3 - History of Global State System

Summary

This video script delves into the history of international relations, contrasting it with modern practices. It highlights the East Asian region's cenocentric regional order, where China was the center, and the Greek city-state system, which formed alliances against the Persian Empire. The Ottoman Empire's division of the world into spheres of war and peace is also discussed. The script emphasizes the Holy Roman Empire's influence on the Westphalian nation-state system, which emerged from the Thirty Years' War and the Treaty of Westphalia, establishing the principle of non-intervention in domestic affairs and co-equality among nations.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The history of international relations is divided into two periods: the pre-colonial era and the post-colonial era.
• 📚 The pre-colonial era is further divided into different civilizational groups with distinct approaches to international relations.
• 🇨🇳 In East Asia, the Chinese empire was considered the center of civilization, with a system known as the Tianxia or the sino-centric regional order.
• 🌏 The sino-centric order categorized regions into concentric circles with China at the center and 'barbarians' at the periphery.
• 🏰 The Greek city-state system was distinct from the modern nation-state system, with city-states forming alliances based on historical context rather than competition.
• 🕌 The Ottoman Empire viewed the world differently, distinguishing between the 'sphere of Islam' (Dar al-Islam) and the 'sphere of war' (Dar al-Harb).
• 🏛️ The Holy Roman Empire had a different structure from the Westphalian nation-state system, with a central authority having influence over subordinate kingdoms.
• 🔄 The Treaty of Westphalia marked a shift towards secularism and the concept of nation-states being co-equal and non-interventionist.
• 🗺️ Post-Westphalia, European nations established clear boundaries and territories, moving away from the free movement of people characteristic of agricultural societies.
• 🚀 European nations' expansion beyond their continent was partly driven by the need to sustain their operations and expeditions within Europe.

Q & A

What are the two periods the history of international relations is divided into according to the script?

The history of international relations is divided into the 'previous failure period' and the 'posters valiant period'.

What is the term used to describe the division of the East Asian region before European colonization?

The division of the East Asian region is called the 'cenocentric regional order' or 'confusion hierarchy'.

What does the term 'Tianxia' signify in the context of the Chinese empire?

The term 'Tianxia' means 'all under heaven' and signifies that the Chinese empire considered itself as the center of the world.

How did the Chinese empire view nations that were geographically farther away?

The Chinese empire viewed nations that were farther away as more 'barbaric', considering them less civilized.

What was the tributary state system imposed by the Chinese empire?

The tributary state system was a system where as long as a kingdom gave annual tribute to the Chinese empire, it could govern itself without interference from China.

How did the Greek city-state system differ from the modern nation-state system?

The Greek city-state system was characterized by alliances formed to address specific historical contexts, such as the threat from the Persian empire, rather than competition among equals.

What was the Ottoman empire's view on the division of the world?

The Ottoman empire viewed the world as divided into 'Dar al-Islam' (sphere of peace) for Muslim nations and 'Dar al-Harb' (sphere of war) for non-Muslim nations.

How did the Holy Roman Empire differ from the Westphalian nation-state system?

The Holy Roman Empire was an empire with a central authority that could intervene in the domestic affairs of subordinate kingdoms, unlike the Westphalian system which emphasized equality and non-interference among nation-states.

What was the significance of the Treaty of Westphalia in shaping the modern international relations?

The Treaty of Westphalia established the principle of 'cuius regio, eius religio', granting religious freedom determined by the ruler, and recognized the sovereignty and equality of European nation-states, prohibiting interference in each other's domestic affairs.

What was the role of Martin Luther's protest in the development of the Westphalian nation-state system?

Martin Luther's protest against the Pope's authority led to the politicization of religious dissent, contributing to the Thirty Years' War and ultimately the Treaty of Westphalia, which laid the foundations for the modern system of nation-states.

How did the concept of 'civilization' differ in the pre-colonial East Asian region compared to the West?

In the pre-colonial East Asian region, civilization was perceived in concentric circles with China at the center, while in the West, the concept of civilization was more egalitarian and did not inherently rank nations based on their proximity to a perceived center.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Historical Overview of International Relations

The video discusses the history of international relations, divided into two periods: the pre-colonial era and the post-colonial era. The presenter emphasizes the differences in international relations before European colonization. The East Asian region is highlighted, where China was at the center of a concentric regional order, known as the 'centric circus' or 'cenocentric regional order'. This system was based on the belief that China was the center of civilization, with other regions being considered more 'barbaric' the further they were from China. This system contrasts with the modern nation-state system, where nations are considered equal.

