PC: No Westphalian Treaty

The Westphalia Treaty which ended the 30 Years War was the basis of the concept of state sovereignty, when it became no longer acceptable for states to (openly) interfere in the internal affairs of other states. Setting up puppets, protectorates, and "spheres of influence" still occurred, but always holding the veneer of respect for the Westphalia Treaty. European powers were more than happy to openly ignore this in other parts of the world, until decolonization.

Your challenge is to prevent the emergence of any such concept to the present day, so that the world's major powers openly and publicly collect vassal states like stamps, and have no shame about installing puppet governments or negotiating spheres of influence.
 
The Westphalia Treaty which ended the 30 Years War was the basis of the concept of state sovereignty, when it became no longer acceptable for states to (openly) interfere in the internal affairs of other states. Setting up puppets, protectorates, and "spheres of influence" still occurred, but always holding the veneer of respect for the Westphalia Treaty. European powers were more than happy to openly ignore this in other parts of the world, until decolonization.

Your challenge is to prevent the emergence of any such concept to the present day, so that the world's major powers openly and publicly collect vassal states like stamps, and have no shame about installing puppet governments or negotiating spheres of influence.

Well the best bet would be to have the Habsburgs win the war. The treaty was mainly applied to states in the Holy Roman Empire and lead to its death as a major power. So if the Habsburgs (Austrian mainly) win then the Empire would stay semi-centralized, thus keeping the idea of "vassal states" alive and well.
 
Well the best bet would be to have the Habsburgs win the war. The treaty was mainly applied to states in the Holy Roman Empire and lead to its death as a major power. So if the Habsburgs (Austrian mainly) win then the Empire would stay semi-centralized, thus keeping the idea of "vassal states" alive and well.

Well, if we have that kind of Habsburg victory, the HRE "states" aren't independent, sovereign polities - they are merely vassals of the Emperor in the same* sense of the Duke of Albany would be in Scotland (at least legally).



* close enough for discussion's sake.
 
Well, if we have that kind of Habsburg victory, the HRE "states" aren't independent, sovereign polities - they are merely vassals of the Emperor in the same* sense of the Duke of Albany would be in Scotland (at least legally).



* close enough for discussion's sake.


Duke of Albany,I don't understand :confused:? That title was usually given to the second son of the Sovereign so wouldn't a better example be what Scotland was to England in the 17th century.
 
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