What is "international law"?

[Andrew NDB]

What is international law, and who decides what it is?

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by Government of Sweden

International law consists of rules and principles governing the relations and dealings of states and other international actors with each other. International law is primarily based on treaties (agreements) and customary law. International law requires respect for the Charter of the United Nations and for the principles of territorial integrity and the prohibition on the use of force. International law also includes rules about accountability for international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. International law includes human rights, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and treaty law.

https://www.government.se/government...rnational-law/

Originally Posted by Stockholm University

International law is a legal discipline and what might be described as the public part of international law. It consists of rules and principles that regulate how States, international organisations and certain other international actors cooperate and act towards each other.
International law may also affect companies, international organisations and individuals. Unlike national law, international law is a horizontal legal system in which the rules of law are created and enforced by the States themselves. This is done by the States giving their consent to be bound by a certain rule, usually in written form as a treaty (e.g. in agreements, conventions, or protocols), or through practice (referred to as customary international law). The starting point is that States are sovereign and legally equal to each other.

Research in this area is often interdisciplinary. Examples of obvious issues relevant for international law are how a state has the right to exercise power within its own territory, the extent to which the international community can control and interfere with how a state treats its inhabitants, and how a state can be held responsible under international law for an act or omission. Other issues may overlap with other areas of law, such as what rights and obligations a state has for oceans or the environment, or how individuals responsible for serious violations of international law can be brought to justice (procedural law and criminal law).

https://www.su.se/english/research/r...ernational-law

Are these definitions helpful to you? In a nutshell, international laws refers to the treaties between nations that regulate matters such as sovereignty, human rights and proper conduct in international conflict.

The reason that someone like Putin can be considered a wanted criminal, despite his actions being legal by the laws of the country he rules, is because they violate these international treaties. As an example, one of the conditions for Ukraine giving up the Soviet era nukes was for the Russian Federation to not invade Ukraine and respect the borders established in 1991, because Putin broke this formal agreement his invasion is considered illegal. Admittedly, it's hard to enforce such laws because there isn't such a thing as a world police, in the particular case of Putin he'd have to enter a country that agrees that he's a criminal and even then he still probably wouldn't be arrested because of the potential fallout of arresting an incumbent world leader. That said, even though it's hard to enforce, it's still good have such laws as a guideline for what not to do.

[Prowler]

Finishing high school and going to university could have prevented the creation of this thread.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by neatoman

Are these definitions helpful to you?

Originally Posted by Prowler

Finishing high school and going to university could have prevented the creation of this thread.

The hypothesis of both of these sentences is a fallacy. I am asking what is it... to YOU?

Since there appears to be a wide and strange opinion of the answer to the question at large. Though your kneejerk response is a bit telling.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The hypothesis of both of these sentences is a fallacy. I am asking what is it... to YOU?

Since there appears to be a wide and strange opinion of the answer to the question at large. Though your kneejerk response is a bit telling.

But that's a strange thing to ask. You're asking our personal opinion of what the definition of something that has defined rules and principles is. neatoman summed it up well. What else could international law be? What kind of "wide and strange opinions of the answer to the large" have you seen/heard?

If you had made a thread like this for democratic backsliding instead, then you'd possibly have a point.

[sdp]

what is international law

International law is the set of rules and principles that govern how countries (and, in some cases, organizations and individuals) interact with each other.

At a basic level, it exists to create order between states instead of everything being decided purely by power or force.

What it covers

Relations between states: diplomacy, treaties, borders, recognition of countries

Use of force and war: when force is allowed, laws of armed conflict, war crimes

Human rights: basic rights states are expected to respect

Trade and economics: international trade rules, sanctions, investment protections

Global commons: oceans, airspace, Antarctica, space, environment

Where it comes from
International law doesn’t come from a single “world government.” Its main sources are:

Treaties – written agreements between states (e.g., climate accords, trade agreements)

Customary international law – practices countries follow consistently because they believe they’re legally required

General legal principles – ideas common to many legal systems (good faith, responsibility)

Court decisions & legal scholarship – used to interpret the rules

Who it applies to

Primarily states

Also international organizations (UN, WTO, EU)

In limited cases, individuals (e.g., war crimes, genocide)

Enforcement (the weak point)
There’s no global police force. Enforcement relies on:

Diplomacy and pressure

Sanctions

International courts (like the International Court of Justice or International Criminal Court)

Power politics (which is why strong countries can sometimes ignore it)

Important limitation
International law only works as well as states are willing to follow it. That’s why critics say it’s “soft” or selectively enforced—yet it still shapes behavior more than people often realize.

If you want, I can explain:

How international law differs from domestic law

Whether it’s “real law” or just politics

A concrete example (war, trade, human rights)

would asking this question in a teenage mutant ninja turtles forum be a good idea?

Probably not—at least not if your goal is to get a serious or useful answer.

A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles forum is centered on fandom: characters, storylines, comics, movies, nostalgia. Asking “what is international law?” there would most likely get:

Joke or meme responses

Off-topic replies (“Ask Splinter,” “It’s whatever the Shredder says”)

Moderation issues for being unrelated

Or no engagement at all

That said, context matters. It could make sense if:

You tie it directly to TMNT (e.g., “How would international law apply if the TMNT crossed borders or fought in another country?”)

You’re clearly doing a fun thought experiment rather than seeking a definition

If you want:

A real explanation ? law, politics, or general Q&A spaces

A playful discussion ? fandom forum, but framed as a hypothetical or joke

So: as a straight question, it’s a bad fit. As a themed, creative prompt, it might work—but you’d be asking for entertainment, not accuracy.

[ToTheNines]

What is any law? A piece of paper you could wipe your ass with if you wanted to.

“Law” just comes down to who has the will and the means of enforcing it, and who is willing to ultimately submit and accept it.

Edit: thanks for the ChatGPT slop answer sdp haha

[FredWolfLeonardo]

International Law is when some countries are upset about what other countries are doing and try to get them to stop.

[triplexxx]

Originally Posted by neatoman

Admittedly, it's hard to enforce such laws because there isn't such a thing as a world police

There is Interpol, though it does have severe limitations.

[sdp]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The hypothesis of both of these sentences is a fallacy. I am asking what is it... to YOU?

Since there appears to be a wide and strange opinion of the answer to the question at large. Though your kneejerk response is a bit telling.

LOL "i'm smarter than you" GOTCHA you fell into my trap of answering my question when I already know what it means hahahaha those TMNT forum posters are so dumb