The re-centralization of power by Core capital that began in the 1980s was quite swift and mostlynon-violent, unlike the centralization that reached its peak in the last decades of the nineteenth century.Perhaps, this is not surprising. The first centralization was a pioneering movement: it involved the creation,extension and deepening of core-controlled systems of transport, trade, finance, investment, culturalinstruments, and subordinate classes in the Periphery. It took centuries to establish this system, ofteninvolving wars. However, when the colonial powers departed from their colonies, in most cases, they did notfully liquidate these long-established systems of control. While they terminated direct political controls,and ended their military presence, many of the economic and social linkages, though weakened, persisted inmost former colonies; only the communist countries severed nearly all their linkages with Core countries. Thisis what made the second re-centralization easier.