User:Boermaria

Dr. Count Albert Apponyi - 29. May 1846. Wien- 7. February 1933. Geneva
Apponyi's role in international affairs became important when he was appointed as the leader to the peace delegation to the Trianon and Geneva conferences.

ALBERT APPONYI: "About the Interparlamentarian Union and the Peace movement in General" - published in the periodical "HUNGARIAN CULTURE" a few monts prior World War I. in 2 editions (April 5th and 20th 1914.

"...the human conscience cannot tolerate that from time to time masses of people are led to attack each other for the purpose of killing one another. There is no justice in the decision of the raw power, which most often favors the most atrocious crimes against humankind in war as well as in duel."''

''"The idealistic and realistic interests demonstrate that there are both clear moral as well as economic arguments which demand a further evolution towards an international system of justice which would ultimately abolish war altogheter."  ''

"Before civilization, such as in the stone age, a raw power ruled between individuals and tribes, so that they were often killing and robbing each other. Social evolution brought an evident realization that the survival of mankind depends on peace and restraint from violence, all in factor with the continuous discretion of the individual instinct to strive for the better. The brilliant father could have an idiot or wild son, and with that the securit, of their livelihood was never certain. It is natural as time progressed and more personal stakes were involved such as life and wealth that the family became more public-oriented, and that people would strive to preserve their freedom, self-government and autonomy." "The situation of the international peace is in the same stage now as it was in the Stone Age: it all depends on the goo will of the individual to keep the peace. Nowadays, it depends on nthe goodwill and the wisdom of statesneb and diplomats who work tirelessly on keeping the prace. But we never kniow how long this good will triumph."'' pg.291.

"It is evident by this natural progression that instead of the precarious ceasefires of the Stone Age, we nowadays need an organized permanent institution for ensurring the peace."

In the meantime, a new movement started, what HUGO GROTIUS described in his work titled "De Jure Pacis Atque Belli", but this movement retained War as an institution. The international law in 1914 separates war and peace as institutions, and rules both as lawful. The conquered are at the mercy of the victor.

"When individual people unite, it tends to be a system of subordination where each person submits to the superiority of the leader. But the union of nations today, and in the foreseeable future, can be planned only as a voluntary coordination among equals."

Permanent international organizations were initiated already at the first peace conference in 1899 in Hague for the possible reduction of the excessive armaments which weigh upon all nations, and to revise existing principles on naval and land warfare.

"But because the union of nations based on the principals of voluntary coordination, the use of these institutions of peace can be only facultative."

Even in those times, already a lot of interstate contracts had been signed where certain nations agreed that in case of any dispute between their countries they would take matter in front of an international jury for decision, with the exeption of matters which violated the honor of their nation or caused an immediate threat to eheir existence.

"That this provision greatly reduces the effectiveness of the elected international jury goes without saying."

An additional problem was that the international peace treaty law was still very new, and the rules had many loopholes. It was very hard to make decisions based on them.

"One thing that is certain is that the international law will not be ablr to provide solutions to every conflict between nations. Individual nation laws cannot de that either."

"But the nations built on subordination can benefit from an additional institution overseeing and regulating, and following up on the law."

All this was impossible in an organization based on voluntary coordination, because it had no department which would enforce the law.

"Most of the international law is debatable. There are no sanctions. It's effectiveness is greatly dependent on the conscience, morality and wisdom of the leaders."

It was a horrifying thought. what would happen if under these circumstances, a world war breaks out? But millions were forced to think about this very soon. And not only to think, but to live thru a completely out of control, horrific war, which left people suffering even today from its aftereffects in Eastern Europe.--Boermaria (talk) 19:18, 25 January 2009 (UTC)