The United Nations
Fifty-one states create a permanent forum, with a veto built into its core.
- When
- Era
- Contemporary, Holocene
The UN Charter is signed in June 1945 with the explicit aim of saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Unlike the League of Nations it includes the great powers, but the price is the Security Council veto held by five of them, which paralyses it whenever their interests conflict. Its record on preventing war is poor; its record on health, refugees, food, decolonisation and setting shared standards is substantial.