From a 'Law of States' to a 'Law for People'

The institutionalisation and codification of international law over the past six decades in the areas of trade, environment, criminal justice and the law of the sea herald the start of the global age. However, the peace principle of such incipient globalisation is contradicted by the state-centric pursuit of public and private power that the international law principle of sovereignty justifies. International law, therefore, is still not global and will not be so until international law provides opportunities for the dialogue of polities, cultures, religions and civilisations. International law must move from a 'law of states' to a 'law for the people'.