(A very brief) History of international law | LexIcon

The video introduces the topic of international law and outlines five historical periods that define its development: the Peace of Westphalia (1648), the end of World War I (1918), the end of World War II (1945), and the end of the Cold War (1990).

The Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War, is identified as the beginning of the modern international system. It established religious tolerance, a new balance of power in Europe, and introduced the concept of state sovereignty: the right to govern without outside interference.

This period is characterized by European superiority, colonialism where European nations dominated smaller states in Africa and Asia, and the pervasive influence of Christian faith on international laws.

The end of World War I in 1918 marked a turning point, with increased influence from the United States and the emergence of the Soviet Union. The League of Nations was established in 1920 to maintain international peace and security, promoting the idea of settling disputes without force and a shift towards multilateralism.

The failure of the League of Nations led to World War II. In 1945, the United Nations was established as its successor, with a strong commitment to preventing the use of force. It started with 50 members and now has 193, along with its judicial organ, the International Court of Justice.

The Cold War, starting around 1947, brought geopolitical tension between the US and the Soviet Union. This era also saw widespread decolonization, increasing the number of independent states, and the emergence of new international organizations like the European Coal and Steel Community and the Council of Europe.

The period from the end of the Cold War to the present is marked by a multitude of actors (states, organizations, individuals), a multipolar balance of power, and a shift from bilateralism to multilateralism. Regional problems are increasingly solved on a regional level, and new legal challenges like international terrorism, cyber security, and environmental issues have led to more specialized branches of law.