Intro To The Charter Of Europe, League Of Nations PDF

History towards the United Nations... "Like it or not, humankind requires something out there that is more than egoistical nation-states (...) The question is can we do it practically? Can we modify our fears and egoisms to the common good and our own long-term advantage?" Paul Ke...

History towards the United Nations... "Like it or not, humankind requires something out there that is more than egoistical nation-states (...) The question is can we do it practically? Can we modify our fears and egoisms to the common good and our own long-term advantage?" Paul Kennedy, author of "The Parliament of Man"  The Concert of Europe- the return to conservatism after the revolutions How it was established The Concert of Europe was established at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The Quadruple Alliance of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia formed the basis of the Concert of Europe. -France later joined the Concert of Europe as the fifth member. https://youtu.be/0yEG5LGIhXM?si=CI1_d_g2EuMNXahM  How it worked The Concert of Europe sought to resolve threats to peace through dialogue rather than war. The Concert of Europe was based on the idea that international relations should be governed by a balance of power. The Concert of Europe gave the great powers the right to intervene in states threatened by internal rebellion (to mutually preserve the monarchies). The Concert of Europe What it helped with The Concert of Europe helped Greece and Belgium gain independence. The Concert of Europe helped end the Egyptian control of Syria. How it ended The Concert of Europe collapsed with the start of World War I. The revolutions of 1830 and 1848, and the unification of Italy and Germany, made the Concert of Europe obsolete in its original form. What is the League of Nations? An international organization founded after World War I. Established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Aimed to promote peace, prevent future wars, and resolve international disputes through dialogue and collective security. Key Founding Members: France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. Notably, the United States never joined despite President Woodrow Wilson’s central role in its creation. Goals of the League of Nations Preventing future conflicts. Promoting disarmament. Resolving international disputes peacefully. Addressing global issues such as: Refugees. Labor conditions. Health crises. Humanitarian concerns. Structure of the League of Nations The Assembly Included representatives from all member states. Met annually to discuss global issues and set policies. The Council Consisted of permanent members (e.g., UK, France, Italy, Japan) and rotating non-permanent members. Focused on addressing disputes and crises. The Secretariat Managed administrative functions and day-to-day operations. The Permanent Court of International Justice Resolved legal disputes between nations. Major Achievements Helped settle territorial disputes, such as: Aaland Islands (1921): Mediated conflict between Finland and Sweden. Greece and Bulgaria (1925): Resolved a border conflict peacefully. Addressed global issues: Combating human trafficking. Supporting refugees from World War I. Efforts to control the spread of diseases like malaria. Challenges and Failures Weaknesses in Structure: Decisions required unanimous agreement, leading to inefficiency. Lack of military force to enforce decisions. Key Absences: The United States’ absence weakened its influence. Failures in Conflict Prevention: Manchurian Crisis (1931): Japan’s invasion of Manchuria. Abyssinian Crisis (1935): Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia. The League’s inability to act decisively in these cases undermined its credibility. Legacy of the League of Nations Dissolved in 1946 after World War II. Its principles and structure influenced the creation of the United Nations (UN). Lessons learned: Need for a stronger enforcement mechanism. Importance of global cooperation and inclusion of major powers.  Questions for Review 1. What was the primary purpose of the Concert of Europe, and how did it aim to achieve this goal? 2. Explain how the Concert of Europe dealt with revolutionary movements during the 19th century. 3. What factors led to the decline of the Concert of Europe by the mid-19th century?What were the main goals of the League of Nations? 4. Why was the League of Nations created, and what historical context shaped its formation? 5. Describe the structure of the League of Nations. What were its main components? 6. Discuss one success and one failure of the League of Nations. 7. Why did the absence of the United States impact the effectiveness of the League? 8. How did the League’s weaknesses contribute to its eventual failure? 9. In what ways did the League of Nations influence the formation of the United Nations? 10. Running theme(s) between the two organizations? Homework: List 5 strengths and 5 weaknesses of the United Nations