superpowers
- Created by: carlajokic
- Created on: 21-02-18 10:59
Introduction to superpowers
Hyperpower - USA
Superpower - EU
Emerging powers - China, Brazil, India
Regional powers - Japan, Mexico, Nigeria
Criteria for defining a superpower
-Demographic
-Resources
-Political
-Economy (strength)
-Military (strength)
-Culture
-Size
Pillars of superpower status
MILITARY- armed forces, navy (eg USA & China have huge military)
POLITICAL-stable government, no corruption
CULTURAL-appealing way of life, mixture of cultures, welcoming atmosphere
RESOURCES -oil and minerals, or education and skills
HARD POWER=relates to force, eg the military
SOFT POWER=the power of persuasion, cultural attractiveness, valuea/ideology & moral authority
GEO-STRATEGIC POLICIES:policies that attempt to meet global & regional policy aims of a country by combining diplomacy with movement/positioning of military assets
Political influence
British empire (colonialism) in the 19th century covered 1/4 of the planet
21st century is defined by; diplomacy, spheres of influence, foreign aid, soft power etc...
CHINA
4th largest economy in the world
growing by 10% a year for the last 2 decades
if this continues, by 2041, they were overtake America
soft power :
-foreign aid
-income equality
-freedom
-tourist numbers
military force & cultural influence
a country must have nuclear weapons to be a superpower
Largest armies: China, USA, India, Russia, North Korea
USA accounts fot almost 1/2 of global military expenditure
Cultural Influence: cultural exports & business franchises are extended all over the world
EG: McDonalds, Coca Cola, Starbucks, Subway
Americanisation is the most successful; eg media, cuisine, companies etc
patterns of power over time
British Empire: a unipolar world, which gave over to a bipolar world when the cold war began
in 1990, the USSR collapsed, USA became dominant and the EU was also powerful
UNIPOLAR- A world dominated by one power e.g. The British empire
BIPOLAR-a world governed by two superpowers with opposing ideologies e.g. USA & USSR
MULTIPOLAR-a complex world in which many powers and emerging powers compete for power
COLD WAR: a period of tension between Capitolist USA and communist USSR from 1945-1990, also nuclear weapons were around which added to tension
COLONIAL: direct control exerted by a powerful country over a less powerful one, between 1600-1900
ACCULTURATION: a process of cultural change when two cultures meet & interact; the transfer of dominant culture to the less dominant
Neo-colonialism & Mackinder's heartland theory
Neo-colonialism: a form of indirect control over developing countries, most of them former colonies
economic leakage: where money earnt in a country leaves through foreign investors to their home country
Mackinder's heartland theory
- 1904 idea that Russia's geographical position makes it 'unconquerable'
- Russia's physical resources make it effectively independent
BRIC Nations & G20
-In recent years emerging powers have had much more influence in terms of global economy, politics and environmental governmenance
-The rise of BRICs could mark the change to a 'multipolar world'
BRAZIL; Gold, diamonds, iron ore & rainforest, growing middle class, diversified economy
RUSSIA; large quantities of oil & gas, nuclear weapons, ageing population
INDIA; large quantities of coal, strong IT industry, youthful population, poor infrastructure
CHINA; some coal, communist, growing economy, military power
G20; focuses on global financial stability
-Members include UK, France, Germany and Italy
-90% of global economy, 80% global trade
-Self appointed, some members have poor human rights, 84% fossil fuel emissions
Rostow Modernisation Theory, 1960
5 stage model that outlines the phases countries must go through to gain more power
STAGE 1; traditional society; barter, argiculture
STAGE 2; Transitional stage; specialisation, surplus, infrastructure
STAGE 3; Take off; industrialisation, growing investment, political change
STAGE 4; Drive to maturity; innovation, investment, less reliance on imports
STAGE 5; High mass consumption; service sector dominates, durable goods flourish
Dependency Theory- Frank, 1960
-splits world into 2, developed core and underdeveloped periphery
-the core remains powerful as skilled workers migrate inwards & cause brain drain in periphery
-periphery is dependent on wealthy core for trade & income
-often recognised as neo-colonialism
Core -> Periphery
-manufactured goods. -Aid
-political/economic ideas -pollution
Periphery -> Core
-Brain drain. -raw materials
-Debt -political support
World Systems theory, Wallerstein, 1970s
-more dynamic version of core/periphery; a three tier model
-introduces the semi-periphery
-all 3 zones are globally interdependent
-places can move from all 3 tiers, more power shifts inwards, whereas less growth and stagnation moves back to the periphery
IGO's
IGO= intergovernmental organisation
-since end of cold war the world is dominated by free trade & capitalism
-this has been promoted by many IGO's, strengthening its grip on the world economy
FREE MARKET CAPITALISM: private ownership of properties, businesses, the right to make profit & accumulate wealth, buying and selling in a competitive free market
E.G.: USA, Canada, Japan, Western Europe
PROTECTIONISM: When a country protects its own industries by taxing (tarfiffs) on foreign imported goods, raising their price (e.g. USA)
IGO's cont.
