Latin America in the Beginning of the 20th Century: A Turn to Adjudication?

Abstract

The present study deals with the question of whether Latin American states turned towards adjudication and away from arbitration at the beginning of the 20th century. Little has been researched concerning the reasons why Latin American states had a friendly attitude towards this instrument to settle international disputes. This article shall endeavour to find out more about why this was the case. The research focuses on an analysis of the conduct of Latin American countries at the Second Hague Peace Conference and at the Washington Conference (both in 1907). Ensuing developments are taken into consideration as well in order to arrive at the following conclusion: Although the idea of international adjudication was very well received by the Latin American states, and although they were the first to introduce a regional international court of law, they did not turn away from arbitration but continued to use it – in particular in inter-American relations.