Aggression and Crimes Against Peace
Aggression and Crimes Against Peace by Larry May, published by Cambridge University Press on April 21, 2008, is the first edition of a comprehensive exploration into the philosophical and legal dimensions of war and conflict. This 368-page volume is the third in May’s trilogy, focusing on the normative foundations of the crime of aggression, which remains unprosecuted compared to crimes against humanity and war crimes. The book examines historical cases from the Nuremberg trials, philosophical discussions within the Just War tradition, and contemporary debates surrounding the International Criminal Court.
In this work, May presents a compelling argument that crimes of aggression, often referred to as crimes against peace, warrant international prosecution when one state impedes another’s capacity to uphold human rights. He challenges traditional interpretations of aggression, which typically view it as a mere violation of territorial sovereignty. By advocating for a shift in focus, May posits that charges of aggression should only be pursued in conjunction with serious human rights violations, thereby redefining the legal landscape of international accountability. This edition is a significant contribution to the fields of philosophy, political law, and ethics, offering readers a detailed analysis of the complexities surrounding aggression and its implications for global justice.
Official synopsis Publisher
In this volume, the third in his trilogy on the philosophical and legal aspects of war and conflict, Larry May locates a normative grounding for the crime of aggression-the only one of the three crimes charged at Nuremberg that is not currently being prosecuted-that is similar to that for crimes against humanity and war crimes. He considers cases from the Nuremberg trials, philosophical debates in the Just War tradition, and more recent debates about the International Criminal Court, as well as the hard cases of humanitarian intervention and terrorist aggression. May argues that crimes of aggression, sometimes called crimes against peace, deserve international prosecution when one State undermines the ability of another State to protect human rights. His thesis refutes the traditional understanding of aggression, which often has been interpreted as a crossing of borders by one sovereign state into another sovereign state. At Nuremberg, crimes against humanity charges were only pursued if the defendant also engaged in the crime of aggression. May argues for a reversal of this position, contending that aggression charges should be pursued only if the defendant’s acts involve serious human rights violations.
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