05:01

🏰 Diverse Systems of International Relations

The video script elaborates on various historical systems of international relations that differ from the modern Westphalian model. It covers the Greek city-state system, which was based on alliances formed in response to external threats, such as the Persian Empire. The Ottoman Empire's view of the world, divided into the 'sphere of war' and the 'sphere of peace', is also discussed, highlighting its religious basis for international relations. Additionally, the Holy Roman Empire's structure is examined, which was characterized by a central authority with influence over subordinate kingdoms and territories, contrasting with the decentralized Chinese empire.

10:01

📜 The Treaty of Westphalia and its Impact

The final paragraph delves into the Treaty of Westphalia, which marked a significant shift towards the modern nation-state system. The treaty emerged from the Thirty Years' War and established the principle of 'cuius regio, eius religio', allowing rulers to determine the religion of their territories. It also recognized the sovereignty and equality of European nation-states, prohibiting interference in each other's domestic affairs. The treaty led to the demarcation of national boundaries and the end of the free movement of people that was common in agricultural societies. This shift laid the groundwork for European nations' later expansion beyond their continent.

Keywords

💡International Relations

International Relations refers to the field of political science that studies relationships between countries, including diplomacy, trade, conflict, and cooperation. In the video, the lecturer discusses the history of international relations, focusing on how different civilizations and regions have interacted before the establishment of modern nation-states.

💡Cenocentric Regional Order

Cenocentric Regional Order is a term used to describe the historical system in East Asia where China was considered the central and most civilized power, with other states arranged in concentric circles around it based on their perceived level of civilization and proximity to China. The video explains that this order was different from the modern nation-state system, as it was based on a hierarchy with China at the center.

💡Tributary State System

The Tributary State System was a historical framework in which smaller states paid tribute to a more powerful state, like the Chinese Empire, in exchange for protection and the right to govern themselves. The video script uses this term to illustrate how China maintained influence without direct control over other states, contrasting with the European concept of sovereignty.

💡Westphalian System

The Westphalian System refers to the modern international relations model that emerged from the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which established the concept of sovereign states with defined borders and non-interference in each other's domestic affairs. The video contrasts this system with older forms of international relations, highlighting its significance in shaping contemporary global politics.

💡Greek City-State System

The Greek City-State System consisted of independent city-states, like Athens and Sparta, which formed alliances for mutual defense and other purposes. The video mentions this system to show how city-states operated differently from modern nation-states, often forming alliances to address common threats, such as the Persian Empire.

💡Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was a vast empire that spanned three continents and was characterized by its Islamic religious identity. The video discusses how the Ottoman Empire viewed the world differently from the Westphalian system, with a distinction between the 'sphere of Islam' and the 'sphere of war', indicating a religious rather than a purely political basis for international relations.

💡Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Central Europe, headed by an emperor who had authority over various kingdoms and principalities. The video explains that this empire was different from the Westphalian model because it was not based on the principle of equal, sovereign states but rather on a hierarchy with the emperor at the top.

💡Treaty of Westphalia

The Treaty of Westphalia is a series of peace treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War and marked the beginning of the modern international system of nation-states. The video script describes how this treaty established the principle of non-intervention in domestic affairs and recognized the territorial integrity of European states.

💡Civitas Maxima

Civitas Maxima, or 'All Under Heaven' in the Chinese context, refers to the idea that the Chinese Empire was the center of the world, with other states arranged around it in a hierarchical order. The video uses this term to illustrate the Chinese worldview and how it contrasted with the emerging European concept of equal nation-states.

💡European Colonizers

European Colonizers refers to the European powers that expanded their influence and control over other parts of the world during the Age of Exploration. The video discusses how the arrival of these colonizers changed the existing international relations systems in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, introducing new dynamics and power structures.

💡Secularism

Secularism is the principle of separating government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious matters. The video highlights the shift towards secularism in Europe after the Treaty of Westphalia, which allowed for the development of nation-states based on political rather than religious affiliations.

Highlights

Introduction to the history of international relations divided into two periods: the pre-failure period and the post-colonial period.

Focus on the pre-colonial period to understand the differences in international relations before European colonizers arrived.

East Asian region's historical international relations characterized by multiple concentric circles with China at the center.

David Kang's concept of the 'cenocentric regional order' to describe East Asia's historical international relations.

The Chinese empire's belief in being the center of the world, known as 'Tianxia'.

