Periods in World System Time

Discussion

Sixteen Generations (500 Years) as Periods in World System Time, by George Modelski & Tessaleno Devezas:

“Period. The unit of a process is a period. World system time is not continuous or flowing but discrete or grainy, reckoned in generations, and unfolding in distinct periods. Political globalization (evolution of global politics has a characteristic period of some 16 generations (about 500 years). Each period is defined by a set of priority global problems, and by the launching and diffusion of institutional innovation.”

(http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/gwof20)

Timeline

Political Globalization (930 AD–2300 AD)

930—Imperial experiments

1200—Mongol empire (Failed world empire)

1430—Global leadership

1640—Britain I, II (Global nucleus )

1850—Global organization

2080—Democratic comm (Global governance)

2300—Consolidation