The structure of global economic integration and conflict

Empirical examinations have reached a number of conclusions regarding the relationship between global economic integration and interstate conflict. Most studies find that increased economic relations dampen the likelihood of interstate violence. Yet these studies have focused largely on bilateral trade measures and domestic-level causal mechanisms. In this paper I take the discussion to the structural level and construct systemic variables for global economic openness and concentration. I then test the relationships among these variables and international conflict using an autoregressive model and event count regression methods. The outcomes suggest that high levels of hegemonic protection and global economic concentration are associated with low levels of systemic violence, a finding that runs counter to much of the existing empirical and theoretical literature surrounding the international market and conflict.