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM; 1971
-Promotes globalisation, free trade
-goverened by Switzerland and rich companies
-encourages governments to promote global links, creates initiatives to benefit the world
WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION; 1995
-regulates global trade, promotes open trade, negotiates free trade agreements
-governed by western states, has 164 members
-WTO agreements have lead to explosion in global trade
IGO's final
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND; 1944
-promotes capitalism, stabilises global currencies
-189 member countries
-manages international debt, promotes development in TNC's
WORLD BANK; 1944
-makes development loans, promotes free trade
-governed by USA government
-allows TNC's to spread worldwide, contributes to LIC debts & promotes development infrastructure
TNC's
Publicly traded TNC's: owned by multiple stakeholders, around the world (usually other TNCs, banks) these stakeholders recieve dividends based on yearly profits
State-owned TNC's: the majority are completely owned by the government
-TNC's support free market capitalism & free trade
-they ensure dominance of global economy by investing in companies
Patent: granting of exclusive ownership of intellectual property by a state to an investor
-anyone else wishing to use this must pay a royalty
International Decisions
The UN; 1945
-maintains global security by enforcing peace, human rights, health law, environmental issues and humanitarian affairs
social: improves literacy, education, preserves cultural sites
Environmental; solutions for climate change, protects ozone layer
economic prevents nuclear proliferation
health; responds to HIV/Aids, eradicated smallpox
political; resolves disputes, strengthens law
DIPLOMATIC sanction: reduced/removes diplomatic ties e.g. embasies
MILITARY sanction: military strikes, or cutting off supplies to arms
Emerging powers - impact on economy & environment
FOOD:
-water shortage due to agriculture
-land use for farming takes up space
WATER:
-crop growing and animal farming is water intensive
-increased draught & desertification due to climate change
OIL:
-higher demand means price drop
RESOURCES:
-prices drop due to illegal mining and oversupply
-companies suffer as a result
The contested Arctic
Economic exclusion zone EEZ: UN states that a country controls the sea bed and resources within 200 miles of the coast
The arctic has:
-16% of undiscovered oil
-30% undiscovered gas
-26% natural gas liquids
roughly 84% of resources are likely to be found offshore
political: causes tensions as countries argue over resources/ownership
environmental: destruction of habitats, melting ice, land degredation
economic: expensive resources, countries want proft & cost of extraction
tension over mineral & economic resources
some resources are contested;
disputed land borders; e,g, India & Pakistan ; Kashmir
disputed land mass; e.g. UK & Argentina over Falkland islands
dispute over economic zone; e,g,; the arctic ocean
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: A physical region which a country believes it has economic, military, cultural or political rights
tension over territory; Russia & Crimea, South China sea,
Challenges facing superpowers
economic restructuring: from primary/secondary to tertiary and quaternary
EU & USA Challenges
economic; debts, unemployments
demographic ; ageing population, pension funds, population growth
political; political tensions, immigration, race relations under stress
resources; energy security issues, water supply issues
social; youth unemployment; political disaffection, health spending
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