A Contemporary Topic And A Historical Counter-Part

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Introduction

The 21^st century is characterised by multiple developments to which various aspects have contributed. Among them is globalisation which refers to the interconnectedness of economies and countries worldwide. For this reason, comprehensive treaties and peace agreements were introduced to achieve the dream of globalisation. A treaty is a formal yet legally binding agreement between states that introduces specific terms of a relationship. Treaties deal with a particular issue as their process entails the provision of dispute resolution mechanisms and enforcements.

On the other hand, a peace agreement aims to resolve conflicts and ensure peace prevails between the respective parties. Among the treaties and peace agreements introduced were; the Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons and the Peace of Westphalia. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was established in July 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly. The Treaty prohibited nuclear weapons production, testing, storage, distribution, and use (Assembly, 2018, p. 8). The Treaty, which is open for signatures to all countries, has been signed by 88 countries and ratified by over 55 states. This being the first Treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, it has been subject to praise and criticism. For instance, some states possessing nuclear weapons view the Treaty as a barrier to using their resources and an ignoring factor for the current security problems.

On the other hand, the peace of Westphalia entails various treaties signed in 1648, thus, ending the War in Europe that lasted for thirty years. The Peace of Westphalia introduced new perspectives on international relations. The treaties were signed in Munster and Westphalia town, thus its name (Croxton, 1999, pp. 569-591). The Peace of Westphalia is recalled for its achievements, such as promoting the idea of a state as a basic unit of international relations and ensuring the domestic affairs of states are not interfered with by other powerful states. The two entities have displayed similarities and differences, which appear significant to the history of international relations. This paper discusses the relevant similarities and differences between the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and The Peace of Westphalia. It also aims to show which of the discussed similarities and differences is significant to the history of international relations.

Similarities between the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Peace of Westphalia

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Peace of Westphalia are similar in the following ways;

To begin with, the primary objective of the agreements is focused on the principles of international law and justice. For instance, the Peace of Westphalia introduced the aspect of territorial integrity and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries. Similarly, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is based...