Accounting for the absence of the rule of law

In considering how to strengthen the rule of law (ROL) through the United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC), it may be helpful to begin with a definition of the ROL. Numerous definitions exist and these are oftentimes characterised as either ‘thick’ or ‘thin’ conceptions of the ROL, with thick definitions encompassing broader substantive conceptions of justice, such as consistency with human rights or other ethical standards, and thin understandings delineating a more basic, formal, narrower notion. ¹ This chapter utilises the concept in the thinner sense, understanding the ROL as that which asks that all entities, including states and international organisations, remain accountable to laws that are publicly known. ² The ROL, even when defined narrowly as in this chapter, is beneficial because it creates order and predictability and ensures equal treatment, thereby helping to guard against abuses of power and protect the weak from the strong.