HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SYSTEM

2.6. Critiques and Modern Reinterpretations

Modern scholars have debated the extent to which Westphalia truly created the sovereign state system. Some argue that it was more of a gradual evolution than a revolutionary break. Others note that colonialism, imperialism, and global inequality contradicted the supposed equality of states. Nonetheless, the symbolic importance of Westphalia as the origin of the modern international order remains powerful.

In contemporary times, globalization, humanitarian intervention, and supranational institutions such as the European Union have challenged the absolute sovereignty envisioned in 1648. Yet, the principles of territorial integrity and non-interference continue to underpin international law and the United Nations framework, testifying to the Treaty’s enduring relevance.