Abstract

TERZ, Panos  and  PASTRANA BUELVAS, Eduardo. INTERNATIONAL LAW AT THE DAWN OF XXI CENTURY, A SOCIOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. AD DEFENSIONEM IURIS INTER GENTES. Pap.polit. [online]. 2007, vol.12, n.2, pp.535-564. ISSN 0122-4409.

The existence of one single superpower, the United States of America (US), as actor within the international relations largely determines the unilateral and unipolar character of the present world order. The US thus destroy the the order of international law and try to impose their particular interests at the cost of other States. It is therefore necessary to create a political and diplomatic counterbalance. China, the European Union, Brasil, and also Russia may participate in the conformation of such a counterbalance, contributing to the emergence of a new international political order. Also, such a change of the power balance of the international system would contribute to the development of new mechanisms of cooperation between international actors. The concept of global governance could emerge as a viable alternative for the search of multilateral solutions to global problems of humankind.

Keywords : Character of international law; principal functions of international law; balance; counterweight; types of interest; balance of interests; new political international order; globalization; global governance; International law; International relations; Equilibrium (Economics).

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