In many of his works, Moretti relies on one strand of historical macrosociology – world-systems analysis – and its main theorist, Immanuel Wallerstein. World-systems analysis divides all countries into three groups: core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral. Core countries dominate the world by having a monopoly over some kind of products, which they export to the peripheral and semi-peripheral countries.
In various writings, Moretti frequently employs one part of historical macrosociology – world-systems analysis, under the guidance of Immanuel Wallerstein – to categorize countries into core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral divisions. Core nations dominate by controlling certain products that they export to these other groups.