After the UN had been laid out in 1945, when The Second Great War reached a
conclusion, the Assembled Country (UN) embraced the thought of aggregate
security as a "security plan or sort of alliance building methodology" where every
nation makes a deal to avoid going after different nations and to shield them against
some other potential assaults.1The chief thought process is that “an attack against
one, is an attack against all.2 This plan was to guarantee that every one of the states
under the shadow of the United Nations Association would "coordinate all in all" to
give security to each other.. Collective security is defined as ‘A collective security
system can be defined in broad terms as a system where a collective measure is
taken against a member of a community that has violated certain community defined
values.3 It is like an insurance system in which all the nations are bound to protect
the victim of an aggression or war by neutralizing the aggression or war against the
victim. Collective Security is also regarded as a deterrent against aggression in so
far as it lays down that the collective power of all nations will be used to repel
aggression or war against any state. It is based on the principle, ‘Aggression against
any one member of the international community is an aggression against
international peace and security. 4 Nations achieve security from attack by collective
military agreements of all nations with each other to join forces against any
aggressor.5
Collective security theory is different from “collective defense” which means a
coalition of nations which have contracts to protect its own group from outside
attacks. Examples of collective defense are NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Advocators
of collective security believe that it is more effective way to “security than individual
countries trying to act alone, as weaker countries cannot possibly defend
themselves.”6
The role of the UN is activated by the Security Council which responds to the
requirements of the members of the United Nations in voting and making decisions.
The permanent countries are the USA, the UK, France, Russia and China. In theory,
the task of these countries includes applying the theory of collective security when
there are emerging issues. For example, under Chapter Six of the UN Charter,
“Pacific Settlement of Disputes 7“, The Security Council is entitled to investigate
disputes and all other situations which may lead to such disputes. Thus, the Security
1
UNRCCA, ‘Collective Security System’ available at Microsoft Word -
UNRCCA_Handout_Collective_Security_System_Eng_2020.docx (unmissions.org ) (accessed 25 August 2023).
2
Katherine Y.O ‘Collective Defense Obligations, Explained’ (2022) available at
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/natos-article-5-collective-defense-obligations-
explained
3
J Grant and J Barker, Encyclopaedic Dictionary of international Law (3rd edn, Oxford University Press) 2009
4
Coalition for the International Criminal Court, ‘Historic Activation of the Crime of Aggression’ available at
Crime of Aggression | Coalition for the International Criminal Court (coalitionfortheicc.org) (accessed 25
August 2023)
5
G Evans and J Newnham, The Dictionary of World Politics (1st edn, Macmillian Library Reference) 1991
6
NATO ‘Collective defence and Article 5’ (2023) available at NATO - Topic: Collective defence and Article 5
(accessed 25 August 2023)
Council may vote for appropriate procedures in order to keep peace and settlement
using all possible ways such as collective security procedures. These decisions can
only be made by the consent of at least 9 out of the 15 members of the Security
Council members and none of the five permanent members should object or vote
against such decisions.
Moreover, the UN’s role in international collective security is illustrated by the UN
Charter. According to this charter, the Security Council is given the power to
consider any situation which threatens international peace. The Security Council can
also advise some procedures for peaceful resolution of any dispute. In addition, the
Security Council can ask other member nations to totally or partially break off
economic relations, sea, air, postal, and radio communications, and even diplomatic
relations with any country against whom a decision is taken by the Security Council.
Additionally, the Security Council can also use military force if it is deemed as
necessary. However, it is sometimes possible to manage and avoid conflicts, by
keeping the focus on cooperation.
Despite what has been mentioned above in regard to the adaptation of the Security
Council resolutions and the theory of collective security, member states of the UN
and also members of the Security Council have from time to time breached laws and
regulations, hence undermining the theory of collective security.
Moreover, one of the latest collective security resolutions made by the UN Security
Council adopted a sanctions resolution on Iran although there were two votes
against and there was one abstention. According to the voters the ban was on
Iranian certain nuclear and missile investment abroad.
To sum up, the theory of collective security implies a security arrangement among
which all members of the United Nations share to provide security shadowed by the
UN resolutions to keep world peace using all possible approved ways including
sanctions and force.
7
Council on Foreign Relations ‘The UN Security Council’ (2023) available at The UN Security Council | Council
on Foreign Relations (cfr.org) (accessed 25 August 2023)
