The Rights of War and Peace, Book 1 (Natural Law and Enlightenment Classics)

Since the nineteenth century, Hugo Grotius’s Rights of War and Peace has been the classic work in modern international law, laying the foundation for a universal code of law. Grotius’s continuing influence owed much to the eighteenth-century French editor Jean Barbeyrac, whose extensive commentary was standard in most editions, including the classic English one (1738), the basis for the Liberty Fund edition, which includes the Prolegomena to the first edition (1625); this document has never before been translated into English. Hugo Grotius (1583–1645) was a lawyer and legal theorist, diplomat and political philosopher, ecumenical activist and theologian. Richard Tuck is a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Professor of Government at Harvard University. Laying The Foundation For A Universal Code Of Law, This Is A Work In Modern Public International Law. It Was Considered To Be A Major Work Of Political Theory That Defended The Rights Of Individual Agents - States As Well As Private Persons - To Use Their Power To Secure Themselves And Their Property. V. 1: The Life Of Hugo Grotius -- Dedication -- The Preliminary Discourse -- What War Is, And What Right Is -- Whether It Is Ever Lawful To Make War -- The Division Of War Into Publick And Private; Together With An Explication Of The Supreme Power -- Of A War Made By Subjects Against Their Sovereigns -- Who May Lawfully Make War -- V. 2: Of The Causes Of War; And First Of The Defence Of Persons And Goods -- Of Things Which Belong In Common To All Men -- Of The Original Acquisition Of Things; Where Also Is Treated Of The Sea And Rivers -- Of A Thing Presumed To Be Quitted, And Of The Right Of Possession That Follows; And How Such Possession Differs From Usurpation And Prescription -- Of The Original Acquisition Of A Right Over Persons; Where Also Is Treated Of The Rights Of Parents: Of Marriages: Of Societies: Of The Right Over Subjects; And Over Slaves --^ Of An Acquisition (possession Or Purchase) Derived From A Man's Own Deed; Where Also Of The Alientation Of A Government, And Of The Things And Revenues That Belong To That Government -- Of An Acquisition Derived To One By Virtue Of Some Law; Where Also Of Succeeding To The Effects And Estate Of A Man Who Dies Without A Will -- Of Such Properties As Are Commonly Called Acquisitions By The Right Of Nations -- When Jurisdiction And Property Cease -- Of The Obligation That Arises From Property -- Of Promises -- Of Contracts -- Of An Oath -- Of The Promises, Contracts, And Oaths Of Those Who Have The Sovereign Power -- Of Publick Treaties As Well As Those That Are Made By The Sovereign Himself, As Those That Are Concluded Without His Order -- Of Interpretation, Or The Way Of Explaining The Sense Of A Promise Or Convention -- Of The Damage Done By An Injury, And Of The Obligation Thence Arising -- Of The Right Of Embassage -- Of The Right Of Burial -- Of Punishments --^ Of The Communication Of Punishments -- Of The Unjust Causes Of War -- Of The Dubious Causes Of War -- Exhortations Not Rashly To Engage In A War, Tho' For Just Reasons -- Of The Causes For Which War Is To Be Undertaken On The Account Of Others -- Of The Reasons That Justify Those Who, Under Another's Command, Engage In War -- V. 3: Certain General Rules, Showing What By The Law Of Nature Is Allowable In War, Where Also The Author Treats Of Deceit And Lying -- How Subjects Goods Are By The Law Of Nations Obligated For Their Princes Debts; Whre Also Of Reprisals -- Of A Just And Solemn War, According To The Right Of Nations, And Of The Declaration Of Such A War -- The Right Of Killing Enemies, And Exercising Other Violence On Their Person, In A Solemn War -- Of Wasting And Plundering -- Of The Rights To Things Taken In War -- Of The Rights Over Prisoners -- Of The Jurisdiction That Victors Gainover Those They Conquer -- Of The Right Of Postliminy --^ Some Advices Concerning What Is Done In An Unjust War -- The Right Of Killing In A Just War, Qualified -- The Right Of Wasting, And Such Other Violences, Qualified -- The Right Over Things Taken In War, Qualified -- Moderation In Regard To Prisoners -- Moderation In Obtaining Empire And Sovereignty -- Moderation Concerning Those Things Which By The Law Of Nations Have Not The Benefit Of Postliminy -- Of Neuters In War -- Of Private Actions In A Publick War -- Of Faith Between Enemies -- Of The Publick Faith By Which War Is Concluded; Where Also Of Treaties Of Peace, Of Lots, Of Set Combats, Of Arbitration, Of Surrenders, Of Hostages, And Of Pawns -- Of Faith During War, Where Of The Cessation Of Arms, Of Safe Conduct, And The Ransoming Of Prisoners -- Of The Faith Of Generals And Officers -- Of The Faith Of Promises Of Private Persons During The War -- Of Faith Tacitly Given -- The Conclusion, With Exhortations To Preserve Faith And Peace. Hugo Grotius ; Edited And With An Introduction By Richard Tuck ; From The Edition By Jean Barbeyrac. Major Legal And Political Works Of Hugo Grotius Includes Bibliographical References (p. 1763-1814) And Index.

