Arrighi on the Balkans (j. o'connor)

[Barbara Laurence]

Rakesh and Wojtek,
Thanks, you've saved me from having to post an anti-Arrighi tirade on a
balmy Santa Cruz Sunday. Everything he says is wrong, just about. As you
say, rarely do we find any analysis in world systems theory; rather
everything is an example of a concept.

The substantive basis of world systems theory is 1500-1800, the age of
absolutism and merchantilism, when the "struggle between nations," a world
systems staple, was driving history, more or less. The reason being, that
nation states were born in struggle, the Dutch against Spain, being the
first important one. Also, you've probably noted, that the production of
capital play little role in his theory, only its distribution, another sign
of merchantilist thinking.

A possible antedote maybe Peter Gowan's, The Global Gamble (Verso), which
I'm reading.
Best wishes,
Jim O'Connor