Political Science 2231E Lecture Notes - Ex Post Facto Law, Adolf Eichmann, United Nations Human Rights Council
9 Feb 2013
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Reflect the lack of a single sovereign authority or institution. No global legislative body to set laws. Commonplace and widespread adherence to unwritten rules of conduct. Can be considered binding, even to those who have not consented. Written and agreed-upon contracts to apply only to signatories. Need to be ratified domestically following harmonization of law. Law forms a framework for orderly conduct. Violation of law carries the possibility of sanctions or reprisals. Both domestic and international publics can hold states accountable. Grounded in the doctrine of natural law. Certain actions are universally understood by virtue of innate human reason. What is wrong is wrong in every situation because it is governed by a higher (supernatural) law. The doctrine of positives law hindered efforts to develop international law. Rights can only originate from human actions. No law in the absence of a sovereign authority to enforce. 1946 nuremberg trials focused on crimes against humanity.
