International Law Lecture - Chapter 14 Flashcards
What is international law?
A system of principles and rules developed to regulate the conduct of independent world states.
What does international law build?
Builds cooperation and harmonization of common pursuits.
What does international law also set out?
Standards and procedures to minimize conflict.
What has the international law system done?
Evolved slowly over a long period of time.
The key concept for international law is what?
“State sovereignty”
What is state sovereignty?
The idea that every nation state has complete control over its territory, its population, and resources.
What does this idea guarantee?
A state’s freedom from interference by other states.
It is in the interest of nation-states to guard what?
Their sovereignty
There are also many reasons why what?
A nation-state might need to work with others and thereby give up some of its sovereignty
What are some examples of nations giving up some of their sovereignty?
Probably the most common example are treaties.
What is a treaty?
Simply an agreement between two or more nations that dictates expectations for the nations that sign on.
What are examples of treaties?
Nations often sign trade agreements that dictate how trade will work (e.g., free trade, tariffs). Nations may also sign much broader treaties that impact many areas (e.g., joining the EU).
What do all of these agreements ultimately do?
Reduce the ability of the state to do what they like, but states are willing to sign them as they offer something that the state wants.
In recent years, the world has seen what?
A couple of important shifts in international law
After World War II there was a strong interest in what?
Creating intra-governmental mechanisms to reduce the possibility of future conflict.
