Correct option is A
The correct answer is (a) The League's inability to impose economic sanctions crippled it.
Explanation:
- The League of Nations, established after World War I, was designed to promote peace and prevent future conflicts. However, it faced several structural and operational challenges that hindered its effectiveness. One of the most significant weaknesses was its inability to impose effective economic sanctions. While the League had provisions for sanctions, they were often unenforceable, as member states were reluctant to damage their own economies by imposing strict measures. This lack of enforcement power meant that the League struggled to respond effectively to international crises, relying on the willingness of member states to provide forces.
- For instance, during the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the League condemned Japan's actions but lacked the means to compel Japan to withdraw. Similarly, during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, the League imposed sanctions but had no military means to enforce them, rendering the sanctions largely ineffective.
Information Booster:
- Lack of Independent Military Force: The League's dependence on member states for military support meant it had no standing army to enforce its decisions.
- Limited Enforcement Capacity: Without its own military, the League struggled to respond effectively to international crises, relying on the willingness of member states to provide forces.
- Ineffective Sanctions: The League's sanctions were often unenforceable, as member states were reluctant to damage their own economies by imposing strict measures.
- Reluctance of Major Powers: Major powers, such as Britain and France, were often hesitant to use military force or impose sanctions, fearing they would harm their national interests.
- Failure to Prevent Aggression: The League's inability to act decisively in the face of aggression by countries like Japan and Italy highlighted its structural weaknesses.
- Eventual Collapse: The League's inability to prevent the outbreak of World War II demonstrated its ultimate failure as a peacekeeping organization.
Additional Information:
- Because so few nations from the losing side of World War I joined, it lacked legitimacy: The absence of major powers like the United States and the Soviet Union did undermine the League's legitimacy, but this was not its primary weakness. The lack of an independent military force was a more direct factor in its ineffectiveness.
- The League had no military force, and had to rely on member states for troops: While this is true, the inability to impose economic sanctions was a more direct factor in the League's ineffectiveness.
- The League only required one-third approval for any international intervention: The League's decision-making process required a unanimous vote among the Council members for substantive decisions, making it difficult to take decisive action.
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