•Prospects of world government
–Unlikely in the near future
–The system (in 1951) is dominated by two states, neither
of which will give up its
vital interests for the sake of world government
–For world government to arise power needs to be evenly distributed
•What is left is a Concert of Powers and the United Nations
–The United Nations is effective, giving weight to the
five world powers (the Security
Council veto)
–Two other advantages: near universal membership and “an ambitious program of beneficent economic and social
activities which may succeed in
fostering a feeling of community…strong enough to withstand the strains of the clashes of
interest.”