International cooperation thrives through its actors. Today, almost anyone can influence international decisions. Matthias Gronholz describes the underlying mechanisms and draws a connection from the Thirty Years' War to globalization. He reveals the Darwinian influence on the development of interstate relations and the special role of civil society. Examples ranging from the Peace of Westphalia to the United Nations and the G20 simplify access to international events in a vivid manner and enable a more accurate assessment of future developments.