On Faith in the Moral Force of International Law. Martin Wight and Hugo De Groot: Four Seminal Thinkers in International Theory. Machiavelli, Grotius, Kant, and Mazzini, by Martin Wight (A Review Essay)
Journal of the History of International Law, Volume 12, 2010, 329-346.
18 Pages Posted: 10 Mar 2016
Date Written: June 1, 2010
Abstract
The present essay arose out of my reading of Wight’s posthumously published lectures which aimed to see whether these would be suitable for teaching a course on the history and theory of international law. The essay then grew into a – modest – intervention in the current debate on Grotius and the Grotian tradition. Wight’s reading of Grotius yields a definition of the ‘Grotian heritage’; significantly different from Tuck’s interpretation, which has poignant relevance today in the light of unanswered questions on the relationship between morality and international law and on the responsibility of international lawyers.
Keywords: Grotius, Grotian tradition, The English School, International Law, International Relations
JEL Classification: K
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation