The Liberal Capitalist West as the New ‘Global State’*

Abstract

Over the last few decades, especially since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of communism, the world is transiting from ‘international’ politics to ‘global’ politics. The transformation comes in the wake of the very old inclusive and constitutive process of expansion of the West, westernization of the international society and that of the globe. This is a compelling phenomenon and has been mainly built on the political, legal and economic ideas (and also the culture) of the liberal capitalist West. The governing structures, organizational patterns and institutional practices of most countries in the world are also inspired by the West. This is the foundation of the nature, extent and form of power the liberal capitalist West led by the US exercises over the rest of the world. This kind of power is increasingly becoming similar in many respects to what the State exercises in the international system. Hence, the liberal capitalist West could be seen as the virtual Global State. Such a conceptualization of the extant global reality has significant implications for the traditional theories of State in international politics.