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League of Nations and United Nations: WBBSE Class 9 History
Get textual answers, explanations, solutions, notes, extras, MCQs, PDF of Chapter 7 the League of Nations and the United Nations: WBBSE Class 9 History (English medium). However, the educational materials should only be used for reference, and students are encouraged to make necessary changes.
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Summary
After the terrible First World War, people everywhere wanted peace. This led to the creation of the League of Nations. President Woodrow Wilson of the USA suggested forming a group of nations to protect the independence and lands of all countries, big or small. Delegates at the Paris Peace Conference agreed and set up the League. Its rules were written in a document called the Covenant. The League aimed to encourage countries to work together, achieve peace and security without going to war, have honest relations, respect international laws and treaties, and try peaceful ways to solve disagreements before fighting. If a nation broke these rules, others could use economic pressure or, as a last option, military force against it.
The League operated through several bodies. The Assembly included representatives from all member states, each with one vote, acting as an advisory group. The Council had permanent members (like Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany) and non-permanent members elected for fixed terms; it was the main executive body, handling disputes, aggression, and arms reduction. A permanent Secretariat managed administrative tasks. There were also independent bodies like the Permanent Court of International Justice to settle legal arguments between countries and the International Labor Organization to improve working conditions. The League had some early successes but ultimately failed to prevent major conflicts, like when Japan invaded Manchuria or when Hitler began conquering territories, leading to its downfall.
The immense suffering of the Second World War created another strong desire for peace, leading to the United Nations (UN). The idea grew from agreements like the United Nations Declaration signed by 26 countries in 1942. President Franklin Roosevelt chose the name “United Nations”. A draft plan was made at Dumbarton Oaks, and the final UN Charter was signed by 51 nations at the San Francisco Conference in 1945. These 51 are the original members.
The UN has several main parts. The General Assembly includes all member nations (currently 193), each with one vote, discussing global issues and approving the budget. The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security; it has 15 members: five permanent members (USA, Russia, China, UK, France) who have veto power (meaning any one of them can block a decision), and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The Economic and Social Council works on improving economic conditions, social progress, and human rights, coordinating agencies like UNESCO and the World Health Organization. The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, settles legal disputes between states. The Secretariat handles the UN’s daily business, led by the Secretary-General. The Trusteeship Council helped territories become self-governing, though its work is largely complete.
The main goal of the UN is peace and security. While it has faced challenges, especially during the Cold War, and depends heavily on its members’ cooperation, it has helped prevent larger conflicts and negotiated peace in some areas. Its role continues to evolve, dealing with complex global problems. The UN Charter outlines its principles, starting with the aim to prevent future wars, protect human rights, uphold justice, and promote better living standards for everyone.
Textual Questions, Answers (Oriental)
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A key figure associated with the formation of the League of Nations, impacting Europe in the 1920s, was :
(a) Woodrow Wilson
(b) Franklin Roosevelt
(c) Trygve Lie
(d) Ban-ki Moon
Answer: (a) Woodrow Wilson
2. Of the following which is the correct statement ?
(a) The League Council had Permanent Members
(b) The UN Security Council consists of Non-Permanent Members
(c) The UN Security Council consists of Permanent and Non-Permanent members
(d) The Non-Permanent members of the UN had ‘veto’
Answer: (c) The UN Security Council consists of Permanent and Non-Permanent members
3. The final step towards the formation of the United Nations was taken in the :
(a) Yalta Conference
(b) Potsdam Conference
(c) Paris Peace Conference
(d) San Francisco Conference
Answer: (d) San Francisco Conference
4. The International Court of Justice is situation at :
(a) New York, USA
(b) San Francisco
(c) The Hague
(d) Geneva
Answer: (c) The Hague
Very-short Answer Type Questions
5. Which organization was entrusted with the task of ‘liquidating the war and implementing peace’ after the World War I ?
Answer: The League of Nations was entrusted with the task of ‘liquidating the war and implementing peace’.
6. Name the most important body of the League of Nations other than the Assembly.
Answer: The Council was the principal executive power during the existence of the League of Nations, making it the most important body other than the Assembly.
