Geopolitical fragmentation and balance of power in the rise of the West

Abstract

This paper addresses the debate of the rise of the West from a geopolitical standpoint. To do so, it sets forth the main contributions from different authors and their respective research programs. In this way, we present cultural, institutional, technological, Marxist, cultural exchange, geographical, and other interpretations. The absence of a geopolitical analysis leads us to put forward a new hypothesis in the framework of international relations theories. In this regard, this paper discusses why it resorts to the realist paradigm instead of neomarxism or complex interdependence theories to define the ground on which geopolitics is used to analyze the triumph of Western civilization. In addition to this, it explores the most notable contributions of neorealism and neoclassical realism and highlights their main limitations. Next, it presents the methodology by presenting how geopolitics is understood to test the hypothesis. Finally, it approaches geopolitical fragmentation and its relation with the balance of power and the rise of the West.