In United Nations history, in which year was the International Court of Justice (ICJ) formally established as the principal judicial organ?

Introduction / Context:
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and plays a key role in the peaceful settlement of disputes between states. This general knowledge question tests whether you remember the exact year in which the ICJ was formally established as part of the post-Second World War international order. Knowing this year also helps place the ICJ alongside other major United Nations institutions created in the mid-1940s.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The question is asking for the specific year when the International Court of Justice was established.
• Four possible years are given as options: 1947, 1946, 1950 and 1948.
• It is understood that the ICJ is linked to the creation of the United Nations after the end of the Second World War.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this question correctly, you must connect the timeline of the founding of the United Nations with the moment when its judicial organ, the ICJ, came into existence. The United Nations Charter was signed in 1945 and entered into force later that year. The ICJ Statute is an integral part of that Charter, and the Court became operational shortly thereafter. So the strategy is to recall that the Court held its first session and began its work in 1946, which is treated as its formal establishment year in standard general knowledge references.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the United Nations was founded in 1945, immediately after the Second World War, to promote peace, security and cooperation.Step 2: Understand that the International Court of Justice replaced the older Permanent Court of International Justice that functioned under the League of Nations.Step 3: The Statute of the ICJ is annexed to the UN Charter and came into force when the Charter was implemented in late 1945.Step 4: However, the Court actually began to sit, elect judges and hear cases in 1946, which is recognized as the year of its establishment for examination purposes.Step 5: Among the options 1947, 1946, 1950 and 1948, the correct year associated with the formal establishment and operational beginning of the ICJ is 1946.

Verification / Alternative Check:
A quick verification approach is to remember that many UN specialized agencies and organs, such as UNESCO and UNICEF, became active in the years immediately after 1945. The ICJ is always mentioned in standard UN timelines as being established and starting its work in 1946, immediately following the entry into force of the UN Charter. This matches the option 1946 and confirms the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• 1947: Some UN bodies became active later in the 1940s, but the ICJ had already started functioning in 1946, so 1947 is one year too late.
• 1950: This is much too late; by 1950 the ICJ had already delivered several judgments and advisory opinions.
• 1948: This year relates more to important human rights developments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, not to the establishment of the ICJ.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the signing of the UN Charter in 1945 with the Court’s first operational year, or they mix up the ICJ with other UN agencies created toward the end of the 1940s. Another common mistake is to think that because many post-war institutions were consolidated by 1948, that year must be correct. Remembering that the ICJ is deeply tied to the early functioning of the UN will help avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The International Court of Justice was formally established and began its work in the year 1946.