7. Who selected the name ‘United Nations’ ?
Answer: The name UNITED NATIONS was selected by the American President Franklin Roosevelt.
8. The signatory-states of which document are the Original Members of the United Nations?
Answer: The signatory-states of the document known as the United Nations Charter are the Original Members of the United Nations.
Short Answer Type Questions
9. The delegates to which Conference supported the proposal of Woodrow Wilson to set up an international organization?
Answer: The delegates to the Paris Peace Conference supported the proposal of Woodrow Wilson to set up an international organization.
10. Which two types of members constituted the League Council?
Answer: The League Council consisted of Permanent and Non-Permanent members.
11. Which incident of 1931 brought to the fore the failure of the League of Nations?
Answer: When Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931, the League failed to discharge its responsibilities, which brought its failure to the fore.
12. In which Conference was the final step towards the formation of the UNO taken?
Answer: The final step towards the formation of the United Nations Organization (UNO) was taken at the San Francisco Conference (1945).
13. Which body of the UN is regarded as the most important?
Answer: The Security Council occupies the most important position in the structure of the UNO and is regarded as the most important body.
Long Answer Type Questions-I
14. Write in short about the structure of the League of Nations.
Answer: The League of Nations functioned through an Assembly, a Council, and a permanent Secretariat. Moreover, it had under it two autonomous bodies, namely, the Permanent Court of International Justice and the International Labour Organization. The Assembly consisted of representatives of all member states, each with one vote, acting as a deliberative and advisory body. The Council, the principal executive power, consisted of Permanent and Non-Permanent members and dealt with reducing armaments, protecting members from aggression, mediating disputes, and handling international emergencies. The Permanent Secretariat, headed by a Secretary-General and situated at Geneva, collected data, registered treaties, and acted as secretaries for the Council and Assembly. The Permanent Court of International Justice settled international disputes and interpreted international law, while the International Labor Organization worked to secure fair labor conditions.
15. What is your assessment of the League of Nations?
Answer: The League started its work most promisingly, and its record since inception was one of success. In its attempts to prevent war, the League also achieved some remarkable success. However, due to the sectarian and selfish policy pursued by the big powers, this international organization ultimately failed to secure peace for the world. For instance, when Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931, the League failed to discharge its responsibilities. Ultimately, after Hitler began conquering territories in utter disregard of the Treaty of Versailles, the fall of the League became inevitable.
16. Write about the formation of the United Nations.
Answer: The huge massacre of military personnel and civilians, unimaginable loss of property, and untold misery caused by the Second World War gave rise to a feeling of hatred against war. World public opinion and individual politicians demanded peace, security, and a return to normalcy. The United Nations Organization was the expression of this general desire. The first major step towards its formation was the signing of the United Nations Declaration on 1 January 1942 by 26 nations, including the USA, the Soviet Union, Britain, and China. The name UNITED NATIONS was selected by American President Franklin Roosevelt from Lord Byron’s poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. The next stage was the preparation of a draft proposal of the UN Charter at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference (1944). The final step was taken at the San Francisco Conference (1945), where representatives of 51 different states signed the United Nations Charter on 26 June 1945. These 51 signatory-states are the Original Members of the United Nations.
17. Write in short what you know about the composition of the UN Security Council.
Answer: The Security Council has 15 members. The Big Five – the USA, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France – are the Permanent members of the Security Council with veto powers, meaning any of them can unilaterally block decisions or actions taken by the Council. Ten (10) Non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected for two-year terms by the members of the General Assembly.
18. What are the functions of the Economic and Social Council of the UNO?
Answer: The Economic and Social Council of the UN looks after the economic and social betterment, human rights, and health conditions of the member-states. It also sends recommendations to the General Assembly. The activities of the Economic and Social Council aim to improve international co-operation. Expert bodies under the Council include the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and International Labor Organization (ILO), among others.
