What has happened to our institutions?
The trend of the modern institutionalization of our system began in the late 19th century, but didn't gain worldwide support until the early 20th century. It reached its peak after World War 2, when the feeling was that global institutions could stave off further bloody conflicts. Without WW2, establishing institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and eventually the European Union, would not have been possible.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/695701-modern-institutional-decay
