La sécurité collective HGGSP - Faire la guerre, faire la paix 4 - Thème 2 bac 2025

Introduction to Collective Security

Overview of the Video Series

• Manon introduces the fourth video in a series discussing "making war and making peace," encouraging viewers to review previous videos on Clausewitz's theories and contemporary conflicts.

• Viewers are invited to subscribe for updates, follow on social media, and check out upcoming revision tools.

Key Questions Addressed

• The video will explore:

• The origins of collective security.

• Obstacles to its implementation before 1990.

• Kofi Annan's mandates as reflections of successes and failures within the UN model.

• Reform perspectives for the UN since the 2010s.

The Need for New Peace Principles

Historical Context Post World War I

• The Great War necessitated a reevaluation of international peace principles due to failures in the Westphalian system amid wartime atrocities.

• In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proposed establishing a League of Nations aimed at maintaining global peace through a supranational organization.

Objectives of the League of Nations

• The League was designed with goals including:

• Disarmament of states over time.

• Prevention of wars via collective security principles.

• Conflict resolution through negotiation.

Understanding Collective Security

Definition and Implications

• Collective security is defined as an absolute prohibition against using force, supported by solidarity among states to ensure mutual protection against aggression.

• Any attack on one state is viewed as an attack on all, discouraging aggressive intentions by highlighting potential losses from conflict.

Challenges Faced by the League

• Despite its establishment, the League lacked U.S. support due to Senate rejection, leading to limited effectiveness and credibility during rising tensions in the 1930s.

Transitioning from League to United Nations

Aftermath of World War II

• Following WWII's devastation, there was renewed urgency for an institution capable of ensuring peace; thus, the United Nations (UN) was formed in June 1945 at San Francisco.

Structure and Powers within the UN

• The UN established a Security Council comprising five permanent members: China, USA, France, USSR, and UK—each holding significant powers including veto rights over resolutions.

Consequences of Veto Power

• Veto power allows any permanent member to block decisions that could lead to paralysis within UN operations throughout the twentieth century.

UN Mechanisms for Peacekeeping

Sanctions and Military Interventions

• The UN introduced economic sanctions as initial responses followed by military interventions aimed at maintaining or restoring peace—differentiating it from its predecessor.

Role of Peacekeepers

Obstacles to Collective Security Until 1990

The Role of the League of Nations and the United Nations

• The concept of collective security was introduced in 1919 by President Wilson but only began to be effectively applied with the establishment of the United Nations (UN) in 1945.

• The League of Nations (SDN), as the first supranational institution, failed to act on its ambitions due to a lack of coercive means against states.

Cold War Paralysis

• The onset of the Cold War severely paralyzed UN actions, primarily due to the systematic use of veto power by both the USSR and the USA in the Security Council.

• A notable exception occurred during the Korean War when UN intervention was possible because of a boycott by the USSR at that time.

Political Dynamics and Military Alliances

• The political dynamics were complicated by China's representation at the UN through Taiwan, which led to further complications in international relations.

• During this period, peacekeeping efforts were viewed as tools for American interests, leading to distrust from Eastern bloc nations.

Balance of Power and Its Implications

• The competition between NATO and Warsaw Pact created an environment where collective security could not function effectively; instead, a fragile balance maintained peace through mutual deterrence.

Post-Cold War Developments

• After 1990, systemic blockages in decision-making within the Security Council ceased, allowing for more effective UN interventions such as during Gulf War I.

• Operation Desert Storm marked a significant success for collective security principles as an international coalition successfully intervened against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

Kofi Annan's Tenure: Successes and Challenges

Resurgence of UN Activity Post-Gulf War

• Following Operation Desert Storm, Kofi Annan’s leadership saw increased UN activity across various continents despite facing numerous challenges.

Notable Achievements Under Kofi Annan

• Annan's tenure included managing military deployments during conflicts like Bosnia and negotiating between Saddam Hussein and US officials. He received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 alongside the UN for these efforts.

Failures Despite Presence

• Despite successes, Annan faced criticism over failures such as not preventing genocides in Rwanda (1994) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (1995), highlighting limitations even with active presence on-site.

Legitimacy Issues Faced by UN

• The organization struggled with legitimacy issues being perceived as an instrument for major powers' interests, particularly that of Western nations.

Critique of the UN's Effectiveness

The Challenge of Accountability

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces criticism for its inability to hold powerful leaders accountable, particularly U.S. presidents who have not been prosecuted for actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• In 2003, the UN deemed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq illegal but failed to prevent it, highlighting a significant challenge to multilateralism.

Sovereignty vs. Intervention

• Kofi Annan emphasized that if a state cannot ensure its citizens' safety, international intervention may be necessary, even without state consent; this raises questions about sovereignty.

• Annan's tenure saw both successes and failures for the UN, including peacekeeping missions and challenges in preventing wars and genocides.

Reforming the United Nations

• Since 2010, discussions on reforming the UN have intensified due to its struggles against unilateralism and theoretical contradictions within its framework.

• The Security Council's structure remains outdated, with permanent seats held by WWII victors excluding major contemporary powers like Japan and Germany.

Geopolitical Tensions

• The resurgence of veto power misuse since 2010 has hindered effective action within the UN amid deteriorating U.S.-Russia relations.

• Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 exemplified the UN's limitations as it could not effectively respond despite international condemnation.

Systematic Blockages in Recent Conflicts