Abstract:

In the formation of European nation-states, the ethical malady of the convergence of populism, nationalism and totalitarianism in European states was driven by three interlocking forces: the concentration and expansion of urban capital, persistent inter-state warfare, and the widespread dissemination of Christian culture. The international system of European nation-states shaped on this basis is uniquely characterized by the in-depth linkage between the internal treaty system and the external colonial system. It serves as the historical root of contemporary North-South inequality across the globe. Furthermore, the deep entanglement of the internal treaty system and the external colonial system reveals a strong civilizational hierarchy and anti-humanistic ethical attributes, ultimately leading to the profound ethical paradox of the binary opposition between internationalism and nationalism in the contemporary world.

Key words: nation-states, urban capital, Christian culture, treaty system, colonial system