Since the nineteenth century, Hugo Grotius’s Rights of War and Peace has been the classic work in modern international law, laying the foundation for a universal code of law. However, in the seventeeth century and during the Enlightenment, it was considered a major defense of the rights of states and private persons to use their power to secure themselves and their property.

Book I examines the question of whether any war is just and who may lawfully make war. The causes of war; the implications of contracts, oaths, and promises; and the moral strictures of punishments are the subjects of Book II. The third book discusses what is lawful in war, the various kinds of peace and agreements given, and the treatment and ransoming of prisoners.

The Liberty Fund edition is based on the classic English text of 1738, with extensive commentary by Jean  Barbeyrac. It also includes the Prolegomena to the first edition, a document never before translated into English.

Hugo Grotius is one of the most important thinkers in the early-modern period. A great humanistic polymath-lawyer and legal theorist, diplomat and political philosopher, ecumenical activist and theologian-his work was seminal for modern natural law and influenced the moral, political, legal, and theological thought of the Enlightenment, from Hobbes, Pufendorf, and Locke to Rousseau and Kant, as well as America’s Founding leaders.

Richard Tuck is a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Professor of Government at Harvard University.

Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History and Director of the Centre for Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England.

Since the nineteenth century, Hugo Grotiuss Rights of War and Peace has been the classic work in modern international law, laying the foundation for a universal code of law. However, in the seventeeth century and during the Enlightenment, it was considered a major defense of the rights of states and private persons to use their power to secure themselves and their property. Book I examines the question of whether any war is just and who may lawfully make war. The causes of war; the implications of contracts, oaths, and promises; and the moral strictures of punishments are the subjects of Book II. The third book discusses what is lawful in war, the various kinds of peace and agreements given, and the treatment and ransoming of prisoners. The Liberty Fund edition is based on the classic English text of 1738, with extensive commentary by Jean Barbeyrac. It also includes the Prolegomena to the first edition, a document never before translated into English. Hugo Grotius is one of the most important thinkers in the early-modern period. A great humanistic polymathlawyer and legal theorist, diplomat and political philosopher, ecumenical activist and theologianhis work was seminal for modern natural law and influenced the moral, political, legal, and theological thought of the Enlightenment, from Hobbes, Pufendorf, and Locke to Rousseau and Kant, as well as Americas Founding leaders. Richard Tuck is a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Professor of Government at Harvard University. Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History and Director of the Centre for Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England. "The Rights of War and Peace is the first fully historical account of the formative period of modern theories of international law. It sets the scene with an extensive history of the theory of international relations from antiquity down to the seventeenth century. Professor Tuck then examines the arguments over the moral basis for war and international aggression, and links the debates to the writings of the great political theorists such as Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Kant."--BOOK JACKET.