Before we can discuss the defining characteristics of the present system, we need to define what we mean by the term "system" - and what makes the world political arrangement a system? .
Andrew Scott of the University of North Carolina, defines it thus:.
"a set of components with identifiable attributes, among which patterned relationships persist over a period of time."(Scott, 1967 pp 27).
So the international system is, at its most abstract level, just like any other system. It is made up of parts, some more significant than others, interacting with each other to produce an outcome. In the international political system, these parts are nation states, international organisations, and several other entities that have power on an international level. .
Despite appearances, there is not anarchy in the global system. Nations have to follow certain international rules, and while these can in many cases be ignored or bent, there are conventions and norms of behaviour that will usually not be tolerated by the world system. The most important of these is that nations are not allowed to invade and occupy other nations except for very good reasons - indeed; the Sovereign state is inviolable, sacrosanct. (Knorr & Verba, 1961 pp 210).
What are the pieces that make up the current international system? The most important component is the nation state. These are countries that have independent legislature and sovereign borders and territory. Scotland, though a nation, is not a sovereign state as it does not have control over its borders and territory, and its parliament is subordinate to The British State. .
Besides sovereign states, there are also International organisations. There are a number of different varieties of these - supranational organisations such as the European Union that are made up of a number of sovereign states (Viotti & kauppi, 1987 pp 212), and organisations like the world bank that are in theory independent of any national control yet can influence or enforce nation states to do things.
