HIS344Y1 Lecture 2: Lecture 2.doc
Document Summary
Every since 1648 (the treaty of westphalia) states recognize that national survival is the most important objective. 100 years later, the idea of the balance of power is brought forth: To guard against the hegemony of any one state. And becomes the most important concept in international relations up until. The purpose of the balance of power is not to avoid wars but to guard against the rise of a hegemon. In fact, war is part of the balance of power. The bop hasn"t always been effective: some states have always had advantages over others (nation states vs. empires) Come the french revolution, the rise of nationalism ensues. Nationalism and liberalism (or both) challenge the bop. 1805-1807, napoleon almost destroyed the european state system by harboring nationalism. Napoleon was the arbiter of europe; he had the power to destroy states, redefine borders, etc.
