The Role of Democracy in International Law

Dr. Adam Irish
Faculty, Political Science & Criminal Justice Department
CSU, Chico

Dr. Adam Irish explains how countries that can be defined as “democracies” exert both positive and negative effects on international law. The positive effects from democracies to international law include increased transparency, a role for human rights, and power/leadership that is not concentrated in one person. On the other hand, ratification of a treaty might be stalled by a country such as the United States, where treaties can be debated in Congress for a long time – and, ultimately, can be voted down. For example, the U.S. Congress never ratified the Kyoto environmental treaty.

Recorded: October 3, 2017