HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SYSTEM
This module examines the introductory aspect of the course. Being an eye-opener to the students on learning about the formation, nature, and trend of the international political system, the course will familiarize the students with ample information on the subject matter.
2. The Treaty of Westphalia (1648): Historical Events, Principles, and Resolutions
The Treaty of Westphalia, signed in 1648, marked one of the most transformative moments in European and global political history. Concluding the devastating Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) in the Holy Roman Empire and the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648) between Spain and the Dutch Republic, it not only ended one of Europe’s most catastrophic conflicts but also laid the foundation for the modern state system. The Peace of Westphalia was not a single treaty but a series of agreements—principally the Treaties of Münster and Osnabrück—that redefined sovereignty, religious coexistence, and international diplomacy.
The Treaty’s importance extends far beyond the cessation of hostilities. It institutionalized new principles of political order, including the sovereignty of states, legal equality among nations, and the non-interference in domestic affairs—concepts that continue to shape international relations today. To understand its significance, it is necessary to examine the historical context that gave rise to the Treaty, the complex negotiations that produced it, and the enduring principles and resolutions it established.