The Idea of International Society: Erasmus, Vitoria, Gentili and Grotius

This book offers the first comprehensive account and re-appraisal of the formative phase of what is often termed the 'Grotian tradition' in international relations theory: the view that sovereign states are not free to act at will, but are akin to members of a society, bound by its norms. It examines the period from the later fifteenth to the mid-seventeenth centuries, focusing on four thinkers: Erasmus, Vitoria, Gentili and Grotius himself, and is structured by the author's concept of international society. Erasmus' views on international relations have been entirely neglected, but underlying his work is a consistent image of international society. The theologian Francisco de Vitoria concerns himself with its normative principles, the lawyer Alberico Gentili - unexpectedly, the central figure in the narrative - with its extensive practical applications. Grotius, however, does not re-affirm the concept, but wavers at crucial points. This book suggests that the Grotian tradition is a misnomer. INDICE: 1. Three ways of thinking about international relations; 2. Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam; 3. Francisco de Vitoria; 4. Alberico Gentili; 5. Hugo Grotius; 6. Conclusion.

• ISBN: 978-1-108-40463-1
• Editorial: Cambridge University Press
• Encuadernacion: Rústica
• Páginas: 265
• Fecha Publicación: 23/01/2020
• Nº Volúmenes: 1
• Idioma: Inglés