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This book shows how the first institution of global governance was conceived and operated. It provides a new assessment of its architect, Eric Drummond, the first Secretary-General of the League of Nations, appointed a century ago. The authors conclude that he stands in the front rank of the 12 men who have occupied the post of Secretary-General of the League or its successor, the UN. Part 1 describes his character and leadership. His influence in shaping the International Civil Service, the 'beating heart' of the League, is the subject of Part 2, which also shows how the young staff he appointed responded with imagination and creativity to the political, economic and social problems that followed World War I. Part 3 shows the influence of these early origins on today's global organizations and the large scale absorption of League policies, programmes, practices and staff into the UN and its Specialized Agencies.

Eric Drummond and his Legacies: The League of Nations and the Beginnings of Global Governance

Text boxesCharts and tablesIllustrationsAcknowledgementsAcronyms and abbreviationsKey political figures in Drummond's career
Prologue - Towards a Better world
Part I - A Great International Civil Servant
1.   The life and character of Eric Drummond 1876-19512.   Leadership3.   After Geneva

Part II - Creating an Enduring International Civil Service
4.   An International Secretariat appears on the World Stage
5.   The International Secretariat and its ethos6.   La Haute Direction, impartial and partial officials
7.   The Directors and the work of their sections
8.   Drummond's commitment to universality

Part III - Legacies of the League
9.   Transition to the new international order10.  The structural and practical legacy of an International Civil Service
11.  Humanitarian and political legacies
12.  Social, economic and technical legacies 
13.  Internationalism restored, starting anew

Epilogue - A centennial assessment of the 'Great Experiment'
Annex 1  Sir Eric Drummond's family treeAnnex 2  Milestones in the life and career of James Eric DrummondAnnex 3  World Events and the League of Nations time line 1914-46Annex 4  Members and Specialists working for the Secretariat mentioned in the Chapters
Bibliography and list of sourcesIndex