The Threat of Force in International Law

Threats of force are a common feature of international politics, advocated by some as an economical guarantee against the outbreak of war and condemned by others as a recipe for war. Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter forbids states to use threats of force, yet the meaning of the prohibition is unclear. This book provides the first comprehensive appraisal of the no-threat principle: its origin, underlying rationale, theoretical implications, relevant jurisprudence, and how it has withstood the test of time from 1945 to the present. Based on a systematic evaluation of state and United Nations practices, the book identifies what constitutes a threat of force and when its use is justified under the United Nations Charter. In so doing, it relates the no-threat principle to important concepts of the twentieth century, such as deterrence, escalation, crisis management, and what has been aptly described as the 'diplomacy of violence'.

Author: Nikolas Stürchler
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 08/01/2009
Pages: 386
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9780521133616

About the Author
Stürchler, Nikolas: - Senior research fellow at the World Trade Institute and visiting lecturer in international and constitutional law at the University of Basel.