THE CRISIS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW: A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN

Abstract

International law is facing a multi-faceted crisis, not of existence but of efficacy, legitimacy, and adaptation. This crisis is driven by the resurgence of great power politics, the rise of sophisticated non-state actors, and the increasing inadequacy of the state-centric Westphalian paradigm in a deeply interconnected world. This article analyzes the primary drivers of this crisis, examining the threats they pose to the global legal order, such as the paralysis of collective security mechanisms and the erosion of foundational norms. It argues that while the system’s weaknesses are starkly exposed in moments of geopolitical conflict, its prospects for the future lie in the countervailing trends of increased reliance on international judicial mechanisms and the slow, functional evolution toward a legal order better equipped to manage the challenges of global interdependence.