2021/10/12

    Today in class, we were introduced to the world-systems theory. This theory was developed by Immanuel Wallerstein. Mr. Paterson showed us a graph with Kondratiev waves, when the graph goes up the monopoly of the technology and when it goes down the monopoly ends. This suggests that the world is divided into 3 countries, ①core countries, ②semi-periphery countries, and ③periphery countries. It argues that technology gets passed down through generations; rich countries get to use the new high-tech stuff first and when they are done with it, the poorer countries get to use it, when it's not high-tech anymore. The richer countries don't like it when other countries infringe on their monopoly and they try to come into the "core countries". They don't like sharing so it's very rare for semi-periphery countries to bump up to the core countries. One example was when the US was developing rapidly and becoming a bigger country, Britain, France, and Spain fought in the war to stop the US from becoming one of the core countries. We were then introduced to other international relations theories such as realism, which basically says that countries need to be militarily and economically strong in order to stay safe, and liberalism, which basically means "if I help you you'll be nice to me". All these theories are true in a way but Mr. Paterson explained that the world-systems theory is an umbrella theory over all the other theories. 

    I've heard of realism and marxism before but I've never heard of the world-systems theory so it was interesting to learn about a new perspective in international relations. I thought that this theory explains a lot about the world because it doesn't have exceptions it applies to all of the countries. I also thought that it's logical because it covers the character of class. Mr. Paterson explained that even if two countries have the same thoughts if the class is different, they won't have the same power, action, and background. So implementing classes to unravel international relations is important. The other theories that were explained were not wrong but they can't explain everything. I thought that realism and liberalism were both kind of extreme. You shouldn't just trust everyone like liberalism but doubting everything like realism is too much as well. I thought that combining these theories might be good. Mr. Paterson mentioned that the world-systems theory is not popular and I could understand that because if more people knew about this people would think it's unfair and try to change it. 

【Notes】

world-systems theory

Immanuel Wallerstein

Braudel →Longue durée 

Kondratiev waves 

70 years in duration

when the graph goes down the monopoly ends

this suggests that the world is divided into 3 countries

1 core country high tech

2 semi-periphery countries 

3 periphery countries 

the technology getting passed down through generations

argues

the rich countries move on to the new high technology

infringe

they don't like it when people come into the core countries

Britain France and Spain didn't like the US becoming a big country they fought in the war

Asian financial crisis

explaining how the world works

red pill of international relations

it's not popular

not focused

realism realist theory

militarily and economically strong to stay safe and to save what you have

a very negative way to look out into the world

unlikely to develop good relationships with other countries

liberalism 

if I help you you'll be nice to me

friendly they are more likely to join groups they don't feel the need to be the boss

they assume that other countries would act that same as they do they don't expect betrayal

the umbrella over the other theories

it explains the motivation for the core countries

even if they have the same thoughts that class is different so they don't have the same power and action and background

they don't adequately explain