Globalization and European State Formation 1900-2000

The article deals with the impact that the globalization process has had on European state formation in the period 1900-2000. Hypotheses are derived from the emerging schools of globalization: the hyperglobalists, the transformationalists and the sceptics. Is state formation hindered or stimulated by level of economic globalization? Indeed, does economic globalization have any effect at all? It is found that the still growing number of European states were formed in clusters following systemic change, that the probability of state formation increased in the case of candidates situated in zones of defeat, that nationalism did not play a decisive role, and that there was no connection between fluctuations in the globalization process and state formation. The hyperglobalist hypothesis is thus rejected, little support is found for the transformationalist hypothesis, but the sceptic hypothesis matches the findings. In addition, the article offers an explanation for the residual patterns found.