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Vattel's Law of Nations (1758) |
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Semiquincentennial of the Publication
of Emer de Vattel's The Law of Nations (1758) |
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The Swiss juirist Emer
de Vattel (1714-1767) was one
of the foremost theorists of natural law in the 18th century. His writings
were widely read in the American colonies and had a profound impact
on the thinking of the framers of the American constitution. The
Law of Nations (1758) is a 2 volume work in which Vattel explores the
application of natural law to the conduct of states and sovereigns.
He discusses the rights of obligation of the state itself, those
of the sovereign power, the nature of good government, the right
of the people to secession or rebellion, and the proper relations
between sovereign states. The latter includes international commerce,
international legal agreements, and treaties.
[For further reading see the Laws
of War]
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