UPSC Mains 2019 GS2 Q10 — International Institutions
‘Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life.’ Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘anti-Israel bias’.
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- Too little cashtoo much politicsUNESCO fighting for lifeUS’ withdrawalanti-Israel bias
- Implicit sub-parts
- The financial crisis triggered by the loss of US funding (nearly 22% of the budget).
- Evidence of politicization within UNESCO, particularly regarding the Middle East and Palestine-Israel heritage sites.
- The institutional implications of great power rivalry on multilateralism.
- Recent developments regarding the US's return to the body and its impact on 'fighting for life'.
- Common pitfalls
- Writing a generic essay on UNESCO's cultural achievements like World Heritage sites instead of addressing the crisis.
- Failing to quantify the 'too little cash' aspect by missing the significant 22% funding gap.
- Neglecting the counter-perspective that UNESCO's decisions are based on member voting, not just inherent bias.
- Focusing entirely on the US and Israel while ignoring how this reflects a broader trend of weakening multilateral institutions.
- Dimensions required
- Financial/EconomicGeopoliticalInstitutional/AdministrativeCultural Diplomacy
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 30 words to context and the specific US-Israel accusation. Devote 50 words to the 'cash' crisis and 50 words to 'politics' and its impact on UNESCO's mandate. Conclude with 20 words on the significance of the US's re-entry or the future of global multilateralism.
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