World-systems analysis primarily focuses on understanding the global capitalist system as a single, integrated unit, explaining the origins and persistence of unequal development and wealth disparities among societies. It provides a macro-historical framework for examining how global interdependencies have shaped the modern world.
Its core objectives revolve around two main areas:
| Main Focus Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Unequal Development | This framework aims to explain the vast differences in wealth and development that exist between societies in the modern capitalist world. It specifically delves into the historical processes, starting around 1500, that have led to these disparities. This involves analyzing how some regions have become dominant 'cores' accumulating capital and advanced production, while others serve as 'peripheries' providing raw materials and cheap labor, leading to systemic global inequality. |
| Cyclical Patterns | Another central goal is to understand the inherent cyclical patterns of expansion and contraction that characterize the world system. This includes the study of long-term economic cycles (Kondratieff waves), the rise and fall of hegemonic powers, and the dynamic restructuring of the global division of labor over time. The analysis seeks to identify the recurring dynamics and transformations within the world economy. |
By treating the entire world system as the fundamental unit of analysis, rather than individual nation-states in isolation, world-systems analysis offers unique insights into the systemic nature of global inequality and the historical evolution of capitalism as a global phenomenon.
