Department Quote by Daniel Patrick Moynihan
“The US wished things to turn out as they did, and worked to bring this about. The department of state desired that the UN prove utterly ineffective in whatever measures it undertook. This task was given to me, and I carried it forward with no inconsiderable success.”
About This Quote
The speaker claims to have deliberately undermined the UN’s effectiveness, aligning with a U.S. policy that preferred a weaker multilateral body.
In simple terms: U.S. aimed to keep the UN ineffective.
Key Takeaway
Powerful states may sabotage international institutions to preserve influence.
Themes
international relations
U.S. foreign policy
UN
realism
Mood
cynical
critical
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- diplomatic negotiations
- UN reform debates
- foreign‑policy planning
Key Concepts
power dynamics
institutional decay
Practical Applications
- strategic diplomatic engagement
- building alternative coalitions
Questions to Reflect On
- Why would a nation weaken an organization it once supported?
- What are the hidden costs of a weakened UN?
A Different Perspective
Undermining the UN can erode global cooperation and damage long‑term U.S. credibility.
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
