POL2 - Essay 1, Has the significance in the history of international relations of the Peace of Westphalia been exaggerated PDF

Preview

Summary

POL2 Essay 1, the significance in the history of international relations of the Peace of Westphalia been exaggerated? Will Popplewell The Peace of Westphalia, signed in 1648, is frequently claimed to have been a momentous occasion in the development of international relations. Indeed, many credit th...

Description

POL2-Essay1,“ Hast hesi gni ficancei nt hehi st or yofi nt er nat i onal r el at i onsoft hePeaceofWest phal i abeenexagger at ed?” Wi l l Poppl ewel l

ThePeac eofWest phal i a,s i gnedi n1648,i sf r equent l ycl ai medt ohav ebeenamoment ous occas i oni nt hedev el opmentofi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons.I ndeed,manycr edi tt hi scongr ess ashavi ngi nt r oducedt hefir sti deaofi nt er nat i onall awt oEur ope,orashavi ngt r ans f or med 1 t hei nt er nat i onal s oc i et yofEur opef r om anar chyt oor der .Thi sgr andi osevi ewhas ,how-

ev er ,beencont es t edbysome;i ti sal soar guedt hatt hePeaceofWest phal i awasnota s i gni ficantdev el opment ,byhi s t or i anss uc hasBeaul ac( 2000)andSi mms( 2011) ,andat bestanonl ysemi succes sf ul peacet r eat y .Iwoul dar guet hatWest phal i awasmor eofa c r y s t al l i sat i onoft hechangest hatwer eoc cur r i ngt hr oughoutt he17thCent ur y ,andbey ond. Ast hr oughmuc hofhi st or y ,gr adual changeswer er ecogni sedandens hr i nedi nonepar t i cul armoment ,wheni nr eal i t yt het r endshadbeendev el opi ngov erdecades,andev enc ent ur i es .

Themai nas pect swi t hwhi cht hePeaceofWest phal i awascr edi t edast r ans f or mi ngi nc l udet her ecogni t i onofsov er ei gns t at es,t hei mpl ement at i onofi nt er nat i onal l aw,andt he dev el opmentoft hepol i c yofnoni nt er v ent i on2.Fur t her mor e,t hePeaceofWest phal i aal l owedf ort hesaf et yofdi ffer entr el i gi onst oexi sti npeacewi t heac hot her ,r ecogni s i ngt hat Cat hol i ci sm wasnol ongert heonl yoffici al r el i gi oni nEur ope.Fi nal l y ,t hePeaceofWest phal i aal l egedl yest abl i s hedawor ki ngbal anc eofpoweranddet er r i ngahegemony ,byr educi ngt hei nfl uenceoft heHaps bur gEmpi r es,andst r engt heni ngt hewat chdogsofFr ance andSweden.Thesecl ai msar eal l atl eastpar t l yt r ue,i nsof arasar oundt het i meoft he PeaceofWest phal i a,1648,t hes et r endswer esur f aci ng;howev er ,wemustex ami net o whatex t entt heywer easar es ul toft hePeacei t sel f ,andhowf art heywer esi mpl yembodi edt her ei n.Fort hepur posesoft hi sessay ,Ishal l addr esst hei ssuesi nat hemat i cor der , asdes cr i bedabov e.

Thepr i nc i pl eofs ov er ei gnt ywasamaj ori s suei nEur opei nt he17t hCent ur y ,andWest phal i ai sof t endescr i bedasbei ngt hemomentwhenEur opeadopt edsai dpr i nc i pl een 1Hi l l ,Chr i s t opher ,2013.Hi s t or y-TheEv ol ut i onoft heI nt er nat i onalSy s t em.[ Lect ur et oBAHSPS,I nt er nat i onal Rel at i onsYear1] .Cambr i dgeUni v er s i t y ,22Oc t ober2013 2Hi l l ,Chr i s t opher ,2013.Hi s t or y-TheEv ol ut i onoft heI nt er nat i onalSy s t em.[ Lect ur et oBAHSPS,I nt er nat i onal Rel at i onsYear1] .Cambr i dgeUni v er s i t y ,22Oc t ober2013

