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{{tropeUseful Notes}}
[[File:un_7788UN emblem blue.gifsvg|framethumb| Emblem of the UN.]]
 
{{quote|''"The UN is the accepted forum for the expression of international hatred."''
 
{{quote|''"The UN is the accepted forum for the expression of international hatred."''|'''Sir Humphrey''', |''[[Yes Prime Minister]]''}}
 
Those dudes in New York City who try to solve the world's problems. They were set up to prevent [[World War III]], heck, it's worked so far! At the very least, the UN has been more successful than their predecessor, the League of Nations, who were created to prevent ''[[World War II]]'' - and we all know how successful they were at that.
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Actually, they're ambassadors from all the UN member states, plus the many, many interpreters.
 
Since every nation can join (and almost all have, although Switzerland didn't join until 2002!)<ref>The Vatican still hasn't, on moral grounds.</ref> that means every nation can stand up in front of the world and air their grievances.
 
The UN is funded based on the idea that the richer you are, the more you pay.
 
The UN consists of many parts. The General Assembly and the Security Council are the most well known. The General Assembly is much like the U.S. Congress, specifically the Senate--everySenate—every nation gets one vote (unless you were the Soviet Union, then you got three <ref>one vote for the Soviet Union, one vote for the Ukraine and one for Byelorussia. Stalin originally wanted all sixteen of the Soviet Republics to get a vote--on the theory that the Soviet constitution was a treaty between sovereign states -- [[Harry S. Truman]] more or less said, "Well, the US Constitution was originally a treaty between sovereign states, so each one of the 48 (at the time) should get a vote." Stalin shut up after that, but the Ukrainian and Byelorussian SSRs got votes because the US was feeling nice and didn't want the USSR to feel that it was getting short shrift (the US had way more allies at the time than did the Soviet Union).</ref> due to the agreements made when joining the U.N., and yes, they always voted the same way.). The Security Council is where the real power is. Since 1966, the Security Council has had 15 members--fivemembers—five permanent members and ten rotating countries elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly. Only the Security Council can take military action. Much of the "weakness" of the UN is due to the fact that any permanent member (US, UK, Russia, China, France) can veto any Security Council resolution simply by voting against it. The theory was that because Security Council resolutions are (theoretically) binding, it would not be reasonable for one of the Big Five to be forced, by law, to act against its interests. Permanent members which wish to express displeasure with a resolution but don't see much use in pissing everyone off by vetoing it tend to abstain; that way, they don't vote ''for'' the resolution, but they also didn't vote ''against'' it (which would be a veto).
 
Thus you can see some of the problems. During the [[Cold War]], the [[Soviet Union]] (and later [[Red China|China]], when the vote was switched from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China) would use the veto against the Western nations. Today, it is the United States which most often uses the veto, typically striking down resolutions it sees to be taking the Arab/Palestinian side in the [[Arab -Israeli Conflict]]. These vetoes frequently come in the face of otherwise-unanimous votes in the Council, which annoys a lot of Arab countries.
 
The veto power sometimes gets wielded by China (and less regularly, Russia) to strike down resolutions regarding human rights, even if it doesn't affect human rights in that country. Coupled with a Human Rights Council which is so farcical that Libya was on it at the same time the General Assembly and Security Council enforced a no-fly zone on the country.
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There are, however, some downsides to the UN that makes its existence questionable: As alluded to above, corruption and bickering do exist. More importantly, there were also extremely questionable practices, such as the UN condoning and prolonging Darfur's genocide policy, even dismissing questions from its own investigative team; not investigating a peacekeeping force employed by the U.N. after it fired into a bunch of unarmed protestors that killed and injured dozens; how it cannot agree on a definition on terrorism even 7 years after 9/11, and how not only one of its programs, "Oil for Food," proved to be a big scam, but they failed to investigate or punish the people responsible. There is actually a reason why some people gave it the derisive nickname of "the clubhouse of dictators, thugs, and tyrants."
 
