law of judgement. But it was still typical for a state
to solve most problems on its own, or at least to
insulate itself from effects coming from outside its
borders.
 Second, earlier thinking emphasized state-centric
notions and only grudgingly admitted the presence
let alone capacities of other actors. But starting in
1980s and earlier in some cases, non-state actors
were recognized as growing in importance and
reach.
 The UN’s conceptualization of global governance has
not yet managed to move beyond the fiction of the
sovereign equality of states, but it has expanded to
encompass both transnational market forces and
civil society as a regular bill of fare instead of an
occasional snack.
 The financial crisis confirmed that absent effective
regulatory institutions, markets, states and civil
society can be overwhelmed by rampant
transnational forces.
 The financial crisis confirmed that absent effective
regulatory institutions, markets, states and civil
society can be overwhelmed by rampant
transnational forces.
 The UN’s role as an “intellectual actor” for global
governance consists of identifying and diagnosing
problems; developing norms; and formulating
recommendations. The three UN’s- the arena for
state decision making, the professional secretariats
and civil society - have filled these ideational
functions for five types of gaps: knowledge, norms,
policies, institutions, and compliance.
 The earlier book on the UN’s meeting the challenges
of global governance in the 21st century was sub-
titled “an unfinished journey”. It is imperative to
continue the trek and assert that human beings are
as strong as the problems that have created.