Chapter 1: A world system approach to political geography
The approach of the book is based on the world-system theory from Wallerstein. World-system analysis is about
how we conceptualize social change. Instead of social change occurring country by country, Wallerstein
postulates a ‘world-system’ that is currently global in scale. There is just one single world society. The world-
system system is based on other forms of social sciences, like the Annales School of history. They try to explain
our current world from a historical and economical view. In the past it was almost completely about state, now
they try to see it as a global system.
Wallerstein identifies just three basic ways in which the material base of societies had been organized.
1. Mini-system: Is a system like a tribe or a small group. They live in an area with its own system.
Mode of production -> Farming, hunting, gathering
2. World-empire: Political united influence from the government. People living and staying on one place. Mode
of production -> agricultural surplus. (Diffusion of labour)
3. World-economy: One society with influence on the entire world. There is one economy, but within this
economy we have different competing states for accumulation of capital. This is the driving force of the world-
system.
Types of change
There are four fundamental types of change:
The first two types of change are different means of transformation from one mode of production to another.
1.Transition: One system involves into another
2. Incorporation: one system becomes a part of another system
3. Discontinuities discontinuity occurs between entities at approximately the same location where both entities
share the same mode of production. The mode of production doesn’t change, but something within the empire
changes.
4. Continuities: Occur within systems. To basic types: Linear and cyclical.
The error of developmentalism
The basic method to look at development is to use a historical interpretation of how rich countries became rich as
a futuristic speculation of how poor counties can become rich in their turn. They assume that there is one path to
development.
The basic elements of the world-economy
A single world market: is based on just one (capitalist) economic market. Production is for exchange rather than
use.
A multiple-state system: based on multiple political states. The inter-state system is very important within the
world-system
A three-tier structure: Wallerstein argues that the exploitative processes that work through the world-economy
always operate in a three-tier format. This is because in any situation of inequality three tiers of interaction are
more stable than two tiers of confrontation. One example: core, periphery and semi-periphery.
The world-economy use of the terms ‘core’ and ‘periphery’ both refer to complex processes and not directly to
areas, regions or states. Both core and periphery processes can happen within the same country.
The semi-periphery is interesting because it is the dynamic category within the world-economy. By changing
their politics the semi-periphery can become part of the core.
Kondratieff cycles
They consist of two phases, one of growth (A) and one of stagnation (B). Simple linear cumulative growth is
impossible, and intermittent phases of stagnation are necessary. The market relies on competition to order the
system. In A-phases circumstances are good, so there is a lot of investment, but this will lead to overproduction.
In B-phase circumstances are not good, so there is underproduction. After an A-phase the B-phase is necessary
to re-organize production.
The nature of the world-economy produces cyclical growth.
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