The United Nations first began to truly fulfill its promise as a world government after the Clarkson Decision, which firmly established the U.N. as the primary overseer of human outposts, colonies and spacecraft in the Solar System. The U.N. taxed space industry and commerce, freeing it from its former dependence on the generosity of member nations. The U.N. also granted and withdrew privileges related to space travel, industry and commerce in order to influence member behavior.
The U.N's power waxed as the power of individual member nations waned. After the Moon colony was established in 2025, the U.N. began a partnership with what became the . This alliance helped cement the U.N's position, as international corporations had become important global powers.The threatened the U.N's position and its partnership as never before. The collapse of the was the beginning of the first split between the U.N. and its corporate allies. After the Lunar colony gained its independence, in 2102, the partnership was irretrievably shattered, though the influence of the U.N. and the largest international corporations has yet to wane.