ABSTRACT
Young notes that the degree of interdependence may vary among the component units of the international system and in such functional areas as economics and politics. In contrast to most idealists, who envision the emergence of a global community, the author addresses the issue of whether interdependence is rising or declining. He criticizes Karl Deutsch's contention that "national self-determination is becoming more intensive and extensive in the contemporary world." Young goes beyond Deutsch's trade and communications indexes to argue that managerial personnel and techniques; international monetary institutions; military, communication, and transportation technologies; cosmopolitan ways of looking at the world; and the rise of nonstate actors have increased levels of interdependence. Young then speculates on the implications of this increase for world politics.
