1995 was the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations - so don't you think it's about time that you learned what the U.N. is? For half a century, most people have agreed on the importance of the United Nations - but most of us have no idea how the U.N. works! How and why was the U.N. founded? Is it a future World Government in waiting? Or is it a diplomatic "in-tray," where governments can file intractable problems to preserve the illusion of action?

And most important of all, Where does the real power lay? With wit and irony, The U.N. For Beginners takes a critically supportive look at the U.N. and its components, cutting through the red tape to show the gaps between dreams and reality. This overview of the world's most famous organization is accessible to beginners and refreshing for the more experienced. Dazzle your friends and enemies by becoming the first person in your neighborhood to know what the United Nations is really about.