Does the United States Need the United Nations?

• Author: Refior, Everett L.
• Position: Brief Article

In today's global village, this is somewhat like asking: "Does New York need the United States?" The problem is that we have not broken the habit of thinking of the United Nations as "them" rather than "us". Its successes are our successes; its failures our failures. This was widely understood after the Second World War, when the United States took the lead in creating the United Nations and became its host; ironically, it seems to be largely unrealized today, at the very time that war is joined by other unforeseen threats to human existence and well-being that cry out for governance on the world level. Basic to understanding the United Nations present situation is the fact that the nations have never allowed it either the powers or the funding necessary to achieve its ambitious purposes.

Like the Continental Congress in America, it is at the mercy of the willingness of its Member States to pay their assessments. Even worse, it cannot borrow. Given these limitations, the accomplishments of the United Nations system are nothing short of remarkable. It has achieved and retained virtually universal membership, phased out colonialism rapidly with surprisingly little bloodshed, monitored free elections in some 50 countries, and helped keep more than 80 conflicts from exploding into war. Its agencies have trained teachers and expanded literacy, wiped out smallpox from the earth, cut child mortality rates in half since 1960 and delivered millions of pounds of food for famine relief. It has stationed 42 peacekeeping units in trouble spots, which may have made the difference in averting a third world war. All this has cost the United States about $7 per person per year. Compare that with about $1,000 per person annually for the military, which a stronger United Nations might enable us to cut substanti ally.

Taking the long view, the case is far more compelling. An important principle of social organization is subsidiarity. Each decision should be made at the lowest level where it can be done effectively. Thus, some things are decided locally, others require state action, and some have to be handled nationally. And some require global solutions.

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