Not to be confused with [[United Nations (band)|the punk band of the same name]].
'''The UN in fiction'''▼
 
 
'''Juvenile Diplomats- Model UN'''▼
 
Since the creation of the United Nations (before that in fact- there were Model League of Nations simulations--whichsimulations—which started, ironically, at Harvard, in the United States, which never joined the League), high school and university organisations have been running simulations of parts of the United Nations, generally called [[Model United Nations]]. These are designed to improve understanding of international affairs, build up public speaking skills and look good on a CV/resume.▼
 
Theoretically, at least. Most participants regard it as something fun to do: [[LARP]] in suits that you can put on your resume.▼
 
 
▲'''{{examples|The UN in fiction'''}}
== The Real Thing ==
Many, many examples, as well as those with a [[Fictional Counterpart]]. The United Nations name and logo is subject to legal restrictions. Some works upgrade the UN to [[United Nations Is a Super Power|a virtual world power with actual might to back its authority]], while others go further and claim that it is or will become an actual [[One World Order]]. Usually this is accompanied by boatloads of [[Did Not Do the Research]].
 
=== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ===
== Film ==▼
* Controls all the armed forces seen in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)|Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''. Obvious from the first scene, where the line of tanks seen along the waterfront all have UN painted in large white letters on the turrets.▼
* Likewise, in ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'', Earth is defended by the UN [[Space Navy|"Spacy"]], or in [[Macross Frontier|later sequels]], the ''New'' UN Spacy. The ''[[Robotech]]'' adaptation of ''Macross'' has a similar organization, usually called the "United Earth Government" or the "United World Government" in spinoff fiction even though they write "UN Spacy" on all their mecha.▼
 
=== [[Comic Books]] ===▼
* Appeared in the (in)famous [[Batman (Comic Book)|Batman]] story arc "A Death in the Family", where [[The Joker]], hired by Iran as its ambassador, plots to kill all the delegates with Laughing Gas... and almost succeeds! He also managed to plant bombs inside the General Assembly Chamber and sneak Iranian gunmen inside.▼
 
▲=== [[Film]] ===
* ''[[The Interpreter]]''- the only thing ever filmed in the real UN building. Someone dies.
* The [[Alfred Hitchcock]] film ''[[North Byby Northwest]]''. Someone dies.
* The [[James Bond (Filmfilm)|James Bond]] film ''[[Live and Let Die (Filmfilm)|Live and Let Die]]''. Someone dies.
* ''[[Batman: theThe Movie]]'' has the "United World Council" which consists of a handful of delegates constantly shouting over each other.
* ''[[Left Behind]]''.
* The upcoming documentary "U.N. Me" shows some of the more bad aspects of the U.N., especially in comparison to its founding ideals.
 
=== Anime[[Literature]] ===
▲* Controls all the armed forces seen in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)|Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''. Obvious from the first scene, where the line of tanks seen along the waterfront all have UN painted in large white letters on the turrets.
▲* Likewise, in ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'', Earth is defended by the UN [[Space Navy|"Spacy"]], or in [[Macross Frontier|later sequels]], the ''New'' UN Spacy. The ''[[Robotech]]'' adaptation of ''Macross'' has a similar organization, usually called the "United Earth Government" or the "United World Government" in spinoff fiction even though they write "UN Spacy" on all their mecha.
 
▲== [[Comic Books]] ==
▲* Appeared in the (in)famous [[Batman (Comic Book)|Batman]] story arc "A Death in the Family", where [[The Joker]], hired by Iran as its ambassador, plots to kill all the delegates with Laughing Gas... and almost succeeds! He also managed to plant bombs inside the General Assembly Chamber and sneak Iranian gunmen inside.
 
== Literature ==
* In a plot-swinging United Security debate on North Korea's invasion of South Korea in ''[[Red Phoenix]]'', the US Ambassador provides evidence of Soviet pilots flying against the US on North Korea's side, with Soviet backing. In the vote that follows, the US and USSR can't vote (they're parties to the dispute) and the Chinese, who were expected to veto a resolution on the matter as they're also arming North Korea, ''abstain''. {{spoiler|China eventually engineers a coup in the DPRK and a cease-fire}}.
* In ''[[Left Behind]]'', the United Nations (now headed by the Antichrist) is portrayed as an organization that pretty much rules the world already.
 
