The UN was born out of the experiences of the Second World War, inspired by a liberal internationalist approach that believed in the possibility of progressive change in world politics. Yet the organization has often disappointed those who believed it could play a central role in promoting a more peaceful, secure and just world--Rwanda, Mogadishu and Sarajevo being recent cases in point. This book explores how the UN has influenced world politics, looking at why it was created, how it was affected by the Cold War, and how successive secretaries-general struggled to find a role for themselves.