Vector and structural changes in the modern world

Abstract

The article examines the vector and structural changes in the modern world, caused by exogenous and endogenous factors and identified on the basis of determining the countries status taking into account the processes of changing their positions according to the group affiliation (hegemonic countries, applicant countries, «third world» countries, as well as other countries which gravitate to the world vanguard or rearguard ones). The proposed methodology of research into the countries global status is based on a comprehensive approach to the analysis of socio-natural systems, presented as a combination of economic, political, innovative, social and spiritual spheres, as well as the sphere of functioning of institutions and the sphere of human interaction with nature. The k-means clustering and the fuzzy logic apparatus were used to find out the vector and structural changes taking place in a globalized society. The analysis is based on processing the country data by the following indicators: the KOF Globalization Index, the Legatum Prosperity Index, the Global Competitiveness Index, the Global Innovation Index, the Human Development Index, the Fragile States Index, and the Environmental Performance Index (2009—2018). They were selected as the attributes, the set of which allows to distinguish clusters. The countries were clustered according to he components of their socio-natural systems. According to the Index of Global Status of Countries, the place that belongs to the subjects of international relations was estimated and their status was identified. On this basis, the differences in the development of the countries were detected. Significant differences in the positioning of states in the globalized world were objectified. The conditions of the formation of countries global status and the causes of the status dynamics were revealed. The fact of asymmetry, polarization and inequality progression was proved. It was demonstrated that the study of vector and structural changes occurring in the world economic system and globalized society extends the scientific notion about the present day systemic contradiction of the post-industrial and post-capitalist eras of the globalized world being formed.