"International Law Remains Relevant Despite Ongoing Conflicts and Institutional Failures"
Compliance Pull
the normative force that draws states toward observing international law even without coercive enforcement mechanisms.
Rules-Based International Order
the system of multilateral norms, treaties, and institutions governing state conduct since 1945.
International law is the body of rules, norms, and standards that govern relations between sovereign states and other international actors. Its modern foundations rest on the UN Charter (1945), which codified principles of sovereign equality, non-interference, prohibition on the use of force, and peaceful dispute resolution. The Charter was itself built on centuries of treaty-making and customary international law, from the Peace of Westphalia to the League of Nations. The post-World War II order institutionalised international law through a network of bodies — the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for inter-state disputes, the International Criminal Court (ICC) for individual criminal accountability, and specialised agencies governing aviation, maritime trade, communications, and health.
The legitimacy of international law has always been contested. Unlike domestic legal systems, it lacks a centralised enforcement authority. Compliance depends on a combination of reciprocity, reputational costs, treaty obligations, and the normative pull of legal rules themselves. Scholars Abram Chayes and Antonia Handler Chayes influentially argued that states comply with international law primarily because of the managerial dynamics within treaty regimes — not because of coercive sanctions. This insight remains foundational: compliance is the norm, violation the exception, even if violations dominate public discourse.
The article's central argument is that international law's relevance cannot be measured solely by instances of violation. Three conceptual pillars support this claim. First, states that violate international law still invoke it — they cite the UN Charter, self-defence provisions, sovereignty, and international humanitarian law (IHL) to justify their conduct. This rhetorical deference itself demonstrates that the normative framework retains authority; a truly dead legal system would not be worth invoking.
Second, international law operates quietly and pervasively in domains that rarely make headlines. International aviation regulations (under the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO), maritime law (under UNCLOS), diplomatic immunity, passport recognition, consular assistance, refugee protection, and the entire architecture of international trade and communications — all function because states routinely honour thousands of legal obligations. …
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:
1.The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
2.Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
3.Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Other than the Fundamental Rights, which of the following parts of the Constitution of India reflect/reflects the principles and provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)?
1.Preamble
2.Directive Principles of State Policy
3.Fundamental Duties
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Which one of the following reflects the most appropriate relationship between law and liberty ?
With reference to the compliance with international law, consider the following statements:
1.Scholars Abram Chayes and Antonia Handler Chayes argued that states comply with international law primarily because of the threat of coercive sanctions.
2.The significance of international law lies not only in instances of compliance but also in providing a framework through which state conduct is assessed.
3.States that violate international law typically argue that the law itself is irrelevant.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following best illustrates the principle that international law continues to function effectively even during periods of political discord between states?
Consider the following international instruments and the domains they govern:
1.ICAO regulations — International aviation
2.UNCLOS — Maritime zones and navigation
3.BBNJ Agreement — Marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction
4.UN Convention against Cybercrime — Cyber-related offences
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Assertion (A): Even states accused of violating international law rarely argue that the law itself is meaningless.
Reason (R): States invoke the UN Charter, sovereignty, and international humanitarian law to justify their conduct, demonstrating the continued normative authority of the international legal framework.
Which one of the following is correct?
With reference to the United Nations Security Council, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.All five permanent members hold veto power over substantive resolutions.
2.The Security Council can refer situations to the International Criminal Court even involving non-member states of the Rome Statute.
3.The Security Council can impose legally binding obligations on all UN member states.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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