Question

Use the following text to answer the question.

"As Europe came to be ruled by great military states, those states had to act increasingly in terms of state
interest. The great political problems that grew out of the decay of the Holy Roman and Spanish empires seemed
to reflect dynastic politics, but in the actual course of events, political realities based upon military, commercial,
and financial considerations--became the predominant counters. The rise of great standing armies and their
maintenance in the field made strenuous demands upon the treasury and the credit of the kings. In order to
assure a continuous flow of revenue from taxation, required to meet the mounting costs, governments had to
formulate and implement policies that would increase the riches of their potential taxpayers, and officials
primarily interested in maintaining the power of their state inevitably urged policies that coincided with state
interest. European governments were assuming a characteristically modern shape and thereby rendering
dynastic politics altogether anachronistic."
-John B. Wolf, American historian, The Emergence of the Great Powers, 1685-1715, 1951
Prompt:
Which of the following was most responsible for producing the approach toward politics and diplomacy
presented by Wolf?
MSC: Causation
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Theories of resistance to absolute monarchies, like those of Locke
Fragmentation on and foreign invasion of the Italian peninsula
The political and religious settlement at the Peace of Westphalia
Rise of professional and commercial classes' influence in government

Answer 1

Wolf's text suggests that the political and diplomatic approach of the time was shaped by the Peace of Westphalia, which transitioned politics from dynastic concerns to state interest based on military, commercial, and financial considerations.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to John B. Wolf's analysis in The Emergence of the Great Powers, 1685-1715, the approach toward politics and diplomacy during the period was most influenced by the political and religious settlement at the Peace of Westphalia.

After the Thirty Years' War, the Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, shifted the focus of politics from dynastic and religious concerns to those of state interest, primarily based on military, commercial, and financial considerations. This peace settlement provided a new framework for international relations and set the stage for the modern system of sovereign states.

The rise of great standing armies and the necessary financial burdens they placed upon the states meant that governments now had a vested interest in increasing the economic wealth of their potential taxpayers to fund the military endeavors. This economic rationale aligned with the growing influence of the professional and commercial classes in shaping government policies.

Hence, the transformation described by Wolf is largely rooted in the developments post the Peace of Westphalia, which redefined the balance of power in Europe and encouraged state behavior that prioritized geopolitical state interests over dynastic politics.