masse.Whatwemustconsi derbef or eanal y si ngt hi s,i st heext entt owhi chst at eshadany s ov er ei gnt ybef or ehand.I nMedi ev alEur ope,mostst at esl i v edi nf earofi nt er di ct i on,meani ngt heywer eatt hemer c yoft hePopeandof t ent heHol yRomanEmpi r e.Fur t her mor e,a gr eatnumberofv assal st at esexi st edi nanet wor kofdependenc i es ,whi chmadei thar dt o di st i ngui s hbet weeni ndependent ,y etv assal ed,pr i nci pal i t i es,anddomi ni ons.Af t erWest phal i a,whi l stt hegr eatpower sdi dcont i nuei nt er f er i ngwi t heachot her ’ saffai r s,qui t edr amat i cal l yWi l l i am ofOr angewaspl acedupont heBr i t i sht hr onebyt heDut ch.I ndeed, t hr oughf ami l yc onnec t i onssev er al k eyfigur es ,most l yKi ngLoui sXI VofFr ance,pul l ed s t r i ngst hr oughoutal l oft heEur opeangr eatpower s3,cast i ngdoubtont henewf oundi ndependenceoft hes est at es .

Howev er ,whatonemustunder s t andi st hatgr eatpowermeddl i ngi snott heonl yi ndi cat or ofs ov er ei gnt y ,i ndeedIwoul dar guet hatduet ot hef ami l yt i esexi st i ngbet weent hev ar i ous Eur opeanmonar chi es,t hegr eatpower swoul dnat ur al l ybet hel astcount r i est oadopt s ov er ei gnt y .Rat her ,i fwecons i dert hemul t i t udeofpr i nc i pal i t i esandmi norpower st hatexi s t edi nEur opeatt het i me,wecanseet hatWest phal i apar t i cul ar l ybenefit t edt hem.The i ndependenceandneut r al i t yofSwi t z er l andi npar t i cul arwasr ec ogni sed,aswel l asi nc r easedsov er ei gnt yf orsmal l erpr i nci pal i t i esi ncl udi ngBav ar i aandBr emen4.ThusIwoul d ar guet hatwhi l st“ hegemonycont i nuedt obeani nt egr alandconst i t uentf eat ur eoft he 5 pr act i ceoft heEur opeans t at ess y st em” ,t her ec ogni t i onofi ndependencei nsmal l erpr i n-

c i pal i t i esr epr esent edast epf or war dsi ni nt er nat i onal r el at i onsdi r ect l yat t r i but abl et oWest phal i a.

Thedev el opmentofi nt er nat i onall awatWest phal i af ol l owsas i mi l arar gumenti nmyopi ni on.I nt hegr eyper i odbet weent hedec l i nei nt hei nfl uenceoft heVat i canandt heest ab6 l i shmentoft hePeaceofWest phal i a,i nt er nat i onall awdescendednear l yi nt o“ anar chy” .

Wi t houtt hegui dance,nomat t erhowbl unt ,ofChr i st endom’ sPope,t her ewasasev er edegr adi ngi nt her el at i ons hi psbet weencount r i es,andmor ei mpor t ant l y ,t heconv ent i ons whi c hgui dedt hei ri nt er act i ons.Thi si smostcl ear l yseeni nt he30Year sWar ,oneoft he 3Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 190 4Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 196 5Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 196 6Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 188

mostbr ut al anddest r uct i v ewar si nEur opeanhi st or y ;t hesav ager yofwhi chcoul dbe par t l yat t r i but ed,i nmyopi ni on,t ot hef adi ngoft heChr i st i anmor al sofAqui nasandsec ul ar i sat i onofwar .Thus,t hei mpl ement at i onofs omef or m ofi nt er nat i onal l awatt hePeac e ofWest phal i ar epr esent sasi gni fic antst epf or war ds .Thi swasnotar ev er sal t ot heMedi ev al obei sancet owar dst hePope,butani ns t i t ut i onal i sedembodi mentofi nt er nat i onal ar bi t r at i on7.Thefir s tev erf or mal r ecogni t i onoft hi sphenomenoni nt hear t i cl esoft hePeace ofWest phal i ai s,i nmyopi ni on,s uffici entevi dencet oshowt hatWest phal i adi di ndeed hav esomecont empor ar yi mpactuponi nt er nat i onall aw,andassuchi nt er nat i onalr el at i ons .