19. What is United Nations Charter?
Answer: The constitution of the UNO is called the Charter. The United Nations Organization was formally established on 24 October 1945 based on this Charter, which was agreed upon and signed by representatives of governments assembled in San Francisco on 26 June 1945. More than ten thousand words have been used in the Charter, which consists of a Preamble, 19 Chapters, and 3 Articles. The Preamble of the UN Charter reflects the spirit of the UNO, outlining aims such as saving succeeding generations from war, reaffirming faith in human rights, establishing justice and respect for international law, promoting social progress, practicing tolerance, uniting strength for peace and security, ensuring armed force is used only in the common interest, and employing international machinery for the economic and social advancement of all peoples. Through the Charter, the signatory governments established the international organization known as the United Nations.
Long Answer Type Questions-II
20. Write about the structure of the League of Nations.
Answer: The League of Nations functioned through an Assembly, a Council and a permanent Secretariat. Moreover, it had under it two autonomous bodies, namely, Permanent Court of International Justice and International Labour Organization.
The Assembly of the League consisted of the representatives of all the member states, each being entitled to one vote. The Assembly was a deliberative and advisory body. It had no power to legislate or compel acceptance of its decisions. It made budget for the League. It also elected the non-permanent members of the League Council and admitted new states as members of the League.
The League Council consisted of Permanent and Non-Permanent members. Originally there were five Permanent members e.g. Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany and the USA. Four Non-Permanent members were elected from lesser powers by the Assembly. The Non-permanent members were to serve for fixed terms. However, as a result of non-adherence by the USA the Permanent members of the Council were reduced to four, while the Non-permanent members were increased to six. During the existence of the League of Nations the Council was the principal executive power. The functions of the Council were: To formulate plans for the reduction of armaments. To advise on the ways and means to be taken by the whole League to protect member states from aggression. To mediate disputes between members. All emergencies arising in international affairs were to be dealt with by the Council, and All important decisions of the Council were required to be unanimous.
The Permanent Secretariat of the League consisted of a Secretary-General appointed by the Council and approved by the Assembly. The functions of the Secretariat were: To collect and compile data on international problems, To register treaties, and To act as secretaries at deliberations of the Council and of the Assembly. The Permanent Secretariat was situated at Geneva.
The League had two other important bodies, namely, Permanent Court of International Justice and International Labor Organization. The Permanent Court of International Justice (or the World Court) was to interpret any disputed point in international law. It also determined when treaty obligations had been violated. The other body was the International Labor Organization that had the duty to secure and maintain fair and humane conditions of labor for men, women and children. Besides, there were some other socio-economic organizations under the League.
21. Write about the structure of the United Nations.
Answer: The principal organs of the United Nations are: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
The General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the UN. It consists of all members of the UN, each of which has a single vote, but none with veto power. The Assembly can debate and pass resolution on any matter covered by the UN Charter. The Assembly examines and approves the UN’s budget. It also elects, in conjunction with the members of the Security Council, the UN Secretary-General and the judges of the International Court of Justice. The members of the UN are all members of the General Assembly. At present (December 2014) the total number of members of the General Assembly and for that matter of the UN are 193.
The Security Council occupies the most important position in the structure of the UNO. This organ is primarily responsible for the maintenance of international peace. It has the power to pass legally-binding resolutions. It can suspend or expel a member-state. It also is empowered to impose economic sanctions and to take military action to maintain peace. The Security Council has 15 members. The Big Five — the USA, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France are the Permanent members of the Security Council with veto powers. This means any of the Permanent members can unilaterally block decision or action taken by the Security Council. Ten (10) Non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected for two years by the members of the General Assembly.
The permanent Secretariat of the UN conducts the business of the world body. Located at New York, USA it works under the Secretary-General. Under him work eight Assistant Secretary-Generals and a host of other officials. The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer. He is appointed for a term of five years by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. In 1946 Trygve Lie (of Norway) appointed the first Secretary-General of the UNO. At present (2015) the post is being held by Ban-ki Moon.
The Economic and Social Council of UN looks after the economic and social betterment, human rights and health conditions, etc. of the member-states. It also sends recommendations to the General Assembly. The activities of the Economic and Social Council no doubt improve the international co-operation. The expert bodies under the Council are : UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Labor Organization (ILO), etc.
