Gallup recently found that just 31% of Americans think the UN “is doing a good job… in trying to solve the problems it has had to face.” This question is so broad that I’m not sure how it’s useful. What problems has the UN had to face? Why isn’t it doing a good job trying to solve them? Is the UN doing a good job solving some problems but others? Does this tell us anything about the perceived legitimacy of the UN Security Council (UNSC)? Are Americans more likely to support a UNSC-authorized intervention than a non-UNSC-authorized intervention?
Eric Voeten theorized in 2005 that UNSC authorization “provides the public with a shortcut on the likely consequences of foreign adventures” and “indicates that no costly challenges will result from the action” while the lack of UNSC agreement “signals the possibility of costly challenges and reduced cooperation.” Is this still a valid theory? Was it ever a valid theory? If so, what would have to happen for the UNSC to lose its ability to signal multilateralism and reduced costliness?
These are just a few questions that might be more useful and interesting.
