Emer de Vattel
Swiss jurist whose Law of Nations (1758) the founders cited on treaties, neutrality and sovereignty.
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Answers come only from his own recorded words, with every quotation checked against its source.
Who he was
Emer de Vattel was a Swiss jurist. His Law of Nations (1758) sets out the duties nations owe one another, and the law of war and neutrality.
Why he is at the Seat
Vattel is on the Lutz-based roster. He is the Seat's voice on treaties, neutrality and sovereignty between nations.
What we hold
- Editions
- The Law of Nations, Chitty edition (1852; scanned text)
- Size
- About 340,000 words. Word counts are whole files, so they include editors' headnotes and footnotes.
- Translation
- Anonymous English translation (1760, revised 1797), in Chitty's 1852 edition.
Known limits
- Only scanned text of the 1852 edition. The 1833 edition is facsimile-only and the 2008 edition is under copyright.
Questions he answers well
The questions his engine was tested on before it opened.
- What is the law of nations, and what do sovereign nations owe one another?
Published answers
- What does a nation owe to itself?
- How should a nation treat foreigners within its borders?
- What is a nation's right to its own constitution?
- What rights do ambassadors have?
- Are treaties binding, and when may they be broken?
- When may a nation go to war?
- What are the duties of neutral nations?
- What is the law of nations, and what do sovereign nations owe one another?
More in Prior Questions.