book

United Nations Charter (1945)

WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED

      to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to

mankind, and

      to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men

and women and of nations large and small, and

      to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of

international law can be maintained, and

      to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

AND FOR THESE ENDS

      to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and

      to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and

      to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in

the common interest, and

      to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,

HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS

Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.

Article 1

The Purposes of the United Nations are:

     1.To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;

     2.To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;

     3.To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and

     4.To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

Question: What does this document have in common with others we have studied?