In terms of the UN Charter several underdeveloped countries had been placed under the Trusteeship Council. It is the duty of the Council to look after the political, social, economic and cultural uplift of the countries under it. The real objective of the Council is to prevent exploitation of those backward areas. The members of the Council are elected by the UN General Assembly.
The International Court of Justice, situated at the Hague, is the judiciary of the United Nations. Its duty is to settle international disputes and determine the legal rights of the member-states, etc. The members of the UNO are bound to abide by the decisions of the Court. The judges of the International Court are elected by the members of the General Assembly.
22. What is the nature of the United Nations?
Answer: The principal aim of the UNO is the maintenance of international peace and security. Such responsibility is vested with the Security Council. On the basis of performance it may be said that the UN has saved the mankind from the deadly military conflict and the World War II has not been followed by World War III. This may be regarded as the supreme achievement of the UN. It must, however, be said at the same time that the capacity of the UN to enforce a system of collective security is very much limited by the fact that it was essentially a creature of its members. In fact, the UN can do no more than its members, particularly the Permanent Members of the Security Council, permit. Thus its role has been confined to provide ways and means that facilitate the peaceful resolution of international disputes. Andrew Haywood has pointed out that even in this respect its record has been patchy. The UNO was, indeed, successful in negotiating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan (1948). But during the long period of the Cold War (1947-1990) the UN was virtually paralyzed by the superpower rivalry. The end of the Cold War raised new hope in the effectiveness of the UNO. But it was found confronted with new problems. Significantly the new task before the UN is to shift from traditional peacekeeping to ‘multidimensional’ or ‘robust’ peacekeeping.
Extras
Additional MCQs
1. Which international association was established after the First World War to guarantee political independence and territorial integrity of states?
A. United Nations
B. League of Nations
C. European Union
D. NATO
Answer: B. League of Nations
2. Who proposed a “general association of nations” in his Fourteen Points?
A. Wilson
B. Roosevelt
C. Clemenceau
D. Orlando
Answer: A. Wilson
3. How many Articles did the League Covenant contain?
A. 20
B. 24
C. 26
D. 30
Answer: C. 26
4. Which was an aim of the League of Nations?
A. Promote cooperation
B. Expand empires
C. Abolish treaties
D. Increase armaments
Answer: A. Promote cooperation
5. What measure did the League of Nations initially employ against a disobedient member?
A. Military action
B. Economic sanctions
C. Expulsion
D. Diplomatic talks
Answer: B. Economic sanctions
6. When was the first session of the League of Nations held?
A. November 15, 1919
B. November 15, 1920
C. December 14, 1920
D. December 14, 1939
Answer: B. November 15, 1920
7. When was the last session of the League of Nations held?
A. November 15, 1920
B. September 1, 1939
C. December 14, 1939
D. October 24, 1945
Answer: C. December 14, 1939
8. In which city were the sessions of the League of Nations held?
A. London
B. Paris
C. Geneva
D. The Hague
Answer: C. Geneva
9. Which body of the League had representatives of all member states, each with one vote?
A. Assembly
B. Council
C. Secretariat
D. Court
Answer: A. Assembly
10. Which body of the League held the principal executive power?
A. Assembly
B. Council
C. Secretariat
D. Court
Answer: B. Council
11. How many permanent members did the original League Council have?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six
