AN INTERNATIONAL RULE OF LAW?
Simon Chesterman*
The rule of law is almost universally supported at the national and international level.
The extraordinary support for the rule of law in theory, however, is possible only
because of widely divergent views of what it means in practice. Disparate national
traditions posed few problems while operating in parallel, but efforts to promote the
rule of law through international organizations have necessitated a reassessment of this
pluralism. This article proposes a core definition of the rule of law as a political ideal
and argues that its meaning at the international level will depend on that ideal being
seen as a means rather than an end, as serving a function rather than defining a status.
Such a vision of the rule of law more accurately reflects the development of the rule of
law in national jurisdictions and appropriately highlights the political work that must
be done if power is to be channeled through law.
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 2
I.
Evolution of the Rule of Law at the National Level............................................. 3
A. The Anglo-American Tradition........................................................................ 4
B. Continental Europe........................................................................................... 6
C. Other Approaches ............................................................................................. 8
D. A Core Definition ........................................................................................... 10
II. Promotion of the Rule of Law Through International Forums........................... 13
A. Human Rights ................................................................................................. 13
B. Development................................................................................................... 15
C. Peace and Security..............