Robert's Rules of Order is a manual of parliamentary procedure first published in 1876 by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert. Modeled loosely on the procedures of the U.S. House of Representatives, it was designed to give ordinary deliberative assemblies—clubs, boards, legislatures, and conventions—a consistent framework for debate, motions, and voting. The current authoritative edition is Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), maintained by the Robert's Rules Association.
For Model UN delegates, Robert's Rules is the historical ancestor of most committee rules of procedure, though it is rarely used in its pure form. Conferences typically adopt a simplified, UN-flavored hybrid that borrows core concepts such as:
- Motions to open debate, set the agenda, or move into a caucus
- Points of order, inquiry, and personal privilege
- Yielding time after a speech
- Precedence of motions (most disruptive voted on first)
- Seconding requirements and simple- vs. two-thirds-majority thresholds
Actual United Nations bodies do not use Robert's Rules. The General Assembly operates under its own Rules of Procedure (most recently consolidated as A/520/Rev.19), and the Security Council uses its Provisional Rules of Procedure (S/96/Rev.7, 1983). These differ from Robert's in important ways: there is no formal "moderated caucus," speakers' lists are managed by the chair, and consensus is often preferred over recorded votes.
Delegates should treat Robert's Rules as background context rather than binding law in committee. The operative document at any conference is the secretariat's published Rules of Procedure, which the chair will cite when ruling on motions. Familiarity with Robert's underlying logic—particularly the hierarchy of motions and the distinction between procedural and substantive votes—nonetheless helps delegates anticipate how a chair will rule and how to phrase motions correctly.
The book remains widely used outside MUN by nonprofit boards, professional associations, and student governments across the English-speaking world.
Example
At the 2023 Harvard National MUN conference, the dais reminded delegates that committee procedure was based on a simplified version of Robert's Rules, not the original 1876 text.
Frequently asked questions
No. The General Assembly follows its own Rules of Procedure (A/520/Rev.19) and the Security Council uses its Provisional Rules of Procedure (S/96/Rev.7). Robert's Rules is a U.S.-origin manual for general assemblies, not a UN document.
Keep learning