Answer: C. Five
12. Which country’s non-adherence reduced the number of permanent members of the League Council?
A. Germany
B. Italy
C. United States
D. France
Answer: C. United States
13. Which power was required for all important decisions of the League Council?
A. Simple majority
B. Unanimity
C. Two-thirds majority
D. Veto
Answer: B. Unanimity
14. Which organization under the League was responsible for developing labour relations?
A. World Court
B. ILO
C. Secretariat
D. Assembly
Answer: B. ILO
15. Which organization under the League interpreted disputes in international law?
A. Assembly
B. Council
C. Secretariat
D. World Court
Answer: D. World Court
16. What was a key function of the League’s Permanent Secretariat?
A. Enforce sanctions
B. Register treaties
C. Command armies
D. Elect members
Answer: B. Register treaties
17. In which month were annual sessions of the League convened?
A. July
B. September
C. November
D. December
Answer: B. September
18. Which event in 1931 highlighted the failure of the League of Nations?
A. Manchuria invasion
B. Abyssinia invasion
C. Spanish Civil War
D. Rhineland remilitarization
Answer: A. Manchuria invasion
19. On what date was the United Nations Declaration signed?
A. January 1, 1942
B. June 26, 1945
C. October 24, 1945
D. August 15, 1947
Answer: A. January 1, 1942
20. How many nations signed the United Nations Declaration?
A. 26
B. 51
C. 193
D. 15
Answer: A. 26
21. From which poem did Roosevelt select the term “United Nations”?
A. The Odyssey
B. Paradise Lost
C. Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
D. The Iliad
Answer: C. Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
22. At which conference was the UN draft Charter prepared?
A. Yalta
B. Potsdam
C. Dumbarton Oaks
D. San Francisco
Answer: C. Dumbarton Oaks
23. On what date was the UN Charter signed?
A. January 1, 1942
B. June 26, 1945
C. October 24, 1945
D. August 15, 1947
Answer: B. June 26, 1945
24. How many original members signed the UN Charter?
A. 26
B. 51
C. 193
D. 15
Answer: B. 51
25. Which UN organ is the main deliberative body with one vote per member?
A. Secretariat
B. General Assembly
C. Security Council
D. Economic Council
Answer: B. General Assembly
26. Which power does the UN Security Council possess?
A. Veto
B. Censure
C. Repeal treaties
D. Override veto
Answer: A. Veto
27. How many permanent members does the UN Security Council have?
A. Five
B. Ten
C. Fifteen
D. Twenty
Answer: A. Five
28. Which country is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council?
A. China
B. India
C. France
D. Russia
Answer: B. India
29. How many non-permanent members does the UN Security Council have?
A. Five
B. Eight
C. Ten
D. Twelve
Answer: C. Ten
30. Which body can suspend or expel a UN member-state?
A. General Assembly
B. Economic Council
C. Trusteeship Council
D. Security Council
Answer: D. Security Council
31. Who was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations?
A. Trygve Lie
B. Dag Hammarskjöld
C. U Thant
D. Ban-ki Moon
Answer: A. Trygve Lie
32. How long is the term of the UN Secretary-General?
A. Three years
B. Four years
C. Five years
D. Six years
Answer: C. Five years
33. Where is the UN Secretariat located?
A. Geneva
B. New York
C. The Hague
D. Paris
Answer: B. New York
34. Which UN organ oversees economic and social betterment?
A. Security Council
B. Economic and Social Council
C. Trusteeship Council
D. General Assembly
Answer: B. Economic and Social Council
35. Which body looks after the political and cultural uplift of territories in trust?
A. Trusteeship Council
B. International Court
C. Assembly
D. Secretariat
Answer: A. Trusteeship Council
36. Where is the International Court of Justice situated?
A. Geneva
B. New York
C. The Hague
D. London
Answer: C. The Hague
37. In which year did the United Nations negotiate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan?
A. 1945
B. 1948
C. 1950
D. 1952
Answer: B. 1948
38. During which period was the UN virtually paralyzed by superpower rivalry?
A. 1939–1945
B. 1947–1990
C. 1991–2000
D. 2001–2010
Answer: B. 1947–1990
39. On what date was the United Nations Organization formally established?
A. January 1, 1942
B. June 26, 1945
C. October 24, 1945
D. November 15, 1946
Answer: C. October 24, 1945
40. How many Chapters does the UN Charter contain?
A. 17
B. 19
C. 21
D. 23
Answer: B. 19
41. How many Articles are in the UN Charter?
A. One
B. Three
C. Five
D. Twenty
Answer: B. Three
42. Approximately how many words are used in the UN Charter?
A. 5,000
B. Over 10,000
C. Over 15,000
D. Over 20,000
Answer: B. Over 10,000
43. Which outcome is regarded as the UN’s supreme success?
A. Preventing World War III
B. Ending colonization
C. Promoting trade
D. Advancing technology
Answer: A. Preventing World War III
Additional Questions, Answers
1. When was the first session of the League of Nations convened?
Answer: The first session of the League was convened on 15 November 1920.
