This chapter has two purposes. One is to establish a historical foundation for our analysis of international relations that emphasizes the themes and events you will encounter repeatedly in this book. Second, this chapter sketches the evolution of the current, rapidly evolving world political system. The concept of an international system represents the notion that (1) the world is more than just the sum of its parts, such as countries, (2) world politics is more than just the sum of the individual interactions among those parts, and (3) there are general patterns of interactions among the system’s actors. The activities in this chapter are designed to help you understand systems of political power and share your opinions about the future with other students. Don't forget to complete the survey and see how your view of the future compares with that of other students.
