Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | International Law

International law is the law governing states and other participants in the international community. It is formed largely by agreement among the participants, especially states, to create rules applicable to their affairs and is born out of the necessity to coexist and cooperate.

History

In early human history, large families and tribes exchanged food, concluded alliances, and fought each other often according to a code of conduct. The creation of organized political entities in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Egypt and Babylon, but also on a smaller scale, Greek city-states, resulted in a comparable system, in more organized forms. In the absence of a central authority, rules governing such relations had a contractual nature, developing a real legal system based on treaties. In ancient India and in China, during certain periods, political...