"The Westphalian Ideology" and "The American Declaration of Independence"(Comparative Examination)

Abstract

  The North American colonies gained independence not only through military successes, but also through the processes of national identity formation and socio-cultural development that were characteristic of the first stage of the Industrial Age. The present article aims to illustrate this approach through a comparative examination of the “Westphalian ideology” and the “US Declaration of Independence”.

  In short, we follow a research approach that sees direct connections between the American Revolution and the Westphalian ideology, emphasizing the sovereignty of a nation, its political and civil institutions, and the inalienable rights of members of the social community. The Westphalian model of international relations is noteworthy as a possible environment for the sovereign relations of nations. The founding fathers of the United States proceeded from this understanding, enriched by the achievements of the Enlightenment, from J. Locke to Montesquieu. In this light, the process of US independence is presented as a multi-vector process, which can be revealed only from the perspective of the ideological complex of its era. A comparative examination of the “Westphalian ideology” and the “U.S. Declaration of Independence” may thus serve as a key turning point in understanding the history of U.S. state formation.