This book aims to take stock and evaluate the historical development of efforts to reform the Security Council from 1946 until 2000.

By offering a historical and political account of the reform movement, which has evolved throughout the life of the UN, it gives the reader insights into the complex issues surrounding Security Council reform. This volume provides an analysis of the "sticking points" in the reform movement, including the right of veto, concerns about efficiency, legitimacy and representation and the possibility of adding to the Security Council new members or new classes of membership. The various chapters of this book, corresponding to different chronological periods, focus on key phases of the debate on Security Council reform, discuss the different approaches and attitudes of states to the issue in question and closely examine the most significant reform proposals.

This book will appeal to students, academics and practitioners with interest in the UN and international organizations and international relations.