In: Economics
1. The Treaties of Westphalia are often viewed as the beginning of modern international relations. Why are they a useful benchmark? What factors does this benchmark ignore?
Westphalia Treaty year ending the Thirty Years War. This
agreement marks the end of religious authority rule in Europe. The
Greek city-state system, the Roman Empire, and the Middle Ages are
each of the main innovations leading to the Westphalian order— it
embraced the concept of sovereignty, giving autonomy to all the
tiny nations in Central Europe.
had the authority, not a supernatural force, to choose the religion
of the land.
was a focus on the concept of territorial state and individuals accepted it as ordinary.
The treaties legitimized territories and states ' right to choose their religion as well as their national policies free from external pressures.
Westphalia's Treaties are an important benchmark in international history as they put an end to the rule of religious power that many countries have had and have been transformed into secular rule.
As Mingst points out in her book, this shift suggested an important motion in international relations as it enabled many countries to have their own power and independence.
However, this global relations transition benchmark ignores the important Thirty Years War that preceded the treaty's passage. Mingst points out that many lives have been lost in Europe and that this apparent division between two religious sects and the eventual passage of the Westphalia Treaty had triggered this