I dunno to which paper of mine Gernot Kohler refers, but all with
similar tut;les are based on my book of that title, and the book is
rather clear in saying that there was NO hegemony and really also no
center. So i dont get none of GK's argument.
gunder frank
On Wed, 11 Mar 1998, Gernot
Kohler wrote:
> Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 10:44:58 -0500 (EST)
> From: Gernot Kohler <gernot.kohler@sheridanc.on.ca>
> To: WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
> Subject: monocentric - polycentric - reorient
>
> A reading of Professor Frank's working paper "ReOrient..." (see wsn
> archive) suggests to my mind that his conceptual model of the world
> entails a single center; the world is a *monocentric* world. This single
> center moves around the world as historical time progresses. (Similar to
> the old Hegelian idea that the "Weltgeist" moves from place to place
> throughout history.)
>
> A *polycentric* concept of the world is advocated, for the future, by
> Professor Amin.
>
> This difference of conceptualization raises an interesting question with
> respect to the interpretation of current world developments, namely:
>
> Are present shifts in the world system
>
> (a) Frankian -- i.e., *one* global center shifting from the "West" to the
> "Orient" (where it used to be some time prior)? or,
>
> (b) Aminian -- i.e., a world with one global center ("West") is evolving
> into a world with several centers ("polycentric")?
>
> Under interpretation (a) one could, perhaps, expect another hegemonic
> power struggle and world war within the next 50 years. Under
> interpretation (b) one could, perhaps, expect a more peaceful evolution
> of the world system.
>
> Kind regards,
> --GK
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andre Gunder Frank
University of Toronto
96 Asquith Ave Tel. 1 416 972-0616
Toronto, ON Fax. 1 416 972-0071
CANADA M4W 1J8 Email agfrank@chass.utoronto.ca
My home Page is at: http://www.whc.neu.edu/whc/resrch&curric/gunder.html
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