” If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise”?
The question posed here is difficult to answer directly, but the short answer is this: We would need social enterprise and other ventures like the Arc because the UN is inefficient, and cannot solve every problem.
In an overarching sense, the United Nations is a macro organization, in that they deal with large-scale problems and create conceptual frameworks. Organizations such as the IMF, World Bank, or WHO are all examples of this. While there is some specificity, and some entrance into smaller projects, these UN commissions typically focus on larger issues facing LEDCs and the rest of the world.
Obviously, if the UN was fully funded, these agencies might reposition themselves, and carve out new responsibilities. However, would they be equipped to fulfill these obligations alone?
There are many problems in the world, and so many different circumstances which would prevent this. Firstly, this would drastically increase the power and funding of the United Nations, and who is to say that this funding will be distributed equitably? Will the expanded UN target world health projects on a cost-per-life basis, thus neglecting issues like Ebola in favour of Malaria? Will development projects favour countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa? As well, unlike small, mobile NGOs, these UN organizations will be subject to the whims of political leaders, and will be unable to escape notice. This could complicate operations in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, or other war-torn areas where political considerations stem the flow of aid.
The Arc Enterprise and social enterprise organizations may not be the most efficient way of allocating aid, however they fulfill niche requirements, and allow for more specific application of aid. With UN organizations such as the Convention to Combat Desertification causing inefficiency and waste, it is clear that a large bureaucratic United Nations may be less targeted and effective than these smaller, more specialized organizations, and has to work in conjunction with them to achieve the optimal result for bettering society.
Sources Used
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/03/28/canada_saw_bureaucracy_and_inefficiency_in_un_convention_on_deserts.html
http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/canada/2013/03/28/canada_saw_bureaucracy_and_inefficiency_in_un_convention_on_deserts/wajir.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations#Specialized_agencies