Evolution of International Society


The Nation-state system provided the fundamental unity for giving this world an international society. This society of states faced various phases of peace and war to evolve into its contemporary shape. Today, international society is more powerful and strong under the shadow of international law than it was ever before in the past. Conflicts and frictions in the relations among states however undermine the concreteness of international society at different levels of interaction.





What is International Society?

International society can be defined as a ‘community of world states gathered under an agenda that may be in the shape of international law at a universal organization in order to sort out the ways for achieving common goals and averting common threats thus primarily fulfilling the aim of a peaceful world.

Elements shaping International Society

The definition carries the following elements that establish an international society;

  • Nation states

  • International organization

  • International law

  • Common Agenda

  • Aim for world peace

 

 

Origin of International Society

The evolution of the international community can be studied after knowing its origin. It was the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 that actually laid the formal structure of nation-states. The establishment of an international community was possible not before that. Thus, nation-states became the first element of the international community.

Nation states of the world plunged into the First World War in 1914. At the end of this war, the first ever time came in history when the idea of an international community materialized. Following the proposition of the then-American President Wilson, the League of Nations was established as an apparent body of international society.

Evolution of International Society

The evolution of international society began with the birth of the League of Nations after the First World War. The league became the first platform where the member states could debate over international problems. But soon after the Great Depression of the 1930s, the League became the victim of nationalism and state–centrism. This undermined the evolution of international society. The world put itself into another Great War from 1939 to 1945. This was a period that might or might not be taken as an evolutionary phase of the international community. But in a compact view, World War Two ended by bringing the nation states closer again in order to revive this interrupted evolution of international society. At that moment another international organization with the name of the ‘United Nations (UN) was established.

UN survives even today after having passed through the bumpy decades of the Cold War between the US and the USSR. The organization represents an international society with the gathering of 192 states as its members.

 

UN & the Evolution of International Society

In the contemporary state of affairs, the evolution of international society can be seen and assessed in terms of the evolution of the UN.

The UN as a universal body of nation-states pledges to world peace and to avoid any possibilities that might lead the world into another major conflict.

International society today has evolved to discuss and deal with the modern-day problems of global climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, and so on. It is dealing with the issues of regional and civil conflicts as well to prevent them from escalation. As has been the case with Libya and Syria today where the UN interfered to stop the wars.










The Evolution Of International Society And World Relations


The international society is the most important factor in various ways that always behaves and regulates according to the norms of society. This could make the association among members’ states specifically under the shadow of international media and relations and almost ignore other related factors so far. The member states are not necessarily situated among the national borders but international relations considered the states with the immediate consideration of different elements.

Conclusion

From the origin of the nation-state system to the establishment of the League of Nations and then its successor the United Nations, the International Society is endeavoring in one way or the other to infuse more rational ways to deal with global problems and global crises. The community faces dilemmas and debacles in their efforts but overall prevents the world system from disintegrating.