O ESTADO, SEGUNDO O DIREITO INTERNACIONAL

Abstract

This article attempts to sketch a program of studies for future works: it intends to draw criteria for  a  “General  Theory  of  State”  that  would  take  into  account  not  only  Constitutional  Law and/or  the  domestic  juridical-political  scenery,  but  International  Law  as  well.  As  a  rule, traditional studies of this kind consider the Statethe utmost human achievement and, as such, either  the  argument  would  contain  itself  inside  of  national  borders,  or  they  accept  the  idea that,  beyond  those  limits,  there  exists  a  Lawless  domain.  A  study  of  the  State,  from  the International  Law  perspective,  would  become  irrelevant  since  international  relations  cannot not engender a juridical order in the proper sense,because nations would strive in a true state of nature. Yet, these two opinions – the one that inadvertedly does not advance the argument beyond  national  borders,  and  the  other  chooses  the  same  alternative,  but  in  a  conscious manner  –  are  mistaken.  First,  International  Law   may  indeed  deliver  to  revisit  the  classic theory  of the three State elements, as recent  casesof succession of States suggest. Second, denying  the  juridical  essence  of  International  Law  implies  presupposing  a  conception  that Law cannot blossom without State.