Plebiscites since the world war
Book • 1933
In 'Plebiscite Since the World War,' Sarah Wambaugh analyzes the successes and failures of plebiscites held in the aftermath of World War I and sets out a detailed list of procedural safeguards to improve their legitimacy.
The book compiles on-the-ground observations and legal-technical recommendations, emphasizing neutralization, international control, voter lists, and administration by impartial commissions.
Wambaugh intended the work to guide policymakers and international organizations in designing plebiscites that could withstand political pressures and coercion.
The book influenced interwar practice and later debates about international governance of disputed territories.
It remains an important historical source on the practical challenges of using popular votes for territorial settlement.
The book compiles on-the-ground observations and legal-technical recommendations, emphasizing neutralization, international control, voter lists, and administration by impartial commissions.
Wambaugh intended the work to guide policymakers and international organizations in designing plebiscites that could withstand political pressures and coercion.
The book influenced interwar practice and later debates about international governance of disputed territories.
It remains an important historical source on the practical challenges of using popular votes for territorial settlement.
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Mentioned by Andrew Park as Wambaugh's follow-up book where she set out 18 normative points for legitimate plebiscites.
Andrew Thomas Park, "Sarah Wambaugh and the Plebiscite: The Turbulent History of a Democratic Alternative to War" (Cambridge UP, 2026)
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Andrew Park
Andrew Thomas Park, "Sarah Wambaugh and the Plebiscite: The Turbulent History of a Democratic Alternative to War" (Cambridge UP, 2026)
