Can the United Nations Avoid the Fate of the League of Nations?: Why Bold Reform May be the Only Option

The United Nations is facing an uncertain future. The United States, the largest financial contributor to the UN since its inception in 1945, has regularly called for greater efficiency in the work of the Organization. However, these demands have invariably faced strong opposition from the many developing and other states that contribute little financial resources to the Organization. Over time, this political impasse has helped to legitimize suboptimal efficiency as the opportunity cost of doing business in the UN system. Yet, recent changes in the domestic political landscape in many advanced economies have rendered this longstanding compromise no longer feasible. This paper argues that short‐term efforts to reduce costs are not likely to have a sustainable impact, as the large number of states that contribute little financial resources to the UN system will soon have renewed incentives to call for increased budgets rather than to institutionalize cost‐effectiveness measures. Instead, states would be well‐advised to focus on rule changes in areas such as governance and coordination structures and the selection of senior leaders and staff, as well as to articulate a new mission for the Organization.