Introduction

Summary

Scholarly interest in the law of state responsibility has been on the rise during recent years, and increasingly so critical explorations. In contrast to much other literature this study adopts a comprehensive, critical approach to state responsibility in order to elicit discussions about state responsibility in the broader context of international responsibility. It explores the role and functions of state responsibility highlighting the fact that multiple purposes are ascribed to state responsibility ranging from its reparative function to the maintenance of world peace. It is argued that state responsibility no longer enjoys a unique position in international law and that its importance varies across the different branches of international law. International practice has developed away from one general law of wrongs. Specialized regimes have grown next to state responsibility that fare better in meeting the standard of functionality, which will be the basis for appraisal in this study.