Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-pvkqz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-01T05:58:31.656Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - The International Legal System as a Constitution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

By
Andreas L. Paulus
Edited by
Jeffrey L. Dunoff  and
Joel P. Trachtman
Jeffrey L. Dunoff
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia
Joel P. Trachtman
Affiliation:
Tufts University, Massachusetts
Get access

Summary

Introduction

Constitutionalism and Fragmentation of the International Legal System

International lawyers have often construed international constitutionalism as an offspring of the institutionalization of international law. An international constitutionalism would be able to draw the conclusion of the increasing institutionalization of the international realm by applying principles known from domestic constitutional law to the international system, resulting in a universal Kantian “state of law,” away from the “state of nature” or anarchy of international relations. In the same vein in which a constitution unifies the domestic polity in one legal superstructure, a developed, institutional reading of international law would unify the international community in a single coherent constitutional structure.

Today, this institutionalist reading of international law has fallen prey, in a certain regard, to its own success. While an increasing institutionalization and organization of international organization can hardly be doubted, the general impression is one of fragmentation rather than constitutionalization of the international legal system. In other words, the diverse and divergent institutions fail to come under a single scheme; rather, the systemic character of international law seems threatened by a multiplicity of international régimes without obvious coherence. The constitutionalization of partial régimes appears as antidote rather than confirmation of the constitutionalization of the international legal system as a whole. Calls for a true constitutionalism that would put the different subsystem into order confirm this intuition.

