The document discusses the evolution of world systems from pre-1945 to post-1945. It describes how prior to 1945, the world system was dominated by states and nationalism. After 1945, the rise of globalization and increased economic interdependence led to the emergence of a new world system defined by core industrialized countries, and other peripheral countries that primarily provided raw materials and labor. The document also examines theories around the shift to a new global knowledge economy driven by factors like new media technologies, the free flow of information, and the decline of barriers like distance.