Post-Westphalia Treaty Europe

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the concept of national sovereignty established by the Treaty of Westphalia has slowly but surely been replaced with one of supra-national organizations of various types, assuming both the authority and the responsibility for many tasks that were jealously guarded by the nations of Europe in the past. It examines the Treaty of Westphalia in light of these recent trends and illustrates how the actions of transnational organizations are Machiavellian in their very nature. The paper suggests that this represents a source of future conflict within Europe wherein only a supra-national body can apply effective governance.

Table of Contents:
Executive Summary
Review of the Literature
Treaty of Westphalia
Post-Modern Europe
Trans-Nationalism
Transnational Organisations
Essay
Introduction
Part One
Current European Political Climate
Pre-Westphalia Treaty Europe
European Spatial Development Perspective and the Issue of Polycentricism
Part Two
Three Types of Transnational Organizations
Transnational criminal/terrorist organizations
International non-governmental organizations
Part Three
Post-Westphalia Treaty Europe and Transnational Organisations
Summary

From the Paper:

"The research clearly showed that the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 represented a demarcation point in European history wherein the concept of national sovereignty was established only to be replaced over time by a number of historical transformations in international law that have profound implications for the European Union of the 21st century. Based on the foregoing, it is reasonable to conclude that the actions of TNOs are Machiavellian in their very nature and this represents a fundamental source of future conflict within Europe and creates an environment in which only supra-national bodies can apply and sustain effective governance."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alagappa, Muthiah and Takashi Inoguchi. International Security Management and the United Nations. New York: United Nations University Press, 1999.
• Albrechts, Louis, Patsy Healey and Klaus R. Kunzmann. (2003). "Strategic Spatial Planning and Regional Governance in Europe." Journal of the American Planning Association 69(2): 113.
• Bishop, Christopher W. (2003, March-April). "Citizen Diplomacy." Foreign Policy: 92.
• Black's Law Dictionary. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1990.
• Bondzi-Simpson, P. Ebow. Legal Relationships between Transnational Corporations and Host States. New York: Quorum Books, 1990

More papers on Post-Westphalia Treaty Europe:

• Research Paper # 56332 : "The U.S.A. and Post-WWII Europe"
• Essay # 5892 : "Executive-Legislative Relations in Post-Communist Europe"
• Essay # 2751 : "Post-Cold War Economic Integration"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: