A century of anarchy? War, normativity, and the birth of modern international order.

The article focuses on Hendrik Simon's examination of nineteenth-century discourses surrounding war and the legal justifications for its use by states. Simon argues against the prevailing belief in a free right to war (liberum ius ad bellum), asserting that states were compelled to justify their military actions and that this doctrine did not gain coherence until the late nineteenth century. He explores the historical context from the French Revolution through the Congress of Vienna and the unification of Germany and Italy, highlighting the influence of various legal and philosophical texts. Simon's analysis suggests that while norms surrounding war were often violated, they still held significant meaning and shaped international relations, challenging the notion of an anarchic European political landscape. [Extracted from the article]