International law, or the law of nations, comprises custom­ary and treaty-based rules that ci­vilised states consider legally bind­ing in their interactions. Jurists have long debated whether inter­national law constitutes true law. However, international law lacks robust legislative authority and its judicial body has limited jurisdic­tion in resolving disputes between states. In response, delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco be­tween 25 April and 26 June 1945, resulting in the adoption of the United Nations Charter, which came into effect on 24 October 1945. These failures evoke comparisons to the League of Na­tions’ collapse, leading some to question whether international law truly holds the force of law.

Source: The Nation November 18, 2024 17:58 UTC