The Territorial Integrity Norm: International Boundaries and the Use of Force

TLDR

Scholars note that although international boundaries have become less salient amid growing economic and social exchanges, coercive territorial revisionism has markedly declined over the past half century, indicating that states still attach significant importance to boundaries. The study traces states’ beliefs and practices regarding the use of force to alter boundaries from the Westphalian era to the end of World War II, examines the growing acceptance of the norm against coercive territorial revisionism since 1945, and analyzes the instrumental and ideational factors that have strengthened it among Western and developing countries. The author employs a historical analysis of state practices and normative developments to assess the evolution of the territorial integrity norm.

Abstract

Scholars and observers of the international system often comment on the decreasing importance of international boundaries as a result of the growth of international economic and social exchanges, economic liberalization, and international regimes. They generally fail to note, however, that coercive territorial revisionism has markedly declined over the past half century—a phenomenon that indicates that in certain ways states attach greater importance to boundaries in our present era. In this article I first trace states' beliefs and practices concerning the use of force to alter boundaries from the birth of the Westphalian order in the seventeenth century through the end of World War II. I then focus on the increasing acceptance of the norm against coercive territorial revisionism since 1945. Finally, I analyze those instrumental and ideational factors that have influenced the strengthening of the norm among both Western and developing countries.