THE U.S. AND EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

This study examines the role of the United States in the evolution of international law between 1945 and 1991. The objective is to analyze how the United States contributed to the development of international legal institutions and norms while also demonstrating patterns of selective compliance with those same principles. The research adopts a qualitative and historical methodology based on documentary analysis of treaties, historical records, scholarly literature, and international legal decisions related to U.S. foreign policy and international law. The findings reveal that the United States played a significant role in establishing major international legal institutions and frameworks that shaped the modern global order. These include the creation of the United Nations, the establishment of the International Court of Justice, and the promotion of international human rights norms such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Through these initiatives, the United States contributed to the development of a rules-based international system aimed at promoting peace, justice, and cooperation among nations. However, U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War often prioritized geopolitical and national security interests over strict adherence to international law. Covert interventions, support for regime changes, and resistance to international legal judgments reflected selective compliance that sometimes weakened the authority and credibility of international legal institutions. The study concludes that although the United States was instrumental in shaping the post-war international legal order, its inconsistent application of international law created tensions within the global system and challenged the universality of legal norms. Recommendations include strengthening international institutions such as the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, promoting equal accountability for all states, encouraging multilateral cooperation through bodies like the United Nations General Assembly, and improving education and awareness of international legal principles to ensure a more credible, balanced, and effective international legal order.