I see three such defining characteristics. The first and most obvious is that the appropriate “unit of analysis” for the study of social or societal behavior is a “world-system.” No doubt this assertion has led to enormous discussion around the so-called macro-micro problem, which in this case translates into how much of local and/or national behavior is explained/determined by structural evolution at the level of the world-system. I believe this is a totally false problem, but I shall not argue that here. I merely point out that, formally, the macro-micro issue is no different if one decides that the boundaries of a “society” are those of a “world-system” or that these boundaries correlate more or less with those of “nation-states.” There still can be said to be the macro-micro issue. The real novelty, therefore, is that the world-systems perspective denies that the “nation-state” represents in any sense a relatively autonomous “society” that “develops” over time.