以促進國際合作，維持國際和平與安全，及解決有關經濟、政治、文化、和人類福利等國際問題為宗旨的「聯合國」，其所以能由各種間歇性的國際會議變成延續性的常設國際組識，以及它的龍大的和複雜的組織體系之所以能井然運作，其主要機關及專門機構之所以能力功能上彼此協調配合，相得益彰，莫不有賴聯合國秘書長及其所領導的秘書處之運作。因此，「秘書長」是聯合國的靈魂人物；其法律地位與權力也因此特別值得深入研究。 為此研究之目的，本論文特就「國際聯盟盟約」(Covenant of the League of Nations)、「聯合國憲章」(The United Nations Charter)、及其他相關法律文獻、和該兩組織歷任秘書長之實際運作與發展紀錄，并參考相關之學術論錯、與國際司法判例等，以比較皆析的研究方法，從五方面深入剖析和探討此一重要主題。 換言之，本論文之內容主要包括五個層面：首則述聯合國秘書長之國際文官地位，次則辯證聯合國秘書長的職權與秘書處所扮演的角色，三則剖析體合國秘書長在組織及行政管理方面的職責，國則透視聯合國秘書長之政治權力──包括這種權力的法律淵源和發展過程、并闡釋和評析秘書長如何在聯合國憲章明示和默示授權的基礎上發擇和施展其政治權力之方法與途徑；最後并在結論中肯定聯合國秘書長得以維持和發揮適度政治主動權力之「適宜性和必要性」。

　　　　　The legal status and power of the United Nations Secretary-General are specifically are specifically worthy of study in depth because he, as designated in the Charter and evolved in practice, is the central figure of the Organization whose scope of functions extends to all aspects of international cooperation in solving every problem which transcends national boundary, including, inter alia, the problem of maintaining international peace and security. To accomplish such a specific study, this research inquires extensively into various aspects of the topic, such as (1) an assessment of the Secretary-General's legal status as an international civil servant; (2) discussions and distinction of the roles played by him and by the Secretariat under his leadership; (3) an analysis of his duties and responsibilities as an organizer and administrator of the United Nations; (4) an examination of his political power with emphasis not only on the legal basis and process of evolution of such power, but also on the ways in which he develops and enforces such power upon basis of the Charter's authorization both explicit and tacit, and (5) the conclusion by affirming the desirability and necessity for the Secretary-General to preserve and invigorate political initiatives in appropriate cases. In so focusing, the research has applied mainly the method of comparative analysis and referred, as necessary, to not only such documents as the Covenant of the League of Nations and the Charter of the United States, but also to the pratice of each of the incumbents in the office of the Secretary-General of the two consecutive World bodies, as well as to the relevant international jurisprudence and academic publications.