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Abstract
The League of Nations (hereafter called the League) was an international organisation created in 1920 in the aftermath of the First World War. It was founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 and was the initial idea of Woodrow Wilson, the then President of the US. The League was established to encourage disarmament, discourage aggression between nations, maintain peace through collective security and protect minority groups through international law. Thus, its main activities were: international peace and security; mandates; the protection of minority groups; and functional cooperation, including the codification of international laws. The covenant for conflict resolution was built into the Treaty of Versailles.
The League consisted of an assembly of all members, a council made up of five permanent members and four rotating members, and the International Court of Justice. During the 1920s, the League managed to settle or defuse numerous international conflicts. Its greatest success, however, can be seen in its work on the International Labour Organisation, slavery and human trafficking. By the 1930s, 58 nations had joined the League. The League marked the first attempt by the international community to establish an international organisation to safeguard world peace and cooperation (Tams, 2007).
In spite of these successes, the League’s aims were too ambitious, its organisation was cumbersome and its decisions had to be unanimous. As a result, it failed in its main purpose, which was to prevent further global conflict.
Abstract
The League of Nations (hereafter called the League) was an international organisation created in 1920 in the aftermath of the First World War. It was founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 and was the initial idea of Woodrow Wilson, the then President of the US. The League was established to encourage disarmament, discourage aggression between nations, maintain peace through collective security and protect minority groups through international law. Thus, its main activities were: international peace and security; mandates; the protection of minority groups; and functional cooperation, including the codification of international laws. The covenant for conflict resolution was built into the Treaty of Versailles.
The League consisted of an assembly of all members, a council made up of five permanent members and four rotating members, and the International Court of Justice. During the 1920s, the League managed to settle or defuse numerous international conflicts. Its greatest success, however, can be seen in its work on the International Labour Organisation, slavery and human trafficking. By the 1930s, 58 nations had joined the League. The League marked the first attempt by the international community to establish an international organisation to safeguard world peace and cooperation (Tams, 2007).
In spite of these successes, the League’s aims were too ambitious, its organisation was cumbersome and its decisions had to be unanimous. As a result, it failed in its main purpose, which was to prevent further global conflict.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements xxi
- Preface xxii
- A 1
- B 17
- C 21
- D 55
- E 75
- F 93
- G 103
- H 117
- I 139
- J 159
- K 165
- L 167
- M 173
- N 183
- O 191
- P 195
- R 221
- S 239
- T 275
- U 283
- V 293
- W 297
- X 303
- Z 305
- Appendix: International campaign groups and sources of interest 307
- Convention, legislation, statute and treaty index 311
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements xxi
- Preface xxii
- A 1
- B 17
- C 21
- D 55
- E 75
- F 93
- G 103
- H 117
- I 139
- J 159
- K 165
- L 167
- M 173
- N 183
- O 191
- P 195
- R 221
- S 239
- T 275
- U 283
- V 293
- W 297
- X 303
- Z 305
- Appendix: International campaign groups and sources of interest 307
- Convention, legislation, statute and treaty index 311