2. How many articles were contained in the Covenant of the League of Nations?
Answer: The League Covenant contained 26 Articles specifying its objects, structure, etc.
3. Where was the Permanent Secretariat of the League of Nations located?
Answer: The Permanent Secretariat was situated at Geneva.
4. On what date was the twentieth and final session of the League of Nations held?
Answer: The last, the 20th session was held on 14 December 1939.
5. Which two autonomous bodies functioned under the League of Nations?
Answer: The League of Nations had under it two autonomous bodies, namely, the Permanent Court of International Justice and the International Labour Organization.
6. Who defined the purpose of the League of Nations in his Fourteen Points?
Answer: President Woodrow Wilson of the USA, who was its real creator, in the last of his Fourteen Points said: ‘A general association of nations must be formed … for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity of great and small states alike.’
7. From which poem was the name ‘United Nations’ selected?
Answer: The name UNITED NATIONS was selected by the American President Franklin Roosevelt from Lord Byron’s poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
8. How many nations signed the United Nations Declaration on 1 January 1942?
Answer: The United Nations Declaration on 1 January 1942 was signed by as many as 26 nations including the USA, the Soviet Union, Britain and China.
9. When was the United Nations Charter signed?
Answer: The document known as the United Nations Charter was signed on 26 June 1945.
10. In which city is the Secretariat of the United Nations based?
Answer: The permanent Secretariat of the UN is located at New York, USA.
11. What were the aims of the League of Nations?
Answer: The Aims of the League were :
a. To promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace and security by not resorting to war.
b. To have open, just and honorable relation between nations.
c. To respect international laws as rules of conduct among the governments.
d. To have just and scrupulous respect for treaty obligations.
e. All nations must refrain from armed conflicts until an all-out effort had been made to settle all disputes by peaceful means.
f. In the event of any nation disobeying these principles, others were to bring economic sanctions against it and in the ultimate resort bring military pressure on it.
12. What were the functions of the Assembly of the League of Nations?
Answer: The Assembly was a deliberative and advisory body. It had no power to legislate or compel acceptance of its decisions. It made budget for the League. It also elected the non-permanent members of the League Council and admitted new states as members of the League.
13. What powers did the Council of the League of Nations possess?
Answer: During the existence of the League of Nations the Council was the principal executive power. The functions of the Council were: To formulate plans for the reduction of armaments. To advise on the ways and means to be taken by the whole League to protect member states from aggression. To mediate disputes between members. All emergencies arising in international affairs were to be dealt with by the Council, and All important decisions of the Council were required to be unanimous.
14. What duties were carried out by the Permanent Secretariat of the League of Nations?
Answer: The functions of the Secretariat were: To collect and compile data on international problems, To register treaties, and To act as secretaries at deliberations of the Council and of the Assembly.
15. What is meant by the term ‘veto’ in the United Nations context?
Answer: Incidentally, ‘veto’ is the power to stop unilaterally any official action or decision.
16. Which powers formed the Permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council?
Answer: The Big Five — the USA, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France are the Permanent members of the Security Council with veto powers.
17. What is the main function of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations?
Answer: The Economic and Social Council of UN looks after the economic and social betterment, human rights and health conditions, etc. of the member-states. It also sends recommendations to the General Assembly. The activities of the Economic and Social Council no doubt improve the international co-operation.
18. What was the purpose of the Trusteeship Council?
Answer: It is the duty of the Council to look after the political, social, economic and cultural uplift of the countries under it. The real objective of the Council is to prevent exploitation of those backward areas.
19. What role does the International Court of Justice fulfil within the United Nations?
Answer: Its duty is to settle international disputes and determine the legal rights of the member-states, etc. The members of the UNO are bound to abide by the decisions of the Court.
20. What is the principal aim of the United Nations Organization?
Answer: The principal aim of the UNO is the maintenance of international peace and security.
21. Explain the structure of the Council of the League of Nations.
Answer: The League Council consisted of Permanent and Non-Permanent members. Originally there were five Permanent members: Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany and the USA. However, as a result of non-adherence by the USA, the Permanent members of the Council were reduced to four. Four Non-Permanent members were elected from lesser powers by the Assembly, serving for fixed terms; the number of Non-permanent members was later increased to six.
