The World Systems approach to the study of social sciences is the pre-social sciences political economy approach under which the political, economic and social aspects of any subject of social science enquiry are understood as an integrated whole from both historical and geographical perspectives.
The political economy by1900 CE has emerged as a global economy encompassing the entire world. So, in order to understand the manner in which political geography is influenced by the political, social and economic processes within an integrated world system, the political geographers like P. J. Tylor and many others have adopted the world systems approach developed by Immanuel Wallerstein to the study of political geography. Wallerstein identifies three basic elements of the world economy which include: (I) a single world market; (2) a multiple state system; and (the three-tier structure. A brief account of all these three basic elements of world economy is given as under:
1. A SINGLE WORLD MARKET:- The world economy consists of a single world market which is capitalist. This means that production is for exchange rather than use: producers do not consume what they produce but exchange it on the market for the best price they can get. These products are known as commodities whose value is determined by the market. It is for this reason that the capitalist market is a price-setting institution unlike pre-capitalist markets which were based upon traditional fixed prices ( Poanyi, 1977). Since the price of any commodity is not fixed, there is economic competition between producers. In this competition the more efficient producers can undercut the prices of other producers to increase their share of the market and to eliminate rivals. In this way the world market determines in the long run the quantity, type and location of production. The concrete result of this process has been uneven economic development across the world. Since the Second World War the world market has been dominated by multinational corporations.
2. A MULTIPLE STATE SYSTEM:- In contrast to one economic market there has always been a number of political states in the world economy. This is part of the definition of the system, since if one state came to control the whole system, the world market would become politically controlled, competition eliminated and the system would transform into a world empire. Hence the international state system is a necessary element of the world economy. Never the less single states are able to distort the market in the interests of their national capitalist group within their own boundaries and powerful states can distort the market well beyond their boundaries for a short time. This is the very stuff of ‘international politics’. The concrete result of this process is a competative state system in which a variety of ‘balance of power’ situations may prevail. Since the Second World War the balance of power has been bi-polar organized around the United States and the former Soviet Union upto the end of Cold War period. In the New Cold War era the role of former Soviet Union has been assumed by the People’s Republic of China in the international politics.
3. THE THREE-TIER STRUCTURE:- The third essential element is also ‘political’ in nature but is more subtle than the previous one. Wallerstein argues that the exploitative processes that operate through the world economy always operate in a three-tiered format. This is basic in any situation of inequality three tiers are more stable than two tiers of confrontation. Those at the top will always manoeuvre for the ‘creation’ of a three tier structure whereas those at the bottom will emphasize the two tiers of ‘them and us’. The continuing existence of world economy is due in part therefore to the success of ruling groups to sustain three-tiered patterns throughout various fields of conflict. An obvious example is the existence of ‘centre’ parties between right and left in many political systems. The most general case is the promotion of the notion of a ‘middle class’ between capital and labour. In other contexts the acceptance of ‘middle’ ethnic groups such as ‘poor whites’ helps ruling groups to maintain stability and control’. Geographically the most interesting example is Wallerstein’s concept of the ‘semi- periphery’ which separates the extremes of material well-being in the modern world economy which Wallerstein terms the core and the periphery.
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