worldsystem

Worldsystem is a term used to describe a global configuration in which economic, political, and cultural processes are interconnected across the world as a single, dynamic system. It is closely associated with world-systems theory, developed by sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein, which analyzes how the modern world emerged from expanded capitalist markets and colonial networks.

The core idea is that the world operates as a capitalist world-economy with a hierarchical structure that sustains unequal exchange. This structure is often conceptualized through three interrelated zones: core, semi-periphery, and periphery. Core regions command high levels of capital, technology, and control over trade; periphery regions provide raw materials, labor, and less-developed infrastructure; semi-periphery lies between, mediating relationships and often experiencing both opportunities and exploitation. These roles are enabled by political and military power, trade rules, and financial systems that maintain disparities over long historical periods.

World-systems analysis emphasizes long-term historical change, cycles of expansion and crisis, and the shifting influence of hegemonic powers. It seeks to explain patterns of growth, development, and dependency across nations rather than focusing solely on individual states. The framework also examines how capitalism, global commodity chains, migration, and cultural exchanges reproduce inequalities within the world-system.

Critics argue that the approach can be determinist or Eurocentric and may underemphasize agency at the national or local level. Nevertheless, it has influenced research in international political economy, development studies, and globalization, offering a macro-level lens for understanding global interdependence.