The Idea of International Society : Erasmus, Vitoria, Gentili and Grotius

The first comprehensive account of the initial development of the 'Grotian tradition' in international relations theory; relevant also to readers interested in the general history of political thought. The work is clearly structured by a rigorous concept of international society and written to be accessible to non-specialists.

This book offers the first comprehensive account and re-appraisal of the formative phase of what is often termed the ''Grotian tradition'' in international relations theory: the view that sovereign states are not free to act at will, but are akin to members of a society, bound by its norms. It examines the period from the later fifteenth to the mid-seventeenth centuries, focusing on four thinkers: Erasmus, Vitoria, Gentili and Grotius himself, and is structured by the author''s concept of international society. Erasmus'' views on international relations have been entirely neglected, but underlying his work is a consistent image of international society. The theologian Francisco de Vitoria concerns himself with its normative principles, the lawyer Alberico Gentili - unexpectedly, the central figure in the narrative - with its extensive practical applications. Grotius, however, does not re-affirm the concept, but wavers at crucial points. This book suggests that the Grotian tradition is a misnomer.