Development of International Law in the Western Hemisphere

It is almost axiomatic to say that any development of International Law in the Western Hemisphere must come as a development of the Monroe Doctrine—that all-elastic and heretofore unilateral policy of the United States of America towards Central and South America. This is because no major development of International Law is possible in the Western Hemisphere without the agreement or even leadership of the most powerful nation of that hemisphere. If the United States is to, lead, and past and present movements indicate this fact beyond question, its leadership has always been and is now being expressed in terms of the "Monroe Doctrine."