What is the World What is the World System?System?

How the world is structured by How the world is structured by interconnection among different interconnection among different nations/ Societiesnations/ Societies

Societies belong to global web of Societies belong to global web of cores and peripheriescores and peripheries

There is stratification among There is stratification among nations due to European Expansion nations due to European Expansion since 15since 15thth century century

Core, Semi/peripheryCore, Semi/periphery

Characteristics of core:Characteristics of core: Countries of the core occupy the Countries of the core occupy the

dominant position in world systemdominant position in world system Strongest and most powerful Strongest and most powerful

nations, complex technology etcnations, complex technology etc churns out products that flow to the churns out products that flow to the

peripheryperiphery

Semi-peripherySemi-periphery

Nations that are intermediate Nations that are intermediate between the core and peripheral between the core and peripheral nations eg. Mexico, Brazil, Indianations eg. Mexico, Brazil, India

They export industrial goods and They export industrial goods and commodities but lack the power of commodities but lack the power of the corethe core

Periphery NationsPeriphery Nations

Major producers of raw material, Major producers of raw material, cotton, sugar, rubbercotton, sugar, rubber

lack technological advancement lack technological advancement and suffered European rule or and suffered European rule or colonialismcolonialism

Still under Neo-colonialism Still under Neo-colonialism

The World-SystemThe World-System Wallerstein,Wallerstein,

ImmanuelImmanuel

core

periphery

Semi-periphery

Expansion of EuropeExpansion of Europe

Industrial Revolution transformed Industrial Revolution transformed Europe by 1750 and afterEurope by 1750 and after

Industrialization needed capital for Industrialization needed capital for investment in foreign landsinvestment in foreign lands

The search for commodities, The search for commodities, minerals, Sugar, Cotton & Slaves minerals, Sugar, Cotton & Slaves led to colonialismled to colonialism

Implications of Implications of Colonialism Colonialism

Violence/ disease and depopulationsViolence/ disease and depopulations Loss of control over land and other Loss of control over land and other

natural resourcesnatural resources Labor exploitation and taxationLabor exploitation and taxation Impose cultural changesImpose cultural changes

What is modernity?What is modernity?

A self-conscious break with A self-conscious break with traditiontradition

Reflection of human progress and Reflection of human progress and perfectibilityperfectibility

Time and markers of grand Time and markers of grand narrativesnarratives