Sunday, April 26, 2026

Blog Roll: World-System Dynamic Component Models



The purpose of my blogs is to estimate Systems Models, specifically Dynamic Component Models, on historical data. My reason for the project are: (1) The historical data is widely available, (2) current analysis is largely based on mental models and (3) no one seems to be applying Systems models. The reason for point three is that historical data are highly correlated and co-linear. My contribution is to use Principal Components Analysis to implement the Satet Space and solve the co-linearity problem using correlations.


The unique aspect of my blogs, Google sites and work over the last 50 years is that I have estimated State Space Dynamic Component Models (DCM) for all the major countries and regions in the World-System from the year (0) until the present (for more information about periodization,  data sources and how the models are constructed, see the Boiler Plate). 

The video above explains State Space Systems models which are commonly used in Engineering (not Economics, History or the Social Sciences). What is unique about the DCM models is the definition of System state and how the State Space is constructed:

The state of any system is the collection of independent variables that predict the time path of the system from t1 to tn
 
In DCMs, the state space is constructed using Principal Components Analysis. In the video above, the x are the state variables and the y are the indicator variables. For macro-societal analysis, the scope of the system is defined by the Kaya Identity, the same identity used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

DCMs can be run using R-code on my Google Site, which is organized basically by regions of the World-System, by topics and by time periods (for example, the Long Twentieth Century).




Notes


Wallerstein, Immanuel (1974). The Modern World-System. New York: Academic Press


Pasdirtz, G.W. Instability and Late Nineteenth Century German Development


Please see the  Boiler Plate for more information on periodization, data sources and DCM Construction.

Blog Roll: Eastern Europe




The major Geopolitical Problem facing Eastern Europe at present is the War in Ukraine. Any scenarios constructed for Eastern Europe are contingent on the outcome of the War. Add into that, the 2026 War in Iran. The outcome of these wars also depends on the involvement of NATO, the European Union, the United States and Russia.

My current blog postings:

Notes

State Space Dynamic Component Models

Eastern Europe Measurement Model



Eastern Europe BAU Model





Eastern Europe AIC Statistics




Map





Friday, April 3, 2026

Blog Roll: Afghanistan



10 March 2026 UN warns that Afghanistan faces deepening crisis as regional 'instability' tightens grip

2 Apr 2026 Afghanistan Update


Notes

Map


Video








The Revenge of Geography






April 18, 2026 For Iran, Flexing Control Over Waterway Is New Deterrent Trump gave Iran a new weapon! It's about Geography!




On Fareed Zakaria GPS, Fareed interviewed Robert D. Kaplan (video above). Mr. Kaplan's thesis is that geography constrains the distribution of power within the World system and largely encourages particular outcomes in the balance of power between nations.

His analysis of geography leads him to the conclusion that Russian, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mexico will be the dominant powers in the future of the World System. World System theory, on the other hand, has focused on Hegemony.

The New Strategy in Afghanistan












A new report by Jeffrey A. Dressler "Securing Helmand: Understanding the Enemy".