As we discussed in Tuesday’s class it is no longer common for a state to be defined as only liberal or realist. I feel the United Nations is no different. Since the establishment of the United Nations it can be argued that the organization has evolved from being more realist to more liberal. When the United Nations was first established its purpose was security and helping nations to maintain their borders. The original states emphasized peace, but, peace was their was of saying keeping themselves safe. It was in everyones best interest to join. By joining the UN states were not only agreeing to peace but ensuring themselves of many allies throughout the world.
As alliances were formed and states’ security became less of a threat the United Nations began to emphasize and endorse more liberal values. In some ways promoting peace became less about border security and more about the welfare of individuals. Although today the United Nations still aims to keep states’ borders safe and secure the organization has a large emphasis on social issues. For instance, a large focus right now for the UN are the Millennium Development Goals (on September 25th leaders plan to renew commitments for the goals)- all eight of the goals are different social issues.
If you go to the United Nation’s homepage it is proof that there is still both a realist and liberal component to it. It contains main links to both social and security issues. Like a state the United Nations contains both realist and liberal issue because it must fulfill the needs of all its members which have both liberal and realist characteristic.
Link to UN homepage http://www.un.org/english/
Posts
1 comment:
I find it interesting that so many of the blogs I have read have been arguing that The UN is both realist and liberal. I feel like you can find realism in almost everything if you look hard enough; there's always an overlap in which you have the flexibility to call it whatever you want. However in this instance, and in answering such a question, I feel that The UN is easily classified as a liberal organization. It just makes so much sense. Everything they do and want to do in the future is geared towards individual freedom and rights and other liberal things. The UN may have been founded on realist ideals but how it has developed in the present day proves that it is, overall, a liberal organization.
Post a Comment