UN

As someone pointed out, most of the views on the UN espoused in this
discussion have been non-canonical because the UN appears in canon, but
is not really described in any detail. 

My own (equally non-canon) view is that the UN, in order to do what it
does in the canon histories, must have a fair amount of clout. In order
to be a viable entity, it needs economic freedom. In order to prevent
conflicts that weaken the overall international polity, the UN must have
good intelligence and covert operation capabilities. 

Now, I would say the relationships/views wrt the UN may be summed up as
follows:

NAC - Generally in favor of the idea of international cooperation and
international peace and security, annoyed by disadvantageous rulings,
and sometimes slow to pay their dues as a way to leverage UN
administartion into cooperation. Uses the UN to help extricate itself
from ugly political messes sometimes or to act as a front-man for NAC
operations. 

ESU - Tolerates the UN, while not actively in favour of it. Aware of the
benefits of stability, but not found of outside meddlers. Pays its dues
primarily so it can influence the course of events to prevent close
scrutiny of its internal policies and external activities as well as to
be a thorn in the side of the NAC. Never happy to have its human rights
records publicly lambasted. 

FSE - Not terribly fond of the UN. Often subject to unpleasantly
accurate judgements regarding its human rights record or its methods of
conducting foreign policy. OTOH, finds the UN rather convenient for
helping it sort out colonial problems (since the FSE itself has a spotty
diplomatic record). Pays its dues and participates as much to keep an
eye on the other major players and to help prevent the UN paying too
much attention to it as for any other reason.

NSL - Ambivalent or cautiously favorable towards the UN. Well aware of
the benefits of a secure core for trade. Interested in some of the UNs
scientific advancements. Actively participates in UN operations,
although tends to be a difficult operational partner when forced to work
with the FSE. 

UN - Sometimes its own worst enemy. Has many directors and many
directorates. Has a pretty bang up covert operations and intelligence
gathering mechanism in UNSIA, an agency which does not exist and is
staffed by invisible men who use black VTOLs. Has some ideologs who want
to govern everything "for the good of man" and a few hard-edged realists
who just want to "keep the lid on". Has initatives in just about every
facet of human existence - governance, human rights, technology,
transportation, disaster relief, education, women's rights, animal
rights, environmental causes, etc. Has a military dedicated to peace
enforcement in the core areas and in trying its best to patrol the inner
colonies. Outer colonies and outposts are visited much more rarely, but
are the province of some black ops. Some ideologs in the UN are very
careful to do things in an officious but honourable way, while many
pragmatic operators (and a lot of ambitious bureaucrats) are willing to
"do what it takes" to acheive their ends. Providing both the protection
from outside threats and the constraint of internal animosities, but
also providing the encroaching hand of a massive paternalistic
government, the UN is both the last best hope of humanity and the
boogeyman feared by anyone with a grain of independent spirit. 

Many smaller nations support the UN because it gives them some sort of
cumulative voice, and because they get a chance to serve in prestigious
positions. The UN is a key to visibility and involvement for many of
them. But quite a few of them also have their own spotty records to
cover up and try to use their influence to move their own
self-interested agendas forward. 

It's pretty much a mixed bag.... even the UN itself has a mix of
honourable men trying to save humanity and self interested civil
servants out to exert their control and authority for their own gain.
The UN is (as most major powers in the GZGverse) neither entirely heroic
and laudable nor entirely morally bankrupt and authoritarian in nature.
It contains both the best and worst intentions of humanity and perhaps
also the best and worst implementations of those intentions
simultaneously.