The Weak Suffer What They Must

This article critically investigates the effectiveness and legitimacy of multilateral institutions, with a focus on the United Nations (UN), in a scenario of international asymmetry. Based on an integrative literature review and updated data on the UN's budget and functional structure, it is argued that promises of global equity and justice rarely materialize, especially for weaker countries. Three central paradoxes are highlighted: the inefficiency of an inflated structure, the hypocrisy in arms control — particularly nuclear weapons — by major powers, and the UN serving as a stage for the legitimization of authoritarian regimes. The article concludes that states, especially those on the periphery, should re-evaluate their dependence on these institutions and seek alternatives through strategic autonomy and more pragmatic alliances. The analysis proposes a new perspective on multilateralism and its limits in the face of realpolitik.