=== [[Live -Action TV]] ===
* UNIT in ''[[Doctor Who]]''. Originally stood for "'''U'''nited '''N'''ations '''I'''ntelligence '''T'''askforce", but when it was reintroduced in the new series the UN complained; as a result the acronym now means "'''Un'''ified '''I'''ntelligence '''T'''askforce". It is said that they still receive some money from the UN though.
* The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement from ''[[The Man Fromfrom UNCLE (TV)|The Man From UNCLEU.N.C.L.E.]]'' and ''[[The Girl Fromfrom UNCLE (TV)|The Girl From UNCLEU.N.C.L.E.]]'' was called this in significant part to avoid legal problems with the United Nations. However, both [[Canon]] and [[Fanon]] have it that UNCLEU.N.C.L.E. is the go-to organization for problems that the United Nations itself isn't able to handle, or can't handle because of the restrictions imposed by its charter. One [[Fanfic]] (published in, of all places, the UN Secretariat's internal newsletter) even had a UN employee meeting Napoleon Solo in the tunnels beneath Manhattan!
* In the ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' episode "To Serve Man", the spokesman for the Kanamit aliens addresses the UN. {{spoiler|He also leaves behind a book titled [[Title Drop|''To Serve Man'']], which the story's famous [[Twist Ending]] reveals as [[I'm a Humanitarian|a cookbook]]}}.
* In ''[[The Champions (TV)|The Champions]]'', the eponymous heroes are agents of Nemesis, a [[Fictional Counterpart]] of Interpol run by the UN.
 
=== Roleplaying[[Tabletop Games]] ===
* In ''[[GURPS]]'', at least two alternate Earths are led (in all but name) by their United Nations: The main one from ''[[Infinite Worlds]]'' and the one from ''[[GURPS Supers]]'' (which got its own sourcebook, ''GURPS International Super Teams''). In both there are still sovereign states that must be dealt with diplomatically, but the UN still has actual military power (but both are still mainly benevolent.)
 
=== [[WebVideo OriginalGames]] ===
* [[Alternate History]] scenarios often include an alternate version of the UN. For example ''Monarchy World'' has the Assembly of Nations in Rosario, Argentina, while ''Gurkani Alam'' has the Oikoumene Council in Oranjeburg in the country that in our world is South Africa.▼
 
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* [[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]] has the [[Educational Song]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvi3ew2i34M U.N. Me.] Not to be confused with the anti-U.N. exposee documentary of the same name.▼
 
== [[Video Games]] ==▼
* The United Nations in the ''Guilty Gear'' games, who host the original fighting tournament and place the bounty on Dizzy.
* The [[Big Applesauce|Liberty City]]-based Civilization Committee (CC) in ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'', a [[Fictional Counterpart]] of the UN, exists to indirectly make fun of the UN's shortcomings, being lambasted for its inefficiency in influencing international affairs, [[Hypocrite|its organization of lavish banquets]] while parts of the world suffer from food shortages, and the [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|failure of its members to pay parking tickets]] in the city. For that, the CC is "wisely" ignored by the American government, and the tourist-drawing view of the CC's Liberty City headquarters is described as more important than the organization based inside.
* In ''[[Civilization]] IV'' the UN is a buildable World Wonder that opens up a Diplomatic Victory, and more: all civs get to vote for the Secretary-General, who periodically can propose resolutions for ceasefires, adopting a global currency, open borders, mandatory civic choices, or a freeze on nuclear weapons manufacturing. In contrast with [[Real Life]], these resolutions are totally binding even if you voted against them.
** The ''Beyond The Sword'' expansion revised this - players can now choose to defy resolutions at the cost of suffering relationship damage to other civilizations. The expansion also introduces the Apostolic Palace, which appears much earlier in the game (buildable with Theology, a tech that can usher in the Medieval Era - the UN is available with Mass Media, in the middle of the Modern Age) but only applies to those with a certain state religion (and the builder if they change or abandon the state religion).
* In the main ''[[Command and& Conquer: Tiberium]]'' timeline, the United Nations founded the Global Defense Initiative, an international army, to protect the free world from international terrorism. After the arrival of [[Green Rocks|Tiberium]] and the rise of the Brotherhood of Nod destroyed much of the planet, the GDI has pretty much become a [[One World Order]].
* ''[[Deus Ex (Video Game)|Deus Ex]]'': The player works for UNATCO, a anti-terrorism organization and standing army for a future United Nations. {{spoiler|It, and the rest of the UN are later revealed to be a front for [[Ancient Conspiracy|MJ12]] forcing the player to fight his former allies halfway through the game.}}
* In the ''[[Halo]]'' series, the United Nations has expanded into the United Nations Space Command when humanity invented the [[Faster-Than-Light Travel|Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine.]]
* In ''[[Alpha Centauri|SidMeierSid Meier's Alpha Centauri]]'', the Peacekeepers are a combination of the remnants of the United Nations personnel and others devoted to democratic and humanitarian ideals on the starship ''Unity'', united under one group when the population of the ship broke up into different ideological factions. They effectively form a new UN on Planet after landing, though they are effectively just one of the seven factions with no official control over the others. The Peacekeepers do, however, have serious political capital, giving them an edge in elections when an international council is eventually established (i.e. each other faction gets one vote per unit of population, while the Peacekeepers get two per unit of population).
* The United Nations was also briefly mentioned in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'' as being the guys partially responsible for the development of the War Economy (mostly due to the Patriots' machinations from ''[[Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty]]''). They were also revealed to have basically garnered world control after the destruction of the Patriots and SOP, namely because the world ended up broke with a debt so huge that, like Germany after World War I, not even PMC regulatory laws could come close to paying off the debt. It's also implied that this came with a negative: That the UN would basically become the Patriots' successor for world domination and control, and the process will happen all over again.
 
