Abstract :
Existing empirical models of international co-operation emphasize domestic determinants, although
virtually all theories of international relations focus on interdependencies between countries. This
article examines how much states’ linkages with the international system, relative to domestic factors,
such as income and democracy, influence the dynamics of global governance efforts. To this end, we
study the ratification behaviour of 180 countries vis-a` -vis 255 global environmental treaties. Except
for integration into the world economy, which affects co-operative behaviour negatively, our results
show that international factors have a stronger and more positive impact on cooperative behaviour
than domestic factors. This implies that Galton’s advice not to examine the effects of internal and
external variables in isolation is also useful in the study of international politics.
