Humanitarian Wars: A Realist Approach to a Liberal Cause

Abstract

This article argues that the defence of human rights is not only a grand endeavour by itself, but also a matter of national interest and the preservation of stability and the rule of law. Different arguments in favour of such an approach can be found amongst the mainstream paradigms of international relations, and a further legalist review offers more evidence on its validity. The necessity of humanitarian interventions led to their inclusion in the Chapter of the United Nations, and has since been a thorny issue in the international relations agenda. Nonetheless, in a highly interdependent and globalised world, the unequal distribution of peace entails the equal distribution of conflict. Thus, it is imperative for the international community to consider inter-national security as an inter-national public good.