Sovereignty, International Law, and the French Revolution (Studies in Legal History)

Description

Review 'When the right of peoples to self-determination creates an international law immediately to the advantage of the French Revolution and ultimately for our present world, a brilliant paradoxical book explaining how the French Revolution was a key experiment for our modernity.' Jean-Clément Martin, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne'Kolla's bold and thought-provoking study transforms our view of the French Revolution's importance for international law. Kolla persuasively argues for positive advances, rooted in the doctrine of popular sovereignty, and for an indirect 'ripple' effect which provided an important foundation for the decisive nineteenth-century advance in international law.' Hamish Scott, University of Oxford'Kolla makes a major contribution towards the development of modern international law. By combining political narratives with legal analysis he sheds new light on the impact of revolutionary ideas, in particular with relation to popular sovereignty, on international relations and their legal organization.' Randall C. H. Lesaffer, Tilburg Law School, The Netherlands'In this brilliant and thoughtful study of international law during the French Revolution, Kolla presents a fascinating history of the principle of national self-determination, as it developed over a century before Woodrow Wilson brought this idea to Versailles. Kolla's book will be of great interest to historians of modern Europe, political theorists, and legal scholars.' Dan Edelstein, Stanford University, California'This is a masterful history of the relationship of the French revolutionary period (undelineated here) to the development of the international legal principle of popular sovereignty … This book should be a standard reference in the history of international law. Essential.' S. R. Silverburg, Choice'Through case studies ranging from Corsica to the Netherlands, Kolla elucidates a thoughtful argument that combines a rigorous approach to international law with a well-crafted historical narrative. … Kolla has brought a fresh and nuanced perspective to the question of the impact of the French Revolution on diplomacy and international law. … Highly Recommended.' Joshua Meeks, H-Diplo'Kolla's well-researched and careful analysis of specific cases provides an excellent insight into how an idea of political legitimacy, fundamentally important to the modern world, evolved over a decade of conflict.' Richard Harding, H-France'[Makes] a convincing case for the relevance of the French Revolution because of its manifest inconsistencies and contradictions, not despite them.' Howard G. Brown, American Historical Review Book Description Of interest to both historians and legal scholars, this book shows how the choice of peoples themselves became a basis for the status of territory, instead of dynastic entitlement. This is a pre-history of national self-determination, one of the most important principles of the twentieth century. See all Product description