United Nations System

The United Nations was the name that Franklin D. Roosevelt initially gave to the Allies united against the Axis powers in World War n. The United Nations Organization as such was founded in 1945 "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" and "to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom." The victors in the war were recognized by being made permanent members of the Security Council, sharing "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security."By 1950, the specialized functional agencies like the World Health Organization were associated with the general international organization to form the United Nations System. In recent times, as new global problems such as human rights, economic development, peacekeeping, and protection of the environment were brought to the attention of the United Nations, new agencies, programs, and offices were added to a system which, by design, was kept flexible.This annotated bibliography concentrates on literature produced over the last decade, or since the end of the Cold War, when the "global problematique" seemed to require a United Nations system with greater legal and military capacities. Critical as well as reform-minded works are emphasized. United Nations System is an essential resource that will be utilized by political scientists, historians, and international relations scholars.