The distinction between inner subjects, outer subjects, and tributary states in the East Asian region.

The tributary state system where kingdoms could rule autonomously as long as they paid tribute to the Chinese empire.

Greek city-states and their alliances formed in response to external threats, particularly the Persian Empire.

Differences between the Greek city-state system and the European Westphalian nation-state system.

The Ottoman Empire's view of the world divided into the 'Dar al-Islam' (sphere of peace) and the 'Dar al-Harb' (sphere of war).

The Holy Roman Empire's structure as an empire with a center and peripheries, differing from the Westphalian system.

The Treaty of Westphalia's implementation of the principle 'cuius regio, eius religio', determining the religion of a state by its ruler.

The Treaty of Westphalia establishing the concept of co-equal European nation-states with no interference in domestic affairs.

The impact of the Treaty of Westphalia on the movement of people and the establishment of territorial boundaries.

The historical context of the Holy Roman Empire leading to the Westphalian nation-state system due to the Protestant Reformation.

The Thirty Years' War as a catalyst for the Treaty of Westphalia and the shift in European politics.

The shift from European-centric international relations to global expansion and the search for new lands post-Westphalia.

Transcripts

hello class

so in this video i will discuss about

the history of international relations

so as i have told you in the page that i

posted

in canvas i usually uh divide the

history of international relations based

on two

periods number one is the previous

failure period and the second one is the

posters valiant period

okay majority or the bulk of this video

presentation will talk about the

previous valiant period because

i want you to distinguish the difference

of the the different set up

of international relations before the

colonizers be

before the european colonizers arrive in

the other parts of the world

so i have i outlined here

a number of different civilizational

groups

which practice i are different from the

modern international relations that we

are practicing right now

the first one is this one the

east asian region so you will see here

that the east asian region is divided

into

multiple concentric circles so bucket

shock on centric circus because this is

how

china ruled the east asian region before

the europeans arrived in asia before

it was discovered or before marco polo

arrived

okay this um division of the east asian

region

is called by david kang david khan is a

political scientist

david kang called it as the cenocentric

regional order

or in other scholars call this kind of

setup as the

confusion hierarchy so you will see in

this concentric circles that the

center of this concentric circle is the

chinese empire

okay this is called

it's also called system t-i-a-n-x-i-a

which means in chinese literal chinese

all under the heaven

so remember in the chinese folklore or

the chinese diagnostic system

the emperor is considered as the son of

heaven

so if a specific dynasty is being

plagued by

wars conflict civil war or

plagues calamities that means that

that emperor or that dynasty is no

longer favored by heaven

so in this case so um the china

china the chinese empire serves as the

center of the world

so in the tiansha system or cinecentric

regional order by the very word

cenocentric it means that china is the

center of this civilization

okay so remember that

the chinese believe that during this

time the chinese believe that they are

the center of the world

so it may be a little racist but there's

a distinguished

uh there's there's the distinguishing on

factor around them that's why

um in this concentric circles they have

the inner subjects the outer subjects

and the

tributaries states so the pattern in

this kind of circle

shows that the farther you are from the

center the more barbaric you are

so if you're a group or yeah

if your group is farther so

farther in terms of geographical

location that refers to the upper part

like russia

and then the western part of europe and

in the eastern part americas and then

australia and new zealand so you are

considered as a barbarian during the

time

okay so the nearer you are the more

civilized you are

considered so in this case the

xenocentric regional order

operated particularly in the east asian

and then the southeast asian region

so in this case um

contrary to the westphalia nation-state

system that i discussed

in the page or in that yeah in the

textual discussion in canvas

ibayong um east asian system because

uh they did not consider casino the

emperor's

the chinese civilization is the center

of the world so

they did not the chinese civilization

did not consider

itself as equal against the other

the other nations surrounding it so the

chinese civilizations living here

philippines um

during the time and then the survey

and the majapahit empire so the

chinese civilization particularly the

chinese emperor did not regard

himself as equal with their leaders

however

unlike unlike um

different from the assumption that since

the chinese emperor did not

consider equality as a form of business

during this time unlike this uh

automatic assumption that the chinese

empire will invade the following lands

indian guinea wanna

chinese empire so i don't know one and

chinese empire during this time

they impose this what we call tributary

state system

so the setup will be is that as long as

your kingdom is giving the annual

tribute to the chinese empire

the chinese empire will let whatever you

want to do

hiya and chinese empire coningus so you

can rule your own um

you can rule your own kingdom administer

your own laws as long as

mgbk can contribute every year

next one is the greek city-state system

