Charles de Visscher: Living and Thinking International Law

Joe Verhoeven

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Abstract

Theories and Realities in International Law is Charles De Visscher's best known book. Its very title makes clear that he was concerned with both the effective conditions of international relations and the requirements of legal theory. De Visscher was in fact originally mostly a practitioner of the law, becoming a member of the PCIJ in the late 1930s. This part of his career came to an end in 1952 when he was not re-elected to the ICJ. He then returned to the academic world. At nearly 70, he began writing and published several books, universally praised, directly benefiting from his exceptional knowledge of international life. His writings showed a clear dislike for formalistic constructions disconnected with realities; his preference was for a `method' over a doctrine or a theory and for moral standards over positivist requirements. Most of his writing is fascinating, despite the fact that it is often - which is no surprise - dated.

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