Towards a Reformulation of Core/Periphery Relationship: A Critical Reappraisal of the Trimodality of the Capitalist World-Economy in the Early 21st Century

Abstract

The trimodal framework of core-semiperiphery-periphery has been challenged by globalization theorists. This chapter briefly surveys recent criticisms of Wallerstein's trimodal formulation and revisits the trimodality models of the world-systems perspective. It argues that there is no single trimodality model as assumed by critics and some proponents, and presents three different models of the trimodality. The chapter examines how these models are adopted by quantitative analyses on global inequality. It refutes both the deterritorialization approach and the basic tenet of the trimodality of existing world-systems perspective. Against the deterritorialization approach the chapter argues that between-country inequality is more important than within country inequality in explaining global inequalities. Against the traditional world-systems perspective, it argues that semiperiphery may not be a constant figure of the capitalist world-economy. Keywords:capitalist world-economy; deterritorialization; global inequality; globalization; trimodality model; Wallerstein's trimodal