The core of the Marxist critique of capitalism is that although the individual capitalist is rational (as liberals assume), the capitalist system its… - Robert Gilpin

Until the modern era there was no single international system, but rather several international systems, with little or no contact with another.

Despite its increased dependence on the international economy, America continues to behave as if it were either a closed economy or the leader whom everyone else should automatically follow.

One reason for the primacy of the market in shaping the modern world is that it forces a reorganization of society in order to make the market work properly . When a market comes into existence, as Marx fully appreciated, it becomes a potent force driving social change.