The United Nations. A Very Short Introduction

Jussi Hanhimäki sheds light on the current debate over the UN´s effectiveness as he provides a clear understanding of how it was originally conceived, how it has come to its present form, and how it must confront new challenges in a rapidly changing world. After a brief history of the United Nations, the author examines its successes and failures as a guardian of international peace and security, as a promoter of human rights, as a protector of international law, and as an engineer of socioeconomic development.