Li nk edt oi nt er nat i onal l awwast hedev el opmentofmoder ndi pl omac y .Whi l stdi pl omac y 8 hasexi s t edar guabl ys i ncet het i meofMachi av el l i ,at t empt swer eof t enspor adi candun-

s ophi st i cat ed.Per hapst hemostr ec ogni sabl es ys t em ofmoder ndi pl omacywasest abl i shedbyCar di nal deRi c hel i eu9,bef or et heest abl i shmentoft hePeaceofWest phal i a.By t het i meoft hePeaceofWest phal i a,di pl omac ywasaconceptf ami l i art omos tEur opean count r i es,y eti twasat ,andt hr ough,t hecongr esst hatt heydec i dedt oal l adoptsucha s y s t em t hemsel v es .Wat sonar guest hatdespi t eRi chel i eu’ sdev el opmentofhi sdi pl omat i c s er vi cesbef or eWes t phal i a,t hi si ni t sel fwasnotat r ul ydeci s i v emoment ,andt hatRi c hel i euact edasmor eofapr ecur sorf ort heWest phal i ans y st em10.Howev er ,onemus tacknowl edget hati nt hi scasei tseemsmor et hatt hePeaceofWest phal i awasi ncor por at i ng ot herpol i t i cal dev el opment st hanest abl i s hi ngi t sownf r om scr at ch.Ther ef or e,Iwoul dar guet hatwhi l stt hePeaceofWest phal i awass i gni fi canti ndi ssemi nat i ngsuchs y st ems,t he or i gi nal i t yofdi pl omacyi nEur opecannotbeat t r i but edt oWest phal i a.Rat her ,hi s t or i cal t r endsf r om asf arbackast he15t hCent ur ywer egat her edt oget heratt heconf er ence, whi c hr epr esent edamovef or war dsi nEur opeandi pl omac y11,butnotabr eakt hr ough.

Thei ssueofa‘ Eur opeani dent i t y’ hast hr eadedt hr oughEur opeanhi st or y ,undermany ames ,si nceatl eastt heRomant i mes ,whodi ffer ent i at edbet weenEur opeanandf or ei gn 7Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 188 8Hi l l ,Chr i st opher ,2013.Hi s t or y-TheEv ol ut i onoft heI nt er nat i onal Sy s t em.[ Lec t ur et oBAHSPS,I nt er nat i onal Rel at i onsYear1] .Cambr i dgeUni v er s i t y ,15Oc t ober2013 9Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoci et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.NewYor k: Rout l edge.p. 184 10Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoc i et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.New Yor k:Rout l edge.p. 184 11El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er si t yPr es s .p. 106

domi ni ons.Mor econc r et el y ,t hei deaof‘ Chr i s t endom’ dev el opedwi t ht headopt i onof Cat hol i ci sm t hr oughoutWest er nandCent r al Eur ope,expandi ngt oi nc l udewhi chev er count r i esadopt edt her el i gi on,i ncl udi ngwhenPol and‘ j oi ned’ i nt he11t hCent ur y .Howev er ,byt het i meoft hePeaceofWest phal i a,t hei nt egr i t yofaCat hol i cChr i st endom had s ev er el ydegr aded,andanewconceptwasemer gi ng.J us tasnat i onhoodwasdev el opi ng i napr emoder nsense,aspeopl el ook edt onat i onal i t yasadefi ni ngf act ori nt hei ri dent i t i es ,sowasani deaofEur opeani sm12.West phal i awasper hapst hemostconcr et eev ent dur i ngt hi sper i odwhi chc r y s t al l i sedt heawar enessofaEur opeani dent i t y ,per hapsgoi ng s of arast oi nt r oduceaEur opeansoci et y ;nomat t erhowmuc hEur opeanst at eshadbegunt ocol l abor at ewi t ht heOt t omanEmpi r ef orst r at egi cr easons,t heOt t omanswer enot i ncl udedi nanyoft hepr ocessess ur r oundi ngt hePeaceofWest phal i a13.Thus ,onecan per hapsar guet hatwhi l stWest phal i amayormaynothav ei nfl uencedt hef or mat i onofa Eur opeani dent i t y ,f orsuchat hi ngi sal mos ti mpos si bl et omeasur e,i tc er t ai nl yembodi ed i t ,andass uc hi sasi gni fi cantmomenti nt hehi s t or yofi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons .

