Question 1

According to many scholars, what is the central problem with international law?

Accepted Answer

The central problem with international law is enforcement. Unlike national laws, there is no global sovereign authority to enforce international laws consistently across all countries, making compliance often voluntary or reliant on diplomatic and economic pressures.

Question 2

What does the International Court of Justice consist of?

Accepted Answer

The International Court of Justice consists of 15 judges, but there is no rule that requires any of them to be from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Judges are elected regardless of their nationality, based on their qualifications.

Question 3

Which of the following theoretical frameworks argues that international law is heavily biased in favor of the powerful?

Accepted Answer

Economic Structuralism argues that international law and institutions are structured in a way that benefits the powerful and wealthy states, often at the expense of less powerful nations.

Question 4

What is the set of rules and obligations that states recognize as binding on each other called?

Accepted Answer

International law consists of rules and obligations that states recognize as binding upon themselves. These rules govern the relations between states and other entities with international legal personality.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best describes the powers of the General Assembly of the United Nations?

Accepted Answer

The General Assembly of the United Nations primarily serves as a deliberative body where each member state has equal representation. It can make recommendations, adopt resolutions on various global issues, and discuss matters within its competence. However, its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike those of the Security Council. The power to deploy peacekeeping forces and the veto power are specifically reserved for the Security Council, not the General Assembly.

Question 6

What of the following is true of cases in which the International Court of Justice has jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issues rulings that are considered final and binding on the parties involved, with no formal appeals process. This is a fundamental principle of the court's operation, ensuring that its decisions are definitive and contribute to the stability of international law.

Question 7

What was one of the first sources of international law that sought to regulate war?

Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church was one of the first sources of international law that sought to regulate war, particularly through the Just War Theory, which aimed to provide a moral framework for war, emphasizing the importance of fighting for a just cause and conducting war in a just manner.

Question 8

What did the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact seek to do?

Accepted Answer

The 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact, also known as the Pact of Paris, was an international agreement that sought to renounce war as an instrument of national policy. It aimed to prevent conflicts between countries by making war illegal as a means to resolve disputes or for territorial gain.

Question 9

Who wrote The Law of War and Peace , and sought to produce a systematic just war theory?

Accepted Answer

Hugo Grotius is known for his work "The Law of War and Peace" (De Jure Belli ac Pacis), where he sought to establish a comprehensive just war theory, laying the groundwork for international law.

Question 10

Aside from reasons of self-defense, what was the other rationale that the United States and Great Britain used to support their case for the invasion of Iraq in 2003?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Aside from reasons of self-defense, what was...

Question 11

Where is the International Court of Justice, unofficially referred to as World Court, based?

Accepted Answer

The International Court of Justice is based in The Hague, Netherlands.

Question 12

According to Grotius, which of the following is not a requirement for a war to be considered just?

Accepted Answer

Grotius, a foundational figure in international law, did not consider preemptive war as inherently justifiable under his criteria for just war. His framework emphasized just cause, proportionality, and the humane treatment of combatants and non-combatants, rather than preemptive actions.

Question 13

How did the Bush Administration argue that UN resolution 1441 supported the case for the invasion of Iraq?

Accepted Answer

The Bush Administration argued that UN resolution 1441, which warned of "serious consequences" if Iraq failed to comply with disarmament obligations, provided implicit authorization for the use of force, interpreting "serious consequences" as a justification for military action.

Question 14

The idea that rational inquiry could reveal to people what behaviors should be legal is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Natural law theory posits that certain rights or values are inherent by virtue of human nature and can be universally understood through human reason. This theory suggests that rational inquiry can help discern the laws that should govern human behavior, making "Natural law" the correct answer.

Question 15

The U.S. government's position that preventive war against potential nuclear proliferators was legal is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Bush Doctrine refers to a policy outlined by President George W. Bush, which argued that the United States had the right to secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups, including through preemptive strikes. This was particularly emphasized in the context of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Question 16

What was one of the first international treaties, which focused on the conduct of war, especially in terms of the treatment of prisoners, called?

Accepted Answer

The Geneva Convention was one of the first international treaties that focused on the conduct of war, including the treatment of prisoners, establishing important legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war.

Question 17

Which international treaty, that was signed by the major powers in 1925, banned biological and chemical weapons?

Accepted Answer

The Geneva Protocol, signed in 1925, specifically prohibited the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts.

Question 18

What convention against genocide was adopted by the international community following World War II?

Accepted Answer

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the international community following World War II as a response to the atrocities of the Holocaust and other acts of genocide, aiming to set a common standard of human rights for all people.

Question 19

What did the countries that signed the 1987 Montreal Protocol agree to?

Accepted Answer

The 1987 Montreal Protocol was an international agreement designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion, including the use of aerosol propellants.

Question 20

Which of the following is not listed as a major source of international law in Article 38 of the Charter of the International Court of Justice?

Accepted Answer

Article 38 of the Charter of the International Court of Justice lists international conventions, international custom, and the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations as major sources of international law, but it does not mention religious institutions as a source of international law.

Quiz 13: International Law, Norms, and Human Rights