International Politics: International Agreements and Law

In order to make the global system less chaotic and unpredictable, states often make agreements with one another to modify their behavior. International agreements are treaties signed by a number of states that establish global rules of conduct. Some agreements focus on single issues, whereas others cover many areas. Theoretically, international agreements benefit the states that sign them. States that break these rules—sometimes called rogue states—are usually treated with wariness by the rest of the world.

Example: The United States has identified North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Cuba as rogue states because they have continually threatened international security by harboring terrorists and fostering the development of weapons of mass destruction. Afghanistan and Iraq were considered rogue states before the American invasions in the early twenty-first century. As soon as a state begins cooperating and participating in the international community, it loses its status as a rogue state. In 2002, the U.S. Department of State removed Libya from its list of rogue states after the Libyan government voluntarily agreed to renounce terrorism and violence.

International law is the collection of rules and regulations that have evolved over the past few centuries. These rules define the rights and obligations of states. Sometimes treaties codify and formalize international law, but just as often, international law arises from custom and habit. The International Court of Justice, in the Netherlands, is the judicial body of the United Nations and is responsible for resolving disputes among states.

Example: In 2006, the International Court of Justice heard testimony relating to a boundary dispute between Nicaragua and Colombia. Another case on its docket concerned charges of genocide brought by Bosnia against Serbia; in early 2007, the court ruled in favor of Bosnia, deciding that Serbia had failed to prevent genocide in Bosnia.

The Effectiveness of International Law

A key dispute among political scientists concerns the effectiveness of international law. Realists argue that because there is no international police force to enforce international law, the law has no real power. States only obey international law when it is in their interest to do so. Liberalists, however, dispute this idea, contending that there are real consequences to breaking international law—such as sanctions and even military occupation—and that international organizations have a measurable impact on global relations.

International Treaties

International treaties serve as an important part of international law. States sign treaties to end wars, protect their interests, and make international law. The treaties listed in the chart below have significantly contributed to the structure of the international systems.

significant international treaties
Treaty	Date Signed	Purpose/Effect
Sykes-Picot Agreement	1916	Set boundaries that still exist today for nations in the Middle East
Treaty of Versailles	1919	Ended World War I; its punitive treatment of Germany set the stage for World War II
Munich Agreement	1938	Gave the Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia) to Germany in exchange for a promise of no more expansion; its violation led to World War II
United Nations Charter	1945	Created the United Nations
Treaty	Date Signed	Purpose/Effect
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade	1947	Greatly reduced tariffs and boosted trade
North Atlantic Treaty	1949	Created the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance of Western powers dedicated to preventing communist expansion
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide	1951	Made genocide a crime punishable by the international community
Warsaw Pact	1955	The communist response to NATO; created an alliance of Eastern European communist states
International Atomic Energy Treaty	1957	Regulates the use of atomic energy
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty	1968	Made it illegal for states without atomic weapons to acquire them
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty	1972	Prevented the United States and the Soviet Union from developing antiballistic missiles
Camp David Accords	1978	A peace treaty between Egypt and Israel
Kyoto Protocol	2005	Regulates greenhouse emissions to reduce global warming