2003/12/01 by Alexander Wendt · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Religion and Society Interactions #Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence #Political Conflict and Governance #Monopoly #State (computer science) #Teleology #Agency (philosophy) #Sociology #Political economy #Subjectivity #Political science #Macro #State formation #World War II #Law and economics #Epistemology #Economic system #Law #Economics #Politics #Social science #Market economy #Computer science
paper · doi:10.1177/135406610394001
openalex publication_date 2003/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15
Long dismissed as unscientific, teleological explanation has been undergoing something of a revival as a result of the emergence of self-organization theory, which combines micro-level dynamics with macro-level boundary conditions to explain the tendency of systems to develop toward stable end-states. On that methodological basis this article argues that a global monopoly on the legitimate use of organized violence — a world state — is inevitable. At the micro-level world state formation is driven by the struggle of individuals and groups for recognition of their subjectivity. At the macro-level this struggle is channeled toward a world state by the logic of anarchy, which generates a tendency for military technology and war to become increasingly destructive. The process moves through five stages, each responding to the instabilities of the one before — a system of states, a society of states, world society, collective security, and the world state. Human agency matters all along the way, but is increasingly constrained and enabled by the requirements of universal recognition.