==== Online Roleplaying Games ====
* ''[[Nation States|NationStates]]'' had a global organization called the United Nations, using the logo. The UN sent a cease-and-desist letter to Max Barry in 2008. Barry complied, changing the name to the World Assembly. He announced the change on 1 April 2008, in the process subverting the April Fools' Joke.
 
▲=== [[VideoWeb GamesOriginal]] ===
▲'''Juvenile Diplomats- Model UN'''
▲* [[Alternate History]] scenarios often include an alternate version of the UN. For example ''Monarchy World'' has the Assembly of Nations in Rosario, Argentina, while ''Gurkani Alam'' has the Oikoumene Council in Oranjeburg in the country that in our world is South Africa.
 
▲Since the creation of the United Nations (before that in fact- there were Model League of Nations simulations--which started, ironically, at Harvard, in the United States, which never joined the League), high school and university organisations have been running simulations of parts of the United Nations, generally called [[Model United Nations]]. These are designed to improve understanding of international affairs, build up public speaking skills and look good on a CV/resume.
 
▲Theoretically, at least. Most participants regard it as something fun to do: [[LARP]] in suits that you can put on your resume.
 
''In fiction''
 
=== [[LiveWestern Action TVAnimation]] ===
▲* ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]]'' has the [[Educational Song]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvi3ew2i34M U.N. Me.] Not to be confused with the anti-U.N. exposee documentary of the same name.
 
== Model U.N.s ==
* Greendale had a Model United United Nations in one episode of ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'' the (il)logical result of a competition between two Model UNs. A few weeks later, ''[[Parks and Recreation (TV)|Parks and Recreation]]'' (part of the same [[NBC]] block) followed suit with a Model UN that ([[Adults Are Useless|among the few participating adults]]) dissolved into in-fighting, absurd treaties and personal vendettas, and South Africa/The Moon withholding gravity exportation.▼
=== [[Live-Action TV]] ===
▲* Greendale had a Model United United Nations in one episode of ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'' the (il)logical result of a competition between two Model UNs. A few weeks later, ''[[Parks and Recreation (TV)|Parks and Recreation]]'' (part of the same [[NBC]] block) followed suit with a Model UN that ([[Adults Are Useless|among the few participating adults]]) dissolved into in-fighting, absurd treaties and personal vendettas, and South Africa/The Moon withholding gravity exportation.
 
=== [[Western Animation]] ===
* Springfield Elementary had a Model UN in one episode of ''[[The Simpsons (Animationanimation)|The Simpsons]]''. When the meeting dissolves into in-fighting and [[The Ditz]] singing "O Canada", Skinner tries to bring everyone to order:
{{quote| '''Skinner:''' (Bangs his shoe on the table) [[Don't Explain the Joke|Do you kids wanna be like the real UN, or do you just wanna squabble and waste time?]]}}
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Big International Clubs]]
[[Category:United Nations{{PAGENAME}}]]
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