International law is not usually considered to be real law. This statement is incorrect, but it relies on undeniable facts of international law that are not properly understood: international law does not have a centralized and effective legislative, judicial, or executive branch; international law benefits strong states more than it benefits weak states, and it is often violated without punishment for its violation.
The knowledge of international law is a combination of theorizing and idealism. Ignoring the specific features of international law has led to neglect of the practical workings of international law. Lawyers and professors usually explain and explain international law in the context of domestic legal doctrines, and this has left many questions in this field unanswered. How does international law come into being and change? How is the behavior of completely different states affected by it? When and why do states observe it? This article is a fundamental analysis aimed at explaining the practical workings of international law in a realistic way. Taking into account the realities of international relations, we will provide appropriate answers to these questions using a tool called rational choice theory.