Trumpism, the world system and multipolarism: a perspective from Giovanni Arrighi’s thought

This article offers some reflections from the Italian sociologist, economist and philosopher Giovanni Arrighi, with particular reference to his theory of the succession of global accumulation cycles and his theory of hegemonic transitions. Using Arrighi’s categories, Trumpism could be interpreted as a symptom of the crisis of the global hegemony of the United States of America and the problematic condition of the hegemonic transition. As Arrighi predicted, each transitional phase could involve war and increasing financial and military tension among competing regional powers: from the transition a multipolar world of peace can emerge, but also a new “systemic chaos”. Keywords Giovanni Arrighi · World-system theory · Hegemonic transition · Trumpism · Systemic chaos · Global governance