Impact Of Westphalia Treaty On The Evolution Of International System

Impact Of Westphalia Treaty On The Evolution Of International System

The thirty years war brought to an end with the signing of the Treaty Of Westphalia in 1648. The impacts of Westphalia Treaty On The Evolution Of International System cannot be over emphasized.

Impact Of Westphalia Treaty On The Evolution Of International System Are:

1. The Westphalia Settlement abolished the medieval structure in Europe and established the fundamental rules that will govern or regulate the conduct of regulations among states.

2. With the Westphalia treaty, Europe changed from a polity organized on the principle of hierarchy under the authority of religion to a formal anarchy; that is, to a set of independent political actors with equal legal standing, none under the authority of any other .

3. One of the remarkable impacts of the settlement was the idea of sovereign states. The treaty of Westphalia brought the idea of sovereign state to the modern international system.

4. The treaty legitimized a commonwealth of a sovereign states and marked the triumph of states in the control and conduct of their own affairs without external influence. The concept of sovereignty instituted by the Treaty of Westphalia became the hallmark of modern state.

5. It delimited the boundaries of sovereign states. When talking about how Westphalia treaty led to the evolution of modern international system, the fact that it delimited the boundaries of sovereign states cannot be forgotten.

6. Treaty of Westphalia established rules, regulations and set a standard for international relations.

However, with the settlement of 1648, frontiers of states were clearly drawn which gives to a state the power to conduct it political, economic and social affairs. It put an end to the idea of a single Christendom in Europe and as well as of the universal structure whether ecclesiastic or imperial.

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7. The treaty of Westphalia was the foundation of international law. The idea of international law was based on the idea that sovereign states can be obligated only through their consent. This principle is been taking for granted today. Before 1648, the sovereigns of the medieval Europe were bounded by the universal laws which regulated the conduct of relations during the medieval Christendom.

The universal law was derived from natural law and governed the activities of sovereign prices. Some Catholic thinkers condemned international law and see it as the idea of protestant handwork. But in all, international law became the major regulatory government in international relation.

8. With the settlement, sovereigns were liberated from the stronghold of the medieval structure. It led to the desolation of the Holy Roman Empire. The borderlands of the empire ceased to exist. This gradually marked the collapse of the medieval Christendom and the emergence of sovereign states in Europe.

9. The treaty also brought about the concept of religious tolerance. Before now, people were seen to one true faith, “The Roman Catholic Doctrine”. There was no religious liberty. It led to the right to join and practice any religion became granted.

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