Notable Quotable: Louis Henkin, 1917-2017
'Almost All Nations Observe Almost All Principles of International Law Almost All the Time'
Louis Henkin was diplomat, human rights advocate, and legal scholar in constitutional and international law. (born 1917-died 2010)
“Almost all nations observe almost all principles of international law and almost all of their obligations almost all of the time.” – Louis Henkin, in 1968 book How Nations Behave: Law and Foreign Policy
Louis Henkin argued in favor of a rules-based international system, saying it is easier and practical for nations to abide by international norms and laws because nation-states ultimately benefit from predictable relations.
