Keohane, Robert - Nye, Joseph: Power and Interdependence in the Information Age

The authors focused on the question whether and to what extent the so called information revolution has changed the world politics. They argue that the impact was not so crucial - states still remain very important actors of the world politics and military force still plays a significant role in interstate relations. However, they claim that: “We are still in the early stages of the information revolution.” (The article was written in 1998).

Keohane and Nye remind that modernists throughout twentieth century proclaimed the transformation of world politics thanks to new technologies. The advance in technologies had to lead to a brand new world where states and their control of force won’t be important any more. However, they failed to analyze how the holders of power could wield that power to shape or distort the patterns of interdependence that cut across national boundaries. The same - authors argue - is the case of the prophets of cyberworld of 21st century. They overlook how much the new world overlaps and rests on the traditional world in which power depends on geographically based institutions. In addition to that there is a need of authority also in cyberspace and the classic issues of politics - who governs and on what terms - are relevant to cyberspace as to the real world.