Hume’s Dynamic Coordination and International Law

Abstract

Abstract At the heart of the tension between state autonomy and international law is the question of whether states should willingly restrict their freedom of action for the sake of international security, human rights, trade, communication, and the environment. David Hume offers surprising insights to answer this question. He argued that the same interests in cooperation arise among individuals and states, and that their interactions should be regulated by the same principles. Drawing on his model of dynamic coordination, the chapter reconstructs the Humean case for developing international law into a more robust legal system, and also highlights the limitation of Hume’s account of justice for such a reconstructive project. Hume’s lessons are enduring: the community of states must strengthen the essential features of international law, such as nonoptional rules that articulate a moral minimum, courts with compulsory jurisdiction, and stronger mechanisms of enforcement.