Dissipative Structure Theory and World-System Analysis

Dissipative structure theory of Ily Prigogine is one of the important sources of Wallerstein's world-system analysis. Its Influences are mainly manifested in three aspects: First, on the basis of Dissipative Structure Theory's arrow of time, Wallerstein constructs five kinds of TimeSpaces for studying historical social systems; Second, with the aid of complexity study of dissipative structure theory, Wallerstein advances unidisciplinary approach to eliminate the antithesis of two culture; Third, Wallerstein extends the meaning of Prigogine's reenchantment of the world, and emphasizes the uncertainty of historical social systems at the divergence and the free will of human. The influences of dissipative structure theory makes world-system analysis deconstruct four myths of the 19th century social science: the myth of discipline, the myth of nation state, the myth of objectivism, and the myth of progress doctrine.