United Nations (UN)

an international organisation founded by charter in 1945 after the Second World War. Leaving aside its enormous political influence, its charter obliges it, among other things, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, which founding objects clearly establish law as an important aspect of its work. It comprises six main bodies: the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and Secretariat. So far as narrow legal analysis is concerned, the United Nations most resembles a legal state when it applies sanctions. The Security Council may require members of the United Nations to apply sanctions against any state found guilty of threatening the peace, creating a breach of the peace, engaging in an act of aggression, or failing to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment of the International Court of Justice. In this way there is the appearance of a full legal system operating under the rule of law. The only problem is that it is a practically restricted system with, for example, the permanent unelected members of the Security Council being able to veto any action they dislike.