This article argues that we are living through a period when political institutions are out of step with dramatic, economic and social changes. In similar periods in the past, war has often played a key restructuring role. But contemporary wars are much less likely to achieve this. The main agents of change are social movements and new forms of communication. The article concludes that we need new forms of global governance and some critical rethinking of academic discipline.

中文翻译：

---

世界政治的周期

本文认为，我们正生活在一个政治制度与巨大的经济和社会变化脱节的时期。在过去的类似时期，战争常常在重组中发挥关键作用。但当代战争实现这一目标的可能性要小得多。变革的主要推动者是社会运动和新的交流形式。文章的结论是，我们需要新的全球治理形式和对学术学科的一些批判性反思。