World Division of Labour, in today’s situation, the division of labour between all countries, including those belonging to opposite social systems. Historically it emerged as a result of the development of the international capitalist division of labour (see Division of Labour, Capitalist International) and its evolution into a world system. After the socialist revolution had triumphed in Russia and several socialist countries emerged in Europe and Asia, inter-state relations of a new type arose—the international socialist division of labour (see Division of Labour, Socialist International), with the result that the international capitalist division of labour lost its universal character. Even though the two types of international division of labour exist, there is still a world division of labour, which underlies the economic relations between countries belonging to different economic systems; there is also the world market. The international socialist division of labour is being formed with account of the world division of labour, which hinges on historical and geographical factors, and on the presence of different kinds of natural resources. But the main reason for the development of the world division of labour today, given the growing scale and complexity of production, is the need for international specialisation and cooperation, not only within the framework of each of the two world economic systems, but also between them. Apart from that, each of the two socio-economic systems is objectively interested in the exchange of scientific and technological experience, products of modern industries, results of scientific research, and research and development projects. So a division of labour is needed not only in the sphere of production, but in the sphere of scientific work as well. Opportunities arise for countries to cooperate in more rationally using electric power resources by transferring electric power to one another during peak hours, in rationally utilising the seas and oceans to develop fishing, etc. The enhancement of the world division of labour involves the extension of economic cooperation between socialist and developing countries, and of economic ties between socialist and developed capitalist countries.