History of IR, questions for the exam

1. Major consequences of the Westphalia Settlement for international relations.

Westphalia Settlement is frequently presented as the beginning of the modern state system, after
which international relations began to develop. The slogan of Westphalia Settlement is
“Forgiving the sins of the past”.

Westphalia is important because it established a number of central principles of diplomacy,

which would later orchestrate the modern picture of the world. Only after Westphalia,
conferences held after wars became common.

Principles of congresses and great power guarantees > early understanding of a great power

So what were the main conclusions of the Century?

 The principle of sovereignty of states and possibilities for self-determination

 The normative principle of legal equality between states
 It became normal not to intervene in another country’s internal issues
 Ended intervention in matters of religion
 The European system of IR expanded in a global range

2. The fall of the Berlin Wall: brief historical overview and geo-political consequences.

Say about:

 What happened? Fall of the Soviet Union

 Constructivism: dominant and marginal identities
 From bipolar world to monopolar world
 US – one superpower
 Russia and its Eastern neighbors: tensions > Why? Balance of power (neorealism)!