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Abstract

This study is a modest attempt, from a behavioural perspective, to sort out some of the conceptual difficulties in the imperialist literature. Several objections are raised pertaining to marxist determinism and a less deterministic model is opted for. The empirical implications of testing the whole model militate against it in a study of this size so that only two important propositions emanating from the model are tested; first that interactions in the international system are rank-dependent, and second, that they are feudally-structured. Support for these two hypotheses can be found in the behavioural literature, but the advantage of this study is that it offers an explanation - imperialism (with requisite qualifications) - for these interaction relationships. The results are far from conclusive; several problems regarding conceptual ambiguity remain. Future study rejecting the marxist mode of inquiry will have to concentrate on further specification of an alternative model.