There will be blood—but not necessarilyIf we judge his wartime book Peace through Law only by its cover, Schmittians and pseudo-realists would have us believe that what Kelsen has to say about world politics is no more than merely another liberal international lawyer’s dream—which is, of course, false. His scathing assessment of the Kellogg–Briand Pact shows his astute sense of realpolitik. Does he think that a world order of Rawlsian peoples creates perpetual peace? A pipe dream! Why not a w...

There will be blood—but not necessarilyIf we judge his wartime book Peace through Law only by its cover, Schmittians and pseudo-realists would have us believe that what Kelsen has to say about world politics is no more than merely another liberal international lawyer’s dream—which is, of course, false. His scathing assessment of the Kellogg–Briand Pact shows his astute sense of realpolitik. Does he think that a world order of Rawlsian peoples creates perpetual peace? A pipe dream! Why not a w...