The Most Significant Differences Betwee Modernnation States And Earlier Forms Of Political Community
The most significant differences between modern nation states
and earlier forms of political community ?
A watershed in International Relations occurred when the Westphalia Treaties came into being in 1648, marking the end of the Thirty Years war in Europe. The Peace of Westphalia is perhaps the most important benchmark in the formation of the modern territorial state' (Opello & Rosow 1999 ch4 pp70). These treaties brought about a new framework for inter-state relations within Europe, which brought with it a semblance of law and order which was recognized and acknowledged by all European states, the multinational treaties of Westphalia,-----came to be known as the public law of Europe' (Hinsley 1967 pp168). Thus an improved degree of stability and legitimacy became apparent in Europe and in time the primary consequences of the Westphalia Treaties, state sovereignty, precisely defined state territorial boundaries, and diminished religious dogmatism came to be accepted by nations outside of Europe and thus became truly international. European international law-----came to be applied around the world' (Jackson 1990 pp44).
Sovereignty
Heading the list of significant differences between modern nation states and earlier forms of political community must be the assertion of absolute sovereignty by the modern nation states. That assertion became recognized as legitimate by all other states.
The sovereign state concept within Europe came into being with the Westphalia treaties. The Peace of Westphalia recognized the principle of state sovereignty and enshrined the concept of secure and universally recognized state borders in law' (Opello & Rosow 1999 ch4 pp70). However together with the accompanying concept of defined and acknowledged territorial boundaries these new institutions were only fully assimilated over the next two hundred years.
The effectiveness and major strength of the concept of sovereignty lay...
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