this is also different from the

nation-state system cassette we have

this what we call city-states here not

the nation-states

so city-states they are

distinguished although there's the

factor of nationality the behavior of

the city-states is distinguished from

the nation-state system because uh

they this they consider themselves

themselves as equal but their activity

is usually

in the formation of alliances and

this one another um another factor why

is this different from the

westphalia nation state system from

europe is that the alliances and the

groups of the city-states

were formed not because that they are

competing against each other

but because they have a specific

historical context that they need to

address

which is the threat offered by the or

the threat posed by the persian empire

in the eastern part of their

of their civilization

so in this case excuse me so in this

case my kitamo in this map that

this map actually referred to the time

of the leonidas

kingdom in sparta however in the

upcoming lectures later

i will particularly in the discussion

about the

thoughts of graham alison by another

distinguishing factor by

greek civilization compared to the

westphalian one

next one is the ottoman empire and the

basal states

so anonymous

okay since the ottoman empire is a

religious empire

it has its own view about how to

distinguish the world

so how

and the other one is islam the aar

refers to the um literal translation

is the sphere of war while the

islam means the sphere of peace

so what is the implication of this one

so

in the belief of the ottoman empire all

muslim nations belong to what we call

the spear of east that are all islam but

for those nations who do not

believe the islamic faith they belong to

so it is different again from the

westphalia nation state system

because there is there is no division

among them division whether you are

islamic or not or in the case of the

european civilization whether

you are christian or not

after the implementation of the treat of

westphalia secularism

followed so there's no division about

how

how how the world is divided compared to

the view of the

imposed by the ottoman empire in its

territory before the

first world war another one is this one

is europe so in this map this is the map

the

holy roman empire so the holy roman

empire is different to the westphalia

nation state system

because it's an empire so when we talk

about an empire

uh there we can consider a system if

it's an

empire based on these two um divisions

number one is the center

and the other one is the peripheries and

then if it is an

empire it is a beam whether there are

kingdoms under

it or vessels or principalities under it

so the emperor has a say on what to do

inside that kingdom

so this is different than some chinese

emperor in asset

of the east asia because

young chinese emperor hindi namasa

other kingdoms in the case of the

european

context particularly with the holy roman

empire angina governor emperor

is paramedic managing he has the right

to intervene with the domestic affairs

of the other kingdoms under

him or yeah under him so

the the administration of the holy

roman empire sparked the

or ignited the movement for the what we

call westphalia nation state system

why because during the time of the holy

roman empire remember that there are two

leaders

the secular leader and the spiritual

leader the secular leader is considered

the emperor

and then the spiritual leader is the

pope so in the 15th century there's this

guy a german

friar or monk named martin luther who

protested

against the authority of the pope and

his protest

was politicized by the

german princess and german kings because

they wanted to secede from the

holy roman empire so what is the

implication

so the crisis brought by martin luther

led to this what we call 30 years war so

in the 30 years war

europe was divided into two the catholic

function and the protestant

faction in which what

in which yunya tamagotchi and 30 and

then the end of that war

led to the this one

it led to the signing of what we call

the treaty of

westphalia so in the treat in the

signing of the treaty of australia

number one is that um this

latin maxim was implemented throughout

europe

what does it mean it means that the the

religion of the king will be the

religion of the people

so in that case

is that um predetermined but

predetermined young religion so

although this is one of the the it is

the first development of

of religious freedom in the history of

religious freedom however

yeah predetermined by them because it is

the one imposed by

the treaty of westphalia second ayunya

the treaty of westfalia deemed that

since the dissolved

holy roman empire uh it deemed that the

existing european european nation states

will be what they are equal

co-equal among each other there is no

one who

who is higher against the other

and one of its implication is that yunya

these countries

will not or not allowed to intervene in

in the domestic affairs of each other

and then second because since this

countries are now

co-equal against each other they have

demarcated and aside

and assigned their boundaries in terms

of their territories

before i said during that time there's

free movement of people especially

it depends on the um the setup of the

agricultural societies

remember in agricultural societies

people are usually wondering

depending on which um

location has the greener pasture for

their

livestock and for their

worry they can they can practice

their farming skills so in that case ion

union

a practice after the 1648 treaty of

westphalia

after the imposition of the treaty of

vespalia it was practiced by european

nations

until they decided to to go beyond

europe to search for new lands to

sustain their expeditions and their

operations inside the european

continent thank you