The Economic Structure of the Law of International Organizations

Abstract

The essence of an international organization is the delegation of decision-making authority from individual states to the organization, which represents the collectivity of member states. The focus of this article is on the formal structure and function of international organizations, as distinct from international law per se. This article evaluates the reasons for creation of international organizations, as well as the reasons why particular structures of international organizations are utilized. It evaluates the relationship among assignment of subject matter authority, legislative capacity, adjudicative capacity, enforcement capacity, and membership. It examines how these features correspond to particular contexts of international cooperation.

Keywords: international organizations, international law, economic analysis of law, functionalism, legislation, adjudication, enforcement

JEL Classification: K33, L22