Clark Ian. Legitimacy in International Society

Oxford University Press, 2005, 278 p.DescriptionPolicy makers and publics alike regularly debate the legitimacy of international events, such as the war on terror, or war in Iraq. But what exactly does legitimacy mean in an international setting? This major new work provides the first historically and theoretically grounded analysis of this critical issue in contemporary society. Drawing on both historical and recent events, Clark provides a lucid demonstration of how legitimacy is a highly political condition, related in complex ways to consensus, other values, and balances of power.Features- The first major historical and theoretical treatment of international legitimacy
- Deals with a topic of increasing international importance, given current legitimacy debates over issues such as the war in Iraq, and the post-September 11th war on terrorism
- Provides a historical context against which to examine some of the most pressing issues of our timeInternational Legitimacy
Part I: Historical International Society
Europe and the Scope of International Society
Westphalia: The Origins of International Legitimacy?
Utrecht: Consensus, Balance of Power, and Legitimacy
Revolutionary and Legitimate Orders: Revolution, War, and the Vienna Settlement
Versailles: The Making of an Illegitimate Order?
Legitimacy and the Dual Settlement of 1945
Part II: Contemporary International Society
Legitimacy after the Cold War
Legitimacy and Rightful Membership
Legitimacy and Consensus
Legitimacy and Norms
Legitimacy and Equilibrium