And does it still work in the modern world?

The Sovereign State

This is the basic building block of international
relations, diplomacy, the UN etc.
But, its creation is part of a wider modernism in
which science developed, capitalism flourished, and
the modern state emerged.
It came as part of change in the world, not least the
expansion of Europe into the Spanish, Portuguese, and
later British, Dutch and other maritime states. This
created a new class of people through trade, and
brought great wealth.
Two types of system
So, we are looking at the evolution of two types of
system: (1) the system within sovereign states, (b) the
system that connects states, and both of these change
over time (think of the creation of the United
Nations).
So we have different ideologies that change the role of
the state relative to its citizens.
Then we have international organizations, regional
agreements, international law etc, that regulate the
way that countries work together.
The Treaty of Westfalia 1648
This is often quoted as the beginning of the modern
sovereign state.
Before this people really belonged to rulers and not to
places. In the feudal system they were assets
However, groups of people did have their own
languages, and places that they regarded as home
e.g. Scotland, Bulgariathough Bulgaria moved to
different locations.
In addition, the rulers of Europe came under the
control of the Church, many under Rome.
What did the Treaty Do?
It ended the Thirty-Years War, but looked for a new way
forward.
It arose from a new Europe in which Protestant countries,
following the Reformation, no longer recognized the
authority of the Church. These were mostly in N. Europe
and included England.
It introduced the idea of the Territory of the State being
fixed, and the state being more important than any
individual ruler.
It introduced the modern idea of international relations
The Westfalia Treaty
Three main principles came out of this with regard to
the political system:
The principle of the Sovereignty of States
The principle of the legal equality of states
The principle of non-intervention of states in other
states affairs.
These have become essential parts of the modern state
system and the way these states relate to each other. Of
course, they do not always follow these rules. These are
the basis of much of the United Nations.
But
The treaty did not create the Nation state.
Some of the states were nations, such as France; others
were mixtures of nations, such as the UK, and some were
empires like Austria. Some were not nations, like Belgium.
In the 19th century, the state and the nation began to merge
into one identity with the rise of nationalism.
This nationalism, as in Germany, created rivalries with
neighboring nations, like France.
Some countries, like Bulgaria, were totally locked out of
this process.
 The Treaty of Westfalia did not change this
map. What it did was to change the
of this mapparticularly in
Northern Europe, which had broken with the
It did not Catholic Church in Rome.

Have anything to do with the idea of democracy, which

had no part in the planning of the Treaty.
It was to establish the rights of states, however they
were governedand there were all sorts of different
political systems.
It made borders very important, and a source for
political rivalry.
Implications
The sovereignty of the Protestant states, particularly
the UK, which was not really involved in this Treaty,
created an environment which allowed the growth of:
Sciencewhich had challenged the Catholic view e.g.
Gallileo.
Capitalismwhich had been limited by the Catholic
Church not allowing lending for interest.
A new class of people: capitalists, merchants,
bourgeoisiethe main force for change later.
A more modern society not tied to the past.
Challenges
The state, as it emerged from Westfalia, is now
challenged by several forces:
Globalization, which needs larger players (perhaps),
but is not easily managed by 200+ sovereign states,
each with its own interests (Copenhagen Conference).
The European Union: Is it to be a new super-state, a
more conventional federal state, or some sort of
shared sovereignty?
Failed States, such as Somalia, turn sovereignty into a
threat. Should other states intervene? Afghanistan.
More challenges.
What happens when states misuse sovereigntylike
Rogue States? Iran and the nuclear question.
What do we do about non-sovereign states, that exist
and function? Transdniestria, North Cyprus.
What is the status of a state that only some countries
recognize? Kosovo.
Do we need some sort of sovereign power above states
to deal with global issues? Pandemics, Terrorism,
Climate Change?
Nations without sovereignty. The Kurds.