Syriah or: Does Westphalian sovereignty since 1648 apply?

International relations theorists have identified several key principles of the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, which explain the Peace’s significance and its impact on the world today:

  • The principle of the sovereignty of states and the fundamental right of political self determination
  • The principle of legal equality between states
  • The principle of non-intervention of one state in the internal affairs of another state

These principles are shared by the “realist” international relations paradigm today, which explains why the system of states is referred to as “The Westphalian System”.

However, does this still apply after the learnings of WW II, the Jalta and Potsdam Conferences, later OSZE-Conferences, the founding of the Security Council of the United Nations? The European Union? Globalization? Which is the force that you support? The power that shares values and political system with yours? Or that is necessary in geopolitical powerplay? The side which you are economically dependent upon? How can states be separated politically when their are jointless connections in your logistic network? It can’t be. You are forced to interfer, which makes the world a much more uncomfortable place, a planet with more wars to foster a global economic system it seems. However, once you are economically strongly connected, there is almost nothing that allows you to fight a war – your systems will be streamlined.

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