Modern International System & Marxism

Marxism in International Relations (IR)

Marxists trace the origins of the modern international system to Europe in the seventeenth century, a perspective shared with realists. However, a fundamental distinction lies in their emphasis: Marxists prioritize the economic dimension of the international system, as opposed to the realists' focus on anarchy and balance-of-power politics. For Marxists, the modern international system is best described as a free market, liberal, or capitalist international economic system; these terms are used interchangeably.

In contrast to economic liberals like Adam Smith and David Ricardo, who often presented an optimistic, almost