The chapters in Part II consider different kinds of macro-interactions, by which we mean interactions which take place between states or which act at the global level of societies. What makes the study of macro-interactions comparatively easier than the study of interpersonal micro-interactions is the fact that they are strong, persistent and their effects are often clearly visible. On the contrary, microinteractions are much weaker, mostly of shorter duration and their effects are often masked by those of macro-interactions.

The motivation and rationale for first studying macro-interactions can best be explained by way of a parallel with physics. It is well known that by sorting molecules according to their velocities, a device known as a Maxwell demon would be able to make a system work in violation of the second law of thermodynamics. Naturally, it would be easy to imagine other kinds of Maxwell demons whose intervention would result in the violation of other physical laws. With such demons at work in our laboratories it would be impossible to study physical systems in a meaningful way, at least until their intervention could be identified and discounted. Fortunately, Maxwell demons do not exist in physics, but in the study of social phenomena we must indeed face this kind of difficulty. In our societies there are numerous Maxwell demons who distort and influence social phenomena; if for some reason they cannot tamper with the phenomena themselves, they will try to alter and misrepresent their historical accounts.