Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye discussed interdependence and transnationalism in their first publication, "Power and Interdependence", published in 1977. The publication coincided with the decade of independence of the United Nations (UN). Development in which states pushed for economic growth and social progress. The 1970s were also a particularly quiet time during the Cold War and were when the European Community (EC) really came into being. The world was advancing at a remarkable pace, and old schools of thought seemed less and less relevant in understanding world politics. Keohane and Nye referred to organizations such as the EC and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) saying that these, along with the rise of multinationals and intergovernmental organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have destroyed old schools of thought no longer applied to this new international system. The traditional view of world politics was realism, this theory focused on security as the main factor in world politics, this meant that political integration between states was deemed scarce and only viable as long as it served the national interest of the state. Transnational actors were believed not to exist or to have no political importance. The balance of power was decided militarily and had to remain stable (Keohane & Nye, 2011: 20). With the changes brought about by the 1970s and with transnationalism becoming more widespread and obvious, many believed that realism no longer described the world. “Interdependence means mutual dependence… characterized by mutual effects between countries or between actors in different countries” (Keohane & Nye, 2011: 7). This mutual dependence can still... middle of paper... things like globalization. With an ever-changing world and ever-evolving systems they are certainly necessary. Works CitedBBC. (2011, September). North Korea country profile. Retrieved December 2011 from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/country_profiles/1131421.stm#factsClavin, P. (2005). Defining transnationalism. Contemporary European History, 14(4), 421-439.Goldstein, J. S. (2001). International Relations (4th ed.). New York: Longman.Keohane, R. O., & Nye, J. S. (2011). Power and interdependence. (4th, ed.) Boston: Longman.NPR. (2005, April). McDonald's 50th anniversary. Retrieved December 2011 from NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600471Sullivan, M. P. (1982). Transnationalism, power politics and the reality of the current system: globalism versus realism. (R. Maghroori and B. Ramberg, eds.) Colorado: Westview.