Although the state is and has long been the primary actor in the international system, it is not the only one. Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) are another type of international actor. This type of organization has countries as its members. Thus IGOs are distinct from private-membership nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), as detailed in chapter 5. More importantly, IGOs provide a possible alternative to the traditional state-based system. Critics of this system say that it is inadequate to meet the challenges of a globalizing world and it is violence-prone because of its emphasis on self-interested states operating in an anarchical international system. From this perspective, a better approach would be to heed Shakespeare’s counsel, in Henry VI Part III, to “Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts,” by empowering IGOs to increasingly regulate the behavior of states in an effort to reduce violence and provide a platform to address world problems. To assess this possibility, this chapter focuses on two IGOs, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU). This chapter’s Web activities will help you to not only identify the growth in number, functions, and authority of international organizations, but to understand the nature and development of IGOs as an alternative form of organizing and conducting international relations as well.