During the existence of the League of Nations, the Council was the principal executive power. The functions of the Council were:
- To formulate plans for the reduction of armaments.
- To advise on the ways and means to be taken by the whole League to protect member states from aggression.
- To mediate disputes between members.
All emergencies arising in international affairs were to be dealt with by the Council, and all important decisions of the Council were required to be unanimous.
22. Analyse the successes and shortcomings of the League of Nations in preventing international conflicts.
Answer: The League started its work most promisingly, and its record since inception was one of success. In its attempts to prevent war, the League achieved some remarkable success. However, due to the sectarian and selfish policy pursued by the big powers, this international organization ultimately failed to secure peace for the world. For instance, when Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931, the League failed to discharge its responsibilities. Ultimately, after Hitler began conquering territories in utter disregard to the Treaty of Versailles, the fall of the League became inevitable.
23. Describe the process of drafting and adopting the United Nations Charter.
Answer: The first major step towards the formation of the United Nations was the signing of the United Nations Declaration on 1 January 1942, signed by 26 nations including the USA, the Soviet Union, Britain and China. The next stage was the preparation of a draft proposal of the UN Charter at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The final step towards the formation of the United Nations was taken at the San Francisco Conference in 1945. In this Conference, 51 representatives of different states signed the document known as the United Nations Charter on 26 June 1945. These 51 signatory-states are the Original Members of the United Nations. The constitution of the UNO is called the Charter, which consists of a Preamble, 19 Chapters and 3 Articles.
24. Discuss the principal organs of the United Nations and their distinct responsibilities.
Answer: The principal organs of the United Nations are: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
- The General Assembly: This is the main deliberative body of the UN, consisting of all members, each with a single vote and none with veto power. It can debate and pass resolutions on matters covered by the UN Charter, examines and approves the UN’s budget, and elects, in conjunction with the Security Council, the UN Secretary-General and judges of the International Court of Justice.
- The Security Council: Occupying the most important position, this organ is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace. It has the power to pass legally-binding resolutions, suspend or expel member-states, impose economic sanctions, and take military action. It has 15 members: the ‘Big Five’ (USA, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France) are Permanent members with veto powers, and ten Non-permanent members are elected for two years by the General Assembly.
- Economic and Social Council: This council looks after the economic and social betterment, human rights, and health conditions of member-states, sending recommendations to the General Assembly and improving international co-operation through expert bodies like UNESCO, FAO, IMF, and ILO.
- Trusteeship Council: Under the UN Charter, several underdeveloped countries were placed under this council. Its duty is to look after the political, social, economic, and cultural uplift of these countries, with the objective of preventing exploitation. Its members are elected by the UN General Assembly.
- International Court of Justice: Situated at the Hague, this is the judiciary of the UN. Its duty is to settle international disputes, determine the legal rights of member-states (who are bound by its decisions), interpret disputed points in international law, and determine when treaty obligations have been violated. Its judges are elected by the members of the General Assembly.
- The Secretariat: This permanent body conducts the business of the UN, located in New York and working under the Secretary-General.
25. Examine the role and functions of the Secretary-General and the United Nations Secretariat.
Answer: The permanent Secretariat of the UN conducts the business of the world body. Located at New York, USA, it works under the Secretary-General. Under the Secretary-General work eight Assistant Secretary-Generals and a host of other officials. The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer. He is appointed for a term of five years by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. In 1946, Trygve Lie (of Norway) was appointed the first Secretary-General of the UNO.
26. Explain the mandate and activities of the International Labour Organization under both the League of Nations and the United Nations.
Answer: Under the League of Nations, the International Labor Organization’s role was to develop labor relations. It also had the duty to secure and maintain fair and humane conditions of labor for men, women and children. Under the United Nations, the International Labor Organization (ILO) functions as one of the expert bodies under the Economic and Social Council, contributing to its activities which aim to improve international co-operation regarding economic and social betterment, human rights, and health conditions.
