The Origin of the Interstate System: The Warring States in Ancient China

Abstract

The current literature on international relations has us believe that the moden state system originated in the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648 which ended the Thirty Years` War in Europe. This article tries to go beyond conventional thinking by probing further into history for the true origin of the interstate system. It argues that, at least in the Chinese case, the interstate system can be traced to the Spring and Autumn as well as the Warring States periods(722-221 B.C.). It concludes that the assumption in the current literature reflects an Angle-American-centric view and thus excludes other possible explanations.