ABSTRACT
If one takes a long view of our history as a species and as a gradually maturing global society, it becomes apparent that we are already building, brick-by-brick, law-by-law, and norm-by-norm, a growing body of what might be called "world-law-in-the-making" right before our unsuspecting eyes. International law is gradually procuring what the German legal philosopher Georg Jellinek called "praktische Geltung", practical validity. This is happening at the very same time as recent sustained and strenuous attacks upon international law by neo-conservative critics. Current international law and institutions are weak and ineffective, especially in the critical area of global security, they are growing stronger every day. This chapter provides a few examples of "stronger" international law are emblematic of the kinds of evolutionary changes that have taken place and will only continue to occur over time. And gradually the edifice of international law will become more and more impressive and gain greater acceptance.
