Describe in detail the three primary enforcement mechanisms for international law.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

One primary enforcement mechanism is national enforcement, in which states incorporate international law into their domestic legal systems. This allows for the enforcement of international law on a domestic scale, but only affects aspects of international law that states have chosen to uphold internally. A second enforcement mechanism is horizontal enforcement, in which states take it upon themselves to punish other states for violations of international law. Horizontal enforcement often involves economic sanctions or may include the threat of military force. A third major type of enforcement is vertical enforcement, in which states appeal to international organizations to resolve conflicts. Because of the anarchic nature of international relations, such international organizations are limited to issuing statements that condemn transgressing states and recommending the means by which such states should be punished. Even the largest of these bodies, the United Nations, relies on member states to agree to accept the terms of punishment. If a state does not agree to such terms, there is little an international organization can do to compel compliance.