This chapter will first review in the literature, different approaches to equilibrium which it is important to have in mind in redefining the equilibration process. Next, the specification of variables will be examined and, more specifically, those core factors which maintain equilibrium. We will identify external and internal clusters and objective and subjective factors within an internal cluster; we will define the notion of ‘interest’ as a core notion of internal subjective factors; we will conceptualize the multi-factor equilibrium, and examine how the system adjustment occurs. Finally, we will explore the method of controlled-focus, structured comparison as a ‘tool’ which help us to ‘narrow’ general theory to middle-range propositions, confining our examples to Russia and China, and we will formulate hypothetical assumptions to be empirically assessed in the second part of the study.