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🌍 League of Nations – The First Step Towards Global Peace | UPSC GS1 World History.

 

🧭 Introduction: The Birth of Global Governance After World War I

The League of Nations was the first international organization established to maintain world peace and collective security after the devastating World War I (1914–1918).
It symbolized humanity’s first attempt to replace war with diplomacy and cooperation.
For UPSC GS Paper 1 (World History), understanding the League’s formation, structure, and failure is essential to grasp how the United Nations evolved later.



🌍 1. The Beginning of International Organizations

Before WWI, global relations were guided by the Balance of Power system – where nations formed alliances to maintain equilibrium. However, this often led to conflicts rather than peace.

After the carnage of WWI, global leaders recognized the need for a permanent international organization to resolve disputes through dialogue.

🔹 Key Architect – U.S. President Woodrow Wilson
🔹 Proposal – Mentioned in Wilson’s Fourteen Points (1918)
🔹 Established – 1920 (Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland)

💣 2. The Carnage of World War I and the Concept of Balance of Power

The First World War killed over 16 million people, destroyed empires (Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, German), and destabilized global economies.

The Balance of Power concept — meant to maintain stability — actually fueled military alliances like the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance, leading to global conflict.

➡️ The failure of this system highlighted the need for a collective security mechanism, giving birth to the League of Nations.

🇺🇸 3. Why the USA Did Not Join the League of Nations

Although Woodrow Wilson was its chief proponent, the U.S. Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles.

Reasons:

  • Isolationist Policy – America wanted to avoid European entanglements.

  • Fear of Wars – Obligations under Article 10 (collective defense) could drag the U.S. into conflicts.

  • Domestic Opposition – Republican Senators opposed Wilson’s idealism.

➡️ Ironically, the League’s founder never joined it, weakening its global legitimacy.

🏛️ 4. Structure of the League of Nations

The League was designed to promote collective security, disarmament, and dispute resolution.

🔹 Main Organs:

  1. Assembly – All member nations; met annually; discussed global issues.

  2. Council – Permanent members (Britain, France, Italy, Japan) + rotating members; dealt with urgent issues.

  3. Secretariat – Administrative wing, led by the Secretary-General.

  4. Permanent Court of International Justice – Settled legal disputes.

  5. International Labour Organization (ILO) – Promoted workers’ rights.

Despite a strong vision, lack of military power made it ineffective.

⚠️ 5. The Failure of the League of Nations

⚡ Key Reasons for Failure:

  1. Absence of Major Powers – U.S. never joined; USSR joined late; Germany left in 1933.

  2. No Enforcement Power – No army to enforce decisions.

  3. Rise of Aggressive States – Japan (Manchuria, 1931), Italy (Abyssinia, 1935), Germany (Rhineland, 1936).

  4. Appeasement Policy – Western powers avoided conflict with dictators.

  5. Internal Weakness – Decisions required unanimity → slowed action.

📉 Result:

By 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, the League was proven ineffective.
It officially dissolved in 1946, replaced by the United Nations.

📚 UPSC PYQs Related to League of Nations

✅ GS Paper 1 (World History) – UPSC Mains 2013:

“The First World War gave rise to a new international order. Evaluate the role of the League of Nations in maintaining peace.”

✅ UPSC Prelims 2014:

Q. The main aim of the League of Nations was:
(a) To promote trade
(b) To maintain peace
(c) To increase armaments
(d) To expand colonies
Answer: (b)

✅ UPSC Mains 2020 (GS1):

“Examine the consequences of the failure of the League of Nations.”

✍️ Answer Writing Framework (UPSC Mains)

Question: “Examine the causes for the failure of the League of Nations.”

🧠 Answer Structure:

Introduction:
Briefly define the League and its purpose post-WWI.

Body:

  • Aims – Collective security, disarmament, arbitration.

  • Failures – Absence of USA, lack of army, rise of fascism, appeasement, unanimity rule.

  • Consequences – Led to WWII, loss of faith in collective security.

Conclusion:
Mention how the UN learned from these failures and became more inclusive and powerful.

🔗 Current Relevance (UPSC GS2 – IR Section)

  • The United Nations is the successor of the League, correcting its flaws.

  • Russia-Ukraine conflict, UN Security Council reforms, and peacekeeping missions reflect continuing challenges in global governance.

  • Aspirants should compare League vs UN in essay and GS2 answers.

🧭 Conclusion

The League of Nations was a bold experiment in global peacekeeping but failed due to structural flaws and lack of power.
However, it laid the foundation for the United Nations, shaping the modern idea of collective security — a concept still tested today.

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