Changing Mechanisms Of Power

Question 1

China and the USA are similar in size of GDP but per person the USA is (1) times greater

Answer 1

4

Question 2

GB:
• No longer a superpower
• (1) largest economy
• (2) largest military spending but granted independence to all empire territories
• Influence in (3) and the UN
• BBC World Service to gain (4) funding from government

Answer 2

1 - 6th
2 - 5th
3 - NATO
4 - £289 million

Question 3

Describe Mackinder’s geo strategic location theory (aka Heartland theory)

Answer 3

The heartland covers a large portion of the Eurasian continent which Mackinder theorised whichever country held political control over the region could exert dominance over the rest of the world because control over land equates to political power

Question 4

Despite criticism of mackinder’s theory being inapplicable to today’s geopolitical landscape, why is it argued to be relevant?

Answer 4

It is claimed that the theory has influenced key foreign policies on a global scale

Question 5

Where has Mackinder’s theory been used to exert dominance?

Answer 5

The Nazi drive to conquer Europe proposed by Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellen in 1905 and again in the Cold War, the Soviet Union has control of the former east bloc countries

Question 6

Give an example of how history can let a country maintain power

Answer 6

International students to British universities especially Oxbridge
Cultural relationships established through the British empire to live on through the Commonwealth
Case law in Britain legal system is widely adