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International Organisations — Part 1: Why They Matter and How the UN Works

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Lesson

International Organisations

Part 1 — why states create organisations, and how the United Nations is built.

In this lesson you will

Explain why states need international organisations
Trace the evolution of the UN from the League of Nations
Describe the six principal organs and the specialised agencies
Apply the voting rules of the Security Council

Part 1 at a glance

Concept

Why international organisations?

Some problems are too big for any one state.

Table of four shared problems (epidemics, war, trade and money, climate) with why one state cannot solve each alone and how an international organisation helps
Shared problem	Why one state cannot solve it alone	How an organisation helps
Epidemics	Diseases cross borders quickly	Early warning and common health standards
War and conflict	Each side distrusts the other	A forum for talks and peacekeeping
Trade and money	Rules must be the same for all	Agreed rules and a place to settle disputes
Climate and environment	Pollution has no passport	Joint targets and shared information