Aggression

Aggression

Summary of Aggression

Unlawful acts on the part of a state or group of states directed at coercing another state or undermining its sovereignty. Aggression cannot be defined precisely in legal terms suitable for universal use; however, aggressive behavior is defined in some international agreements. For example, the Charter of the Organization of American States defines aggression as “the use of coercive measures of an economic or political character to force the sovereign will of another State and obtain for it advantages of any kind.” Some acts generally denounced as aggression are unlawful confiscation of a nation’s property, arrest of its citizens, and interference with diplomatic personnel or premises; threats of attack or total destruction; support of internal subversives, revolutionaries, or rebels by a foreign power (such support may take the form of providing money, weapons, advisors, or sanctuary in the territory of the aggressor; undermining a nation’s economy by withholding trade or impeding trade with others, or debasement or corruption of a nation’s money; and the use of spies, saboteurs, or agents to infiltrate a nation or stimulate domestic unrest. A nation deemed to be engaged in aggression when it employs third-party surrogates to perform any act that would be aggressive if performed directly.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)

Definition of Aggression

Further Reading

Definition of Aggression

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Aggression :

According to the General Assembly Resolution (3314) on the Definition of Aggression 1975, the use of armed force by one state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of another state or in any way inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations. The Resolution lists examples of aggression, which include the following:

(1) Invasion, attack, military occupation, or annexation of the territory of any state by the armed forces of another state.

(2) Bombardment or the use of any weapons by a state against another state’s territory.

(3) Armed blockade by a state of another state’s ports or coasts.

(4) The use of a state’s armed forces in another state in breach of the terms of the agreement on which they were allowed into that state.

(5) Allowing one’s territory to be placed at the disposal of another state, to be used by that state for committing an act of aggression against a third state.

(6) Sending armed bands or guerrillas to carry out armed raids on another state that are grave enough to amount to any of the above acts.

The first use of armed force by a state in contravention of the UN Charter is prima facie evidence of aggression, although the final decision in such cases is left to the Security Council, who may also classify other acts as aggressio The Resolution declares that no consideration whatsoever can justify aggression, that territory cannot be acquired by acts of aggression, and that wars of aggression constitute a crime against international peace.

See also humanitarian intervention; martens clause; occupation; offences against international law and order; use of force; war; war crimes.

Aggression

Embracing mainstream international law, this section on aggression explores the context, history and effect of the area of the law covered here.

Description of Aggression

In this reference work, aggression is a sort of the International Law category.

Resources

See Also

  • War
  • War
  • War
  • Peace Preservation
  • Breach of the Peace
  • War Crimes
  • Peace

Resources

See Also

  • Un Charter Art
  • War
  • National Emergency
  • International Law
  • Resources

    Further Reading

    • The entry “aggression” in the Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (currently, the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 2009), Oxford University Press

    Comments

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *