Mirza Mohammad Rifat.:Point out the main functions and causes of failure of League of Nations?

Question : Point out the main functions and causes of failure of League of Nations?

Introduction:

The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference created after World War I and was first comprehensive international organization which came into existence on Jan.10 1920 with hopes that this organization may provide a forum to nations where they can settle out their disputes at international level and can prevent world from another war. The League had not performed the function that it had been created for the prevention of a second world war.

Main functions of League of Nations:

The primary responsibility of the League of Nations was to maintain world peace and security by preventing world war. In order to maintain world peace and preventing world war the League of Nations acts on behalf of the all member states. Under the charter the powers and functions of League of Nations are including the followings:

First: The foremost function of League of Nations was to promote international co-operation and to achieved world peace and security.

Second: The League of Nations may assist in the settlement of disputes amicably and without resort to war.

Third: The League of Nations was to formulate plans for establishing a system to regulate armaments and to use such arrangements for enforcement action under its authority.

Forth: The League of Nations was to maintain international relation by friendly relations through mutual understanding and partnerships among Member-states.

Fifth: The League of Nations was to preserve external aggression as against the territorial integrity and exercising political independence of all Members states of League of Nations.

But League of Nations failed to maintain peace in the world. In spite of its efforts for two decades, the whole world was involved in a war in 1939. By that time, the machinery of the League of Nations had completely broken down.

Causes of failure of League of Nations:

The view of the League held almost universally at that time was one of weakness and failure. The League had not performed the function that it had been created for the prevention of a second world war. The failure of L.O.Ns can be attributed to many causes.

1. Constitutional Defect: The League of Nations failed because of certain constitutional defects. The main defect of the covenant was that all the decisions of the council were taken unanimous. This unanimous principle proved to detrimental for working of the League of Nations.

2. No Specific Prohibition of War: The covenant of League of Nations did not completely prohibit war. The covenant of League of Nations permitted Member-state only to restore war under certain situation.

3.  Absence of America as Members: Non participation of USA to the League of Nations was an important weakness with this organization. President Woodrow Wilson of USA contributed much for established League of Nations but America could never become its members due to mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity.

4. Defective Amending Provisions: The covenant of League of Nations provides that if any amendment to the covenant was not acceptable to a Member state, it would cease to be its members, due to this provision many Member states lost its membership from the League of Nations.

5. Withdrawal of Membership: There was provision under the covenant of League of Nations for withdrawal of membership. The members could withdraw from the League after two years notice. This provision provides detrimental to the interest of the League of Nations. In the beginning there were 62 Member states but in course of time it reduced to only 32.

6. Inability of checking the Big Powers: The League of Nations could not check the Big powers from attacking and exploiting small states. The League was based on the policy of discrimination between great powers and small states.

7. Domination of France and England: It was felt that the League of Nations was dominated by England and France and consequently the other states began to loose their confidence in that organization.

8. Lack of Sincerity and Co-operation: Mutual co-operation is always essential for the success of an organization. The members of the League of Nations are Non-cooperate   with each other. The Council of League of Nations was not so competent as to settle amicably the disputes among the members.

The League of Nations failed miserably and could not perform its primary functions of maintaining international peace and security which was one of the foremost purposes of the League of Nations.

Conclusion:

The League of Nations proved to be a weak international organization and failed to be maintaining international peace and security. However it must be noted that the League of Nations ultimately failed not because of the certain constitutional defects but also to member’s non co-operation with each other under the convent. It is wrong to believe League of Nations done nothing, it paved the way of United Nations Organizations.

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