THE PROBLEM OF THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA
Abstract
This article examines the structural and normative barriers to the implementation of democracy and the law at the global level through the lens of the natural law approach, ethical universalism, and human rights doctrine. Although the contemporary global order formally recognizes democracy, human freedoms, and the law as universal benchmarks, their practical application rebases deeply constrained by sovereignty, power asymmetries, and geopolitical interests. The article argues that this gap between normativity and practice does not stem solely from deficiencies in enforcement mechanisms, but rather reflects a deeper ontological tension between moral universalism and the positivist foundations of international law. While natural law grounds legal validity in moral correctness and ethical rationality, ethical universalism asserts the equal moral worth of all persons, thereby demanding universal standards of political legitimacy. Human rights doctrine institutionalizes these claims within contemporary legal frameworks. Yet, selective application and instrumentalization of these norms undermine their legitimacy and erode the moral foundations of the global legal order. This study argues that overcoming the crisis requires not only institutional reforms but also a radical rethinking of the ethical foundations of international law.
Keywords
References
- Akhavan P, ‘Beyond Impunity: Can International Criminal Justice Prevent Future Atrocities?’ (2001) 95 American Journal of International Law 7 https://doi.org/10.2307/2642034
- Archibugi D, ‘Principles of Cosmopolitan Democracy’ in D Held, D Archibugi and M Köhler (eds), Re-imagining Political Community (Cambridge University Press 1998) 198
- Aslan Ö, ‘Anayasal Devlet İlkesi Bağlamında İnsan Hakları ile Güvenlik Arasındaki Denge’ (2026) 23 Ombudsman Akademik 237 https://doi:10.32002/ombudsmanakademik.1767148
- Buchanan A, Justice, Legitimacy, and Self-Determination: Moral Foundations for International Law (OUP 2003) https://doi.org/10.1093/0198295359.001.0001
- Chandler D, International Statebuilding: The Rise of Post-Liberal Governance (Routledge 2010)
- Charter of the United Nations (26 June 1945) arts 1, 2, 55 https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text accessed15 April 2026
- Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (adopted 9 December 1948, entered into force 12 January 1951) 78 UNTS 277 https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide-convention.shtml accessed 15 April 2026
- Deng FM, Kimaro S, Lyons T, Rothchild D and Zartman IW, Sovereignty as Responsibility: Conflict Management in Africa (Brookings Institution Press 1996)
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Law in Context (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Zübeyr Şakar
*
0000-0003-3220-094X
Türkiye
Publication Date
July 31, 2026
Submission Date
February 26, 2026
Acceptance Date
July 20, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Number: 32