The League of Nations

Published on 23 Oct 2025

The League of Nations was established on January 10, 1920, by the victorious Allied powers after World War I to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts. The idea stemmed from the desire to prevent the devastating losses of war. Though it couldn't fully meet expectations, its creation was a significant milestone in international relations. Eventually, the League disbanded on April 19, 1946, with its functions transferred to the emerging United Nations.

Success of The League of Nations

It contributed towards economic and social work through its commissions and committees:

ILO (International Labour Organisation): Successful in setting standards for working conditions, minimum wages, unemployment benefits, and old age pensions.

Example: Fixing maximum working days and minimum wages.

Refugee Organisation: Assisted prisoners of war in returning home from Russia and aided Jews escaping Nazi persecution to resettle safely in different countries.

Example: Assisting Jews fleeing Nazi persecution to resettle in safe countries.

Health Organisation: Effectively investigated and addressed various epidemics.

Example: Successfully controlling the Typhus epidemic in Russia.

Mandates Commission: Monitored the governance of territories held under Mandates by member nations.
International Disputes: The League had some success in resolving disputes.

Example: Greece paying compensation to Bulgaria after an invasion.

Failure of The League of Nations

Allied Powers Dominance: The League of Nations was perceived as an organization favoring the interests of France and Britain, leading to unjust peace treaties that left many nations dissatisfied.

Example: The Treaty of Versailles assigned blame to Germany and its allies for war damages.

Continuation of the Conference of Ambassadors: The prolonged existence of the Conference of Ambassadors weakened the legitimacy of the League of Nations.
Failure to Enforce Peace Treaties: It could not prevent violations of established frontiers and failed to take a strong stance against aggression by Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Example: Imposing only partial trade restrictions on Italy after it invades Abyssinia.

Limited Membership: The League lacked broad representation as it had limited membership, and the USA did not join, resulting in financial constraints for the organization.
Defending Imperfect Treaty: The League was expected to defend the Treaty of Versailles, which had flaws and was prone to be broken.
Failure to Prevent World War II: The League's imperfections, biased treaties, and inability to deter aggression were factors that contributed to the outbreak of World War II.