The slow erosion of international norms against territorial conquest
For centuries, taking land by force was a standard geopolitical tool. While modern laws now prohibit it, the norm is not disappearing overnight; it is being chipped away by small-scale annexations and unpunished aggressions that test the limits of global order.
Historically, conquest was a fundamental driver of human migration and civilization building. From the Roman Republic to the Achaemenid Empire, military expansion was often fueled by agricultural advancements. These improvements allowed for a division of labor that supported professional militaries and sophisticated technology, making large-scale warfare more destructive as populations grew and political hierarchies solidified.
The mechanisms of conquest have varied significantly beyond mere violence. The Ottoman Empire, for instance, utilized a method of gradual, non-military conquest. Systematized by scholar Halil İnalcık, this involved establishing suzerainty over neighbors and displacing ruling dynasties through bureaucratic means like population registers and the feudal timar system. This process favored slow assimilation over violent revolution.
In the modern era, the international community codified prohibitions against conquest following World War I and World War II. However, scholars note that while large-scale land grabs remain rare, states continue to pursue small annexations. The 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of parts of four southeast Ukrainian oblasts serve as contemporary examples of these illegal acts.
The danger lies in the 'murky jurisdictions' where small-scale attacks occur with little international response. As noted by Tanisha Fazal, if aggressors go unpunished for minor territorial claims, the broader web of international rules may begin to unravel. This gradual decay suggests that while the norm against conquest is still active, it faces a persistent threat from low-intensity violations.
Source: Conquest
