THE WESTPHALIAN SYSTEM OF STATES

Historical Atlas of Europe: The Development of Europe's modern states 1648-2001
(series of maps that show the evolution of the European state system over time)

OVERVIEW OF THE "WESTPHALIAN SETTLEMENT"

see Treaty ofWestphalia, October 24, 1648 for the actual text of the treaty online

This is the settlement that ended the "Thirty Years War" and resulted in the unintended emergence of the European states system.It represented a "stalemate" among the powers of Europe and resulted in the advent of the institutions of anarchy and state sovereignty.

States recognized each other's independence in theory (but not always in practice: many states would not survive the next centuries)

It legitimized a patchwork quilt of independences in Europe

Principle of internal sovereignty
(based on the dynastic principle of hereditary sovereignty -- not the mass popular national-states of today)

Beginnings of a new concept of international law and diplomacy

"Raison d'etat" (reason of state) replaces religion as the determining principle of alliances between European princes
thus: primary loyalty to the state (and later, the nation)

FRANCE under Louis XIV (1661-1714) becomes the dominant power in Europe
-this leads to French dominance in diplomacy and the rise of French as the international language

DUTCH ECONOMIC POWER prevails in the 1600s (Westphalia is a 'dutch creation' in many ways: thus, Grotius and the legacy of international law)

ENGLAND becomes the rising center of science, finance, and maritime skills and will ultimately fight both the Dutch and the French for supremacy

(SPAIN eventually squanders its wealth from the New World and declines in power)

Drives toward hegemony in practice despite the anti-hegemonial legitimacy established by the Westphalian agreement
MAJOR SETTLEMENTS IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE STATES SYSTEM:
  • 1648: Treaty of Westphalia
  • 1713: Treaty of Utrecht
  • 1815: Congress of Vienna
  • 1919: Versailles Peace Conference (WWI)
  • 1945: Allied Victory of World War Two
  • 1989: end of the Cold War

MAP OF EUROPE IN 1648