Crisis of the United Nations Security Council

Abstract

               The research presents an empirical analysis of the United Nations Security Council weakness and deficiencies. The study was focused on the UN Security Council performance in the period of an international crisis or of necessity to functionally solve an international conflict or humanitarian catastrophe. The analysis demonstrates that the UN is perceived as the primary global collective security organization to safeguard security and preserve stability in the world. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has demonstrated deficiencies during latest important international crises to be solved by joint international effort, which almost approached current international order to revision. The analysis demonstrated that the UN formation overcame deficiencies and weaknesses of the previous international collective security organizations – the Concert of Europe and the League of Nations. Meanwhile, the principal decision-making mechanism of the UN – Security Council with the veto right of five permanent members– periodically undermines collective security principles. Several important factors amplify this weakness: lack of common identity among the UN Security Council members, domination of the neo-realism paradigm provisions in their foreign policies, and different views on international law provisions: internal sovereignty versus necessity of humanitarian intervention. Therefore, powerful actors of international order should consider these deficiencies and launch a comprehensive reform of the UN decision making process to better react at least in international humanitarian crises. Otherwise, the UN may experience the fate of the League of Nations.