• Read the article "Hugo Grotius: Early Thoughts on International Law" on page 475 in your textbook.
• After reading article make a response about this statement: Do you think there can be a moral purpose for war?

REFERENCE:

Chapter 16/ PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW P ersonal Viewpoint Hugo Grotius: Early Thoughts on International Law In 1625, Hugo de Groot or Grotius, a Dutch lawyer, historian, poet, and theologian, published De jure belli ac pacis Libri Tris (Three Books on the Law of War and Peace). Grotius (1583-1645) was the first modern writer to write on the laws of states. He lived during a period of seemingly endless wars between nation states in Europe. In his book he describes his great desire to see peace and securi- ty in the world community: I saw prevailing throughout the Christian world a licence in making war of which even barbarous nations should be ashamed; men resorting to Figure 16.4 Hugo Grotius produced the first com- arms for trivial or for no reasons at all, and when prehensive study of international law. arms were once taken up no reverence left for divine or human law, exactly as if a single edict interests of a broader community. This premise [order having the force of law] had released a imposed certain duties on the nations waging war: madness driving men to all kinds of crime. . Harm to people not taking part in the war To the scholar, there was a natural order, or was to be avoided. natural law, found only by looking to past laws of . Care was to be taken of those conquered on other nations and civilizations. Four principles the field of battle. formed the foundation of the law of nations: . Victory should not mean pillage and plunder; 1. Neither state nor individual may attack anoth- war is not a matter of revenge. er state or individual. Questions 2. Neither state nor individual may take what belongs to another state or individual. 1. Give a contemporary example of each of the 3. Neither state nor individual may disregard a four principles that Grotius states form the treaty or contract of another state or individual. foundation of the law of nations. 2 . 4. Neither state nor individual may commit a crime. Do you think there can be a moral purpose for war? Explain your answer. Grotius wrote that if wars were fought for a 3 . Do Grotius's duties on nations waging war moral purpose, then they were to be fought in the exist today? Explain. Nations are encouraged or persuaded to obey international law not because of the risk of legal sanctions, but because continued acceptance by the international community and participation in its activities serve the member nations' individual and community interests. For example, countries in which children are required or permitted to work under unacceptable conditions