This work investigates the historical origins and conceptual evolution of the modern state as the primary unit of political organization. Andreas Osiander, a scholar of international relations and history, examines how the state emerged not as a natural or inevitable development, but as a product of specific historical contingencies and shifting power dynamics. He challenges conventional narratives regarding the Westphalian system, arguing that the state form was constructed through centuries of conflict, institutional adaptation, and intellectual redefinition.

Scholars in the field of international relations frequently cite this work for its rigorous deconstruction of established historical myths surrounding the state. Readers often note the dense, academic nature of the prose, which demands a high level of familiarity with political theory and European history.