Howdid the Westphalian system contribute to the escalation of military conflicts?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

In the Westphalian system, people developed a strong emotional allegiance to their states. People became very proud of their respective state and could be easily insulted by perceived slights. This form of allegiance is known as nationalism. Also, influenced by nationalism, people wanted their states to prosper as much as possible, which involved being militarily, economically, and culturally strong. As a result, fierce rivalries developed between states. During this competition, states increased their militaries to become more influential. This competition resulted in the outbreak of World War I. However, after this war, fascism took hold in many countries, which involved an extreme form of nationalism. Fascist countries focused on strengthening their military prowess. Successes on the battlefield were used as proof of the superiority by these respective nations. So the escalation of military conflicts continued with the outbreak of World War II, a conflict between fascist and non-fascist countries. After this war, two superpowers remained, the United States and the Soviet Union. Fueled by nationalism, these countries attempted to gain dominance over the other, and a fierce nuclear arms race ensued. This era is known as the Cold War. Many proxy conflicts broke out between the two superpowers, but no direct conflict. This competition ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. At this point, the Westphalian system gave way to the neo-Westphalian system.