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Ruling the World?
Constitutionalism, International Law, and Global Governance
 , pp. 69 - 110
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Wendt, Alexander, Anarchy Is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics 46 Int'l Org.391 (1992)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koskenniemi, Martti & Leino, Paivi, Fragmentation of International Law: Postmodern Anxieties?, 15 Leiden J. Int'l L.553 (2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simma, Bruno & Pulkowski, Dirk, Of Planets and the Universe: Self-Contained Regimes in International Law, 17 Eur. J. Int'l L.483, 494–506 (2006)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diversity of Cacophony? New Sources of Norms in International Law, 25 Mich. J. Int'l L.845 (2004)
Trachtman, Joel P., The Constitutions of the WTO, 17 Eur. J. Int'l L.623, 645–46 (2006)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koskenniemi, Martti, Constitutionalism as Mindset: Reflections on Kantian Themes about International Law and Globalization, 8 Theoretical Inquiries in Law9 (2007)Google Scholar
Weiler, J. H. H. & Paulus, Andreas, The Structure of Change in International Law or Is There a Hierarchy of Norms in International Law? 8 Eur. J. Int'l L.545, 547 (1997)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kelsen, Hans, Rechtslehre, Reine. Einleitung in die rechtswissenschaftliche Problematik, 147–54 (Leipzig 1934)Google Scholar
Combacau, Jean, Le droit international: bric-à-brac ou système? 31 Archives de philosophie du droit85, 102–05 (1986)Google Scholar
Weil, Prosper, Towards Relative Normativity in International Law? 77 Am. J. Int'l L.413, 422–23 (1989)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, David, The Move to Institutions, 8 Cardozo L. Rev.841, 849 (1987)Google Scholar
Petersmann, Ernst-Ulrich, How to Reform the UN System? Constitutionalism, International Law, and International Organizations, 10 Leiden J. Int'l L.421 (1997)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fassbender, Bardo, The United Nations Charter as Constitution of the International Community, 36 Colum. J. Transnat'l L.529 (1998)Google Scholar
Simma, B., From Bilateralism to Community Interest in International Law, 250 Recueil des Cours217, 258et seq. (1994)Google Scholar
Kadelbach, S. & Kleinlein, T., International Law: A Constitution for Mankind? An Attempt at a Re-appraisal with an Analysis of Constitutional Principles, 50 German Y.B. Int'l L.303, 319 (2008)Google Scholar
Simma, Bruno, Comments on Global Governance, the United Nations, and the Place of Law, 9 Finnish Y.B. Int'l L.61, 65 (1998)Google Scholar
Paulus, Andreas L., The War against Iraq and the Future of International Law: Hegemony or Pluralism? 25 Mich. J. Int'l L.691 (2004)Google Scholar
Peerenbom, R., What's Wrong with Chinese Rights? Toward a Theory of Rights with Chinese Characteristics, 6 Harv. Hum. Rts. J.29 (1993)Google Scholar
Rogozin, Dmitry, Washington's Hypocrisy, Int'l Herald Trib., Aug. 18, 2008Google Scholar
Teubner, Gunther & Fischer-Lescano, Andreas, Regime-Collisions: The Vain Search for Legal Unity in the Fragmentation of Global Law, 25 Mich J. Int'l L.999, 1045 (2004)Google Scholar
Goldstein, Judith et al., Legalization and World Politics: A Special Issue of International Organization, 54 Int'l Org.385et seq. (2000)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weiler, J. H. H., The Geology of International Law, 64 Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht547 (2004)Google Scholar
Anderson, Kenneth, The Ottawa Convention Banning Landmines, the Role of International Non-Governmental Organizations and the Idea of International Civil Society, 11 Eur. J. Int'l L.91 (2000)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoppe, Carsten, Implementation of LaGrand and Avena in Germany and the United States: Exploring a Transatlantic Divide in Search of a Uniform Interpretation of Consular Rights, 18 Eur. J. Int'l L.317 (2007)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paulus, Andreas L., Comment to Andreas Fischer-Lescano & Gunther Teubner: The Legitimacy of International Law and the Role of the State, 25 Mich. J. Int'l L.1047, 1053 (2004)Google Scholar
Kingsbury, Benedict (ed.), The Proliferation of International Tribunals: Piecing Together the Puzzle, 31 N.Y.U J. Int'l L. & Pol.679 (1999)
Georgiev, D., To the Editor in Chief, 83 Am. J. Int'l L.551 (1989)Google Scholar
Paulus, Andreas L., Jus Cogens in a Time of Hegemony and Fragmentation – An Attempt at a Re-appraisal, 74 (3–4) Nordic J. Int'i L.297 (2005)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roach, and ,Pinkerton v. United States, Res. No. 3/1987, 8 Hum. Rts. L.J.353 (1987)Google Scholar
Franck, Thomas, The Emerging Right to Democratic Governance, 86 Am. J. Int'l L.46 (1992)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byers, Michael, Book Review (Orakelashvili, Peremptory Norms in International Law), 101 Am. J. Int'l L.913 (2007)Google Scholar
Orakhelashvili, Alexander, Letter to the Editors in Chief, 102 Am. J. Int'l L.309 (2008)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walter, C., Constitutionalizing (Inter)national Governance: Possibilities for and Limits to the Development of an International Constitutional Law, 44 German Y.B. Int'l L.170 (2001)Google Scholar
Peters, Anne, Compensatory Constitutionalism: The Function and Potential of Fundamental International Norms and Structures, 19 Leiden J. Int'l L.579 (2006)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benvenisti, Eyal, Reclaiming Democracy: The Strategic Uses of Foreign and International Law by National Courts, 102 Am. J. Int'l L.241 (2008)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benvenisti, Eyal, The Future of International Law Scholarship in Germany: The Tension between Interpretation and Change, 67 Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht585, 590–91 (2007)Google Scholar
Watts, S. A., The International Rule of Law, 36 German Y.B Int'l L.15, 21 (1993)Google Scholar
Kotzur, M., Soziales Völkerrecht für eine solidarische Völkergemeinschaft? 63 Juristenzeitung265 (2008)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hurrell, Andrew & Woods, Ngaire, Globalisation and Inequality, 24 Millennium447 (1995)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, Joshua & Sabel, Charles, Directly-Deliberative Polyarchy, 3 Eur. L.J.313 (1997)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bingham, Lord, The Rule of Law 66 Cambridge L.J.67 (2007)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slaughter, Anne Marie, A Global Community of Courts, 44 Harv. Int'l L.J.191 (2003)Google Scholar
Posner, Eric A. & Yoo, John C., Judicial Independence in International Tribunals, 93 Cal. L. Rev.1, 27 (2005)Google Scholar
Helfer, Laurence R. & Slaughter, Anne-Marie, Why States Create International Tribunals: A Response to Professors Posner and Yoo, 93 Cal. L. Rev.899, 905 (2005)Google Scholar
Talmon, Stefan, The Security Council as World Legislature, 99 Am. J. Int'l L.175 (2005)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnstone, Ian, Legislation and Adjudication in the UN Security Council: Bringing Down the Deliberative Deficit, 102 Am. J. Int'l L.275 (2008)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koskenniemi, Martti, The Police in the Temple. Order, Justice and the UN: A Dialectical View, 6 Eur. J. Int'l L.325 (1995)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zimmermann, Andreas & Elberling, Björn, Grenzen der Legislativbefugnisse des Sicherheitsrats, 52 Vereinte Nationen71 (2004)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fassbender, Bardo, Targeted Sanctions Imposed by the UN Security Council and Due Process Rights 3 Int'l Org. L. Rev.437 (2006)Google Scholar
Tesón, Fernando R., The Kantian Theory of International Law, 92 Colum. L. Rev.53 (1992)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fastenrath, Ulrich, Subsidiarität im Völkerrecht, 20 Rechtstheorie Beiheft475 (2002)Google Scholar
The Role of Domestic Law in Treaty Enforcement: A Comparative Study (Jinks, Derek & Sloss, David eds., Cambridge Univ. Press, 2009)
Tomuschat, C., Case Note (Kadi, Yusuf), 43 Common Mkt. L. Rev.537 (2006)Google Scholar
Milanovic, Marko & Papic, Tatjana, As Bad as It Gets: The European Court of Human Rights Behrami and Saramati Decision and General International Law, 58 Int'l Comp. L.Q. (2008)Google Scholar
Gattini, Andrea, Comment, 46 C.M.L. Rev.213–14, 226–27 (2009)Google Scholar
Halberstam, Daniel and Stein, Eric, The UN, the EU, and the King of Sweden, 46 C.M.L. Rev.13, 71–72 (2009)Google Scholar
Kunoy, Bjørn and Dawes, Anthony, Plate Tectonics in Luxembourg, 46 C.M.L. Rev.73, 103–04 (2009)Google Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge-org.demo.remotlog.com is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×