Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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States, system of
(3,090 words)

1. Definition

On the one hand, the term state denotes the totality of interactions between actors and historical developments that are understood and described as systems; on the other, it denotes a heuristic concept used to conceptualize this reality understood as a system. The system of states comprises the “totality of relationships, behaviors, mechanisms, and organizing principles involving the entities and actors that constitute this system” [16. 20 f.]. Thi…

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Externbrink, Sven, “States, system of”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 03 October 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_027919>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180208



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