Ast hePeac eofWest phal i ai ssonamed,i tcanbeas sumedt hatamaj orpar toft hecons t i t uentt r eat i eswasbas edar oundendi ngawar ,spec i fical l yt heThi r t yYear sWar .Whi l st t her ei snodoubtaboutwhet herornotWest phal i asuccessf ul l yendedt hi swar ,t hecl ai m t hati test abl i shedagener al Eur opeanpeac ei sunf ounded.I ndeed,Fr anceandSpai ncont i nuedt obeatwarf oraf ur t her11y ear s14,andt hegener als y s t em ofEur opeanr el at i ons r emai nedbel l i cos e.Fur t herdownt hel i ne,t he20t hCent ur ysawt heout br eakofmaj orconfl i ct swhi chr edefinedt hei deaofaGr eatWar .Thus ,onecannotar guet hatWest phal i aest abl i shedal ast i ngs y st em ofEur opeanpeace.Howev er ,El l i otar guest hatwar saf t erWest phal i awer e,f oratl eastt hr eecent ur i es,mor er egul at edandr est r ai ned15.TheThi r t yYear s Warwasapar t i cul ar l ybr ut al ,andaf t ert hePeaceofWest phal i aconfl i ct sofi t sl i k ewer e notseenagai nunt i l t heFi r stWor l dWar ,whi chi sar guabl yf arenoughaf t ert hePeacet o at t r i but ei t sc har ac t er i st i cst oot hercaus es .Ther ef or e,despi t et hel ackofaEur opean peacewhi chs t emmedf r om West phal i a,Iwoul dar guet hatt het r eat i esdi dmak eEur opea s af erandl essbr ut al pl ace,ev eni fwarcont i nuedi nsomef or ms.

12El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er s i t yPr ess .pp. 956 13Hi l l ,Chr i s t opher ,2013.Hi s t or y-TheEv ol ut i onoft heI nt er nat i onalSy s t em.[ Lec t ur et oBAHSPS,I nt er nat i onal Rel at i onsYear1] .Cambr i dgeUni v er s i t y ,22Oc t ober2013 14El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er si t yPr es s .p. 94 15El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er si t yPr es s .p. 106

Theeffect sofWest phal i auponr el i gi onmaynotbeast r ai ght f or war dsl i nkwi t hi t si mpact uponi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons;howev er ,wemustconsi dert hati nt hecent ur i esbef or et he PeaceCat hol i c i sm wasamaj orf or cef orPapal andI mper i al hegemony .Fur t her mor e,t he confli ct sbet weenPr ot est ant i sm andCat hol i c i s m wer eamaj ordi l emmai ni nt er nat i onalr el at i onsi nt he15t hand16t hcent ur i es .Thus,West phal i a’ st er msr egar di ngr el i gi onar eof 16 i mpor tt ot heeffect suponi nt er nat i onal r el at i on s .Per hapsmosts i gni ficant l y ,t hePeace

offici al l yr ec ogni sedt heequal i t yofPr ot es t ant i sm andCat hol i ci sm i nEur ope.Thi ssev er el y weak enedt hei nfl uenceoft hePopeandt heHol yRomanEmpi r e,andr educ edt hepr esenceofar el i gi oushegemony17.Thi si nt er pr et at i onmustbet emper edbyt hef actt hatr el i gi ousconfl i ct sandper secut i onscer t ai nl ycont i nuedi nEur ope,andonl yt he‘ l eas tobj ect i onabl e’ v er si onsofPr ot es t ant i sm wer ef ul l yaccept ed,Cal vi ni s m wass t i l lbar el yt ol er at ed, andot hermi nor i t yr el i gi onssuc hasJudai sm wer est i l l subj ec tt ogr eatdi sc r i mi nat i on18. Ther ef or e,whi l stIwoul dar guet hatt her el i gi ouseffect soft hePeaceofWest phal i awer e s i gni ficanti nt hedev el opmentofsec ul ari nt er nat i onal r el at i ons,i t si mpor t ancei nt hi saspecthasbeenex agger at ed.

Onet r endi nt heanal y s i soft hePeaceofWest phal i awhi chIhav eencount er ed,i st hear gumentt hatWes t phal i ai ni t sel fpr oduc ednonewdev el opment si ni nt er nat i onal r el at i ons ; 19 r at her ,i tenshr i nedt hem f ort hefir stt i mei nasetoft r eat i esobs er v edbyal l ofEur op e .I n-

deed,onei nt er pr et at i oni st hatt heonl y‘ r ev ol ut i onar y ’ aspec tofWest phal i awast hatt hes e hi st or i c al t r endswer eact ual l yputdowni nan‘ offici al doc ument ’ andr es pect edbyt hegr eat power s;t het er mst hems el v eswer eal r eadyi nmot i on,butWes t phal i a’ sact i onof“ codi f yi ng t hepr ocess ”r epr esent si ni t sel famaj orcont r i but i ont ot hehi s t or yofi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons20.Ther ef or e,onecoul dar guet hatWest phal i awasmor eofas ymbol i cev entt hanof r eali mpor t ance,y eti fweconsi dert hatel ement soft hePeaceofWest phal i aar est i l l t oday enshr i nedi nt heUNChar t er ,andot heri mpor t antdocument s,Iwoul dar guet hatt hel egi t i mi si ngoft hes ei deal satWest phal i awasi ndeedasi gni ficantev ent ,andofgr eati mpor t anc ei nt hehi s t or yofi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons.

16Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoc i et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.New Yor k:Rout l edge.p. 187 17El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er si t yPr es s .p. 95 18Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoc i et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.New Yor k:Rout l edge.p. 182 19Wat s on,Adam.1992,TheEv ol ut i onofI nt er nat i onalSoc i et y-ACompar at i v eHi s t or i c al Anal y s i s.New Yor k:Rout l edge.p. 195 20El l i ot t ,J . H.2009,Spai n,Eur ope,andt heWi derWor l d:15001800.London:Yal eUni v er si t yPr es s .p. 92

I nconc l usi on,Iwoul dar guet hatt hei mpor t anceoft hePeaceofWest phal i ai nt hehi st or y ofi nt er nat i onal r el at i onshasbeenex agger at ed,i nsof arast he‘ cl assi cal ’ i nt er pr et at i onsof West phal i aar eaccept edt obet hatWest phal i awast hepar adi gms hi f t i ngsetoft r eat i es whi c huni l at er al l yest abl i s hedEur opeasamoder ns y s t em ofsov er ei gnst at es .Howev er ,I woul dnotgos of arast oar guet hatt hePeaceofWest phal i awasanuni mpor t antev enti n t hehi st or yofi nt er nat i onal r el at i ons;whi l stWest phal i amaywel l hav esi mpl yr ender ed gr owi nghi st or i ct r endsasoffici al pol i ci es,t hi sact i oni ni t sel fi s,i nmyopi ni on,hi ghl ysi gni ficant .West phal i adi dhav esi gni fi canteffect supont hesov er ei gnt yofs mal l erst at es,and t hedev el opmentofaEur opeani dent i t y whi char ei nmyopi ni oni t smosti mpor t antcont r i but i onst oi nt er nat i onalr el at i ons ,andi ngener al i tr epr es ent sagr owi ngmov et owar dsi nt er nat i onall aw,i nt er nat i onal soc i et y ,andmoder ni nt er nat i onal r el at i ons ....