Book Title:  The Parliament of Man:  The Past, Present, and Future of the United Nations
Author: Paul Kennedy
Publishing Company: Harper Perennial
Year:  2007
# of Pages: 361
ISBN-13:  978-1-55468-000-9 
ISBN-10:  1-55468-000-X

Reviewed By:  Deborah Ground Buckner (Kansas City Correspondent - USA) 

In his early poem, Locksley Hall, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, wrote of a young man's rambling and varied thoughts, including his predictions of the future:

      "For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,

        Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;

                                         * * *

   Till the war-drum throbb'd no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd

        In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world."

This line from Tennyson inspired the title of Paul Kennedy's analysis of the history of the United Nations.  Clearly, we live today, sixty-three years since the formation of this organization, in a world where the battle flags still fly and the war drum still throbs.  But Kennedy has chosen Tennyson's words as well representative of the hope and intent behind the United Nations. 

As Kennedy explains in his Preface, this study of the UN is divided into sections:  First, he writes of the very beginnings of the concept of nations meeting together to work toward finding accord and acting upon cooperative ideas.  This includes a frank examination of the formation of the League of Nations after World War I, both discussing its laudatory purposes and its dismal failings.  Part Two is the heart of the book and offers an examination of the workings of the United Nations from 1945 until 2005.  Rather than an exhaustive, comprehensive analysis, Kennedy focuses on some of the key concepts identified with the UN, such as the workings of the Security Council, the role of the UN in peacekeeping, the global economy, and human rights.  Again, he offers a fair consideration of each point, both identifying the goals in each area and pointing out the successes, but also clearly acknowledging areas of failure.  Part Three attempts to bring these varying missions together to again speak of the one overall organization and speak to its future.

In an era where much about the UN and its workings has been the subject of criticism, Kennedy makes a two-fold argument for its continuation.  First, he asks the reader to consider what has been accomplished by the UN in its years of existence.  He concludes:  "Without the actions and existence of the world organization, humankind would be a lot worse off than it is today, warts and all."  By way of example, he cites the existence of a central place where governments of all nations can meet to discuss and attempt to bring to pass common goals.  There is a security body in place that can be summoned immediately to discuss global threats and take appropriate action.  A vast number of agencies exist to offer assistance to nations in poverty.  International responses to economic crises can provide prompt action and efforts at correction.  Services for women and children throughout the world are in place. 

Kennedy's second argument is more idealistic, and, perhaps, brings to mind Tennyson's young visionary.  "The strongest argument for the continued validity and empowerment of the United Nations lies in the future and in humankind's cry for help early in our present, disturbed new century."  He advocates examination of the problems within this world organization and work to solve them while continuing to build on the good works the UN has achieved in its existence.

Regular followers of the United Nations and its activities may not find much in the way of new material within these pages.  New students of the subject will find this a helpful history, though written with the dryness of a college textbook.  The book includes sixteen pages of notes, an Appendix featuring the Charter of the United Nations and an index.

Paul Kennedy is the author or editor of thirteen books, including Preparing for the Twenty-first Century and The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, which has been translated into more than twenty languages.