Political globalization

Lore & Background

Political globalization is often traced through the expansion of European empires and the subsequent creation of international law. The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal, is considered an early milestone in formalizing global political arrangements. George Modelski's cyclical theory of world leadership identifies Portugal as the first global leader, with cycles beginning around 1494, though some earlier sources mistakenly cite 1492.

Reader's Guide

Political globalization is significant as one of the three main dimensions of globalization, alongside economic and cultural globalization. It captures the expansion and increasing complexity of the worldwide political system, including the rise of actors beyond the nation-state such as international non-governmental organizations, social movement organizations, and global governance institutions like the United Nations, World Bank, IMF, and WTO. The concept is central to debates about the future of the nation-state, with hyper-globalists arguing that state boundaries are losing significance, while skeptics maintain that the nation-state remains the supreme actor in international relations. David Held has proposed that continuing political globalization may lead to the creation of a world government-like cosmopolitan democracy, though this vision has also been criticized as too idealistic. Political globalization is measured by aggregating data on the number of embassies and high commissioners in a country, membership in international organizations, participation in UN peacekeeping missions, and number of international treaties signed. Cyclical theories of globalization, such as those by George Modelski and Joshua S. Goldstein, propose that global order follows cycles of hegemonic power lasting roughly 100 to 150 years, with successive leading nations such as Portugal, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Did You Know?

• The number of international governmental organizations (IGOs) grew from about 30 in 1900 to around 250–260 by 2020.