Should all members of the UN have equal influence?

Question

If all men are created equal, and nations are made of men, are all nations created equal? Should they have equal clout in world affairs? In the current system a priveleged minority of the world controls most of the power over the impoverished majority. Should the veto power be abolished?

some un organizations have made progress. unicef and the world health organization come to mind.

Answer 1

When a nation of 300 million that contributes more in terms of money, resources and manpower doesn't have more influence than a country of 100 million that does not contribute but only takes... there is something wrong. And your analogy doesn't hold up. If all dollars are money and all money has value then all money has the same value? (insert whatever else you like)

I'm sure all this sounds great to communists and "One World Govt" or "New World Order" types.

Answer 2

Sorry to say, but the transitive property of eqaulity doesn't extend into the social sphere and transcend matters of international affairs as it does in math. The question 'are all nations created eqaul?' is a loaded question, of the rhetorical nonsensical sort. Also, the question fails to specifiy whether you are referring to the UN general assembly or the security council, with the latter making most of the significant decisions and holding any of the power that might remain in the UN. Eliminating the veto and implementing equal votes for all members would alsmost assuredly cripple the UN, with current security council members (or at the very least the US) withdrawing participation and undermining the legitimacy and influence of the UN as whole.

Answer 3

If all members of the UN shared equal influence then the impoverished nations of the world (which you admit are the majority) would rule over rich nations of the world. What actions would the impoverished nations take on the rich nations?

The effect of the rich nations having greater influence means that they have little to gain from the impoverished nations. However the effect of the impoverished nations having greater influence means that they will have much to gain from exploiting the richer nations. In fact, there would be no rich nations in the world anymore. The world's economy would collapse. Everyone would be impoverished.

Answer 4

You would think so, yet our own bicameral Congress was set up differently.

We have per capita representation in the House of Representitives (the number of reps from our states are based on population and is constantly changing).

We have equivalent representation in the Senate (each state gets two yoyo's, um Senators, no more, no less).

That way we have equal representation in one house as people, and we have equal representation as states in the other, so that Texas and California can't dominate the country and other states like Delaware and Rhode Island.

As long as the UN is made up of representitives from dictatorships and oppressive governments, there will always be a corrupt power block inside the UN.

Answer 5

Some nations are run by terrorist and war lords that would rather kill is fellow man then live in peace, Nations that belittle women and the less fortunate. These men do not have the right to call them selfs equal. A person has to except himself as equal not better then any other man, and some of these nations think their beeter then the rest.

Answer 6

Definitely especially as some of the security council members are more or less obsolete. Russia? at this point, does it deserve more clout then other countries. The entire thing seems silly. It's not going to work if people are not equal. Esp in a "globalized" society.

Answer 7

Veto power only exists in the Security council.
Should it exist?
Well the little guys could opt out of the U.N. if they find it too unfair - so far they haven't.

Life isn't fair but nobody can make anyone do anything, the person that complies with a bully always has a choice.
"Terrorism" by the weak is a response to "terrorism" by the strong.

Answer 8

No, I don't think so. Indeed, there are only a few countries which can protect the others from great threats. Therefore I think these countries should have more power than the ones they protect.

Answer 9

if this was an ideal world, then yes, all countries would be equal.

but lets face it, this is not an ideal world, and the countries with the most power, and the most money, will also have the most influence.

Answer 10

All but the USA who should get out of the UN asap
A useless org that has never did anything good for the world
Can you name any good done by the UN?