ABSTRACT
The only political institutions attracting no criticism are those that everyone dismisses as irrelevant. The fact that national political leaders, policy experts, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens find fault with the UN General Assembly says that it still matters to them. It is the extent and substance of criticism that indicates whether a political institution is in serious trouble and likely to be replaced, or still enjoys enough respect that it can carry out its functions while members of the political community argue about whether or how to reform it.
