The Future of International Law

The author surveys the historical roots and future prospects of law between states, distinguishing natural-law foundations from later positive developments and reviewing institutional innovations such as arbitration tribunals and Hague conferences. He outlines how the society of states might be gradually organized without creating a world-state, proposing a constitutional framework that preserves state sovereignty and formal equality while relying on courts and collective procedures to reduce war. Practical obstacles to international legislation and enforcement receive sustained attention, including divergent national interests, language and drafting difficulties, and the limits of existing judicial and diplomatic mechanisms.