page_title: Semi-periphery countries
section_title: 1450–1700
hierarchical_section_title: Semi-periphery countries / History and development / 1450–1700
caption_attribution_description: Español: Mapa diacrónico de los territorios del Imperio Español &#160;&#160; Territorios del imperio portugués durante la Unión Ibérica (1580-1640) &#160;&#160; Territorios perdidos hasta los Tratados de Utrecht-Baden (1713–1714) &#160;&#160; Territorios perdidos hasta las Guerras de independencia hispanoamericana (1808-1833) &#160;&#160; Territorios perdidos debido a la Guerra Hispano-Estadounidense (1898-1899) &#160;&#160; Territorios perdidos debido a la Descolonización de África (1956-1976) &#160;&#160; Territorios actualmente administrados por España English: Anachronous map of the Spanish Empire &#160;&#160; Territories of the Portuguese empire during the Iberian Union (1580-1640) &#160;&#160; Territories lost before or due to the Treaties of Utrecht-Baden (1713–1714) &#160;&#160; Territories lost before or during the Spanish American wars of independence (1808-1833) &#160;&#160; Territories lost following the Spanish-American War (1898-1899) &#160;&#160; Territories granted independence during the Decolonization of Africa (1956-1976) &#160;&#160; Current territories administered by Spain
context_page_description: In world-systems theory, the semi-periphery countries are the industrializing, mostly capitalist countries which are positioned between the periphery and core countries. Semi-periphery countries have organizational characteristics of both core countries and periphery countries and are often geographically located between core and peripheral regions as well as between two or more competing core regions. Semi-periphery regions play a major role in mediating economic, political, and social activities that link core and peripheral areas.
  These regions allow for the possibility of innovative technology, reforms in social and organizational structure, and dominance over peripheral nations. These changes can lead to a semi-periphery country being promoted to a core nation. Semi-periphery is, however, more than a description, as it also serves as a position within the world hierarchy in which social and economic change can be interpreted.
  World-systems theory describes the semi-periphery as a key structural element in the world economy.
context_section_description: In a push to ensure stable economic growth, Europe turned to a capitalistic economy in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries to replace the failed feudal system. Modern capitalism allowed for economies to extend beyond geographical and political boundaries, leading to the formation of the first worldwide economic system. At the base of this world system was an international division of labor that determined countries' relationships and placement within the categories of the world system: core, semi-periphery, periphery, and external. The core regions, most notably the countries of Northwestern Europe like England, France, and the Netherlands, gained the most from the world economy. Their ascension from previous peripheral and semi-peripheral status to the core was driven by the development of strong central government and military power, the combination of which made possible control of international commerce and exploitation of colonial possessions.
  At the other end of the spectrum was the periphery, marked by lack of central government, exportation of raw materials to the core, and exploitive labor practices. In this time period, especially toward the end of the 17th century, South America and parts of North America stood out as peripheral zones under the control and capitalistic exploitation of core countries in Europe. Slaves and indigenous workers in these regions developed raw materials for export to Europe, a distinctive characteristic of the new capitalism, as goods were no longer produced solely for internal consumption. The aristocracy of these regions controlled commerce and became wealthy through the new world economy, leading to their rise in power above the government. Even in periods of upheaval, local aristocrats were able to rely on core European powers to assist in keeping control over the economic system.
  In between the core and periphery was the semi-periphery, which constituted both previous core regions that had declined, like Italy, Spain and Portugal, and peripheries that had improved their position, like southern Germany and southern France. Spain and Portugal had taken advantage of the opening to Atlantic control left by the decline of Italian powers like Genoa and Venice. Much like the core European powers, Spain and Portugal had strong navies and expansive colonial domains, which they exploited for their natural resources and cheap labor. Rather than using the increased wealth to develop strong domestic manufacturing sectors, as other Western European powers did, Spain and Portugal used imported gold and silver to obtain manufactured goods from the core countries, relegating them to semi-periphery instead of core status. So, while they had control over several peripheral regions and exploited them, a characteristic of a core region, these countries failed to develop the quality manufacturing industries and the access to international banking that further defined core countries, leaving them a step below in the world system at semi-periphery status.
caption: Subsequent to taking over Portugal's empire (in blue) from 1580-1640, these were areas of the world that at one time were territories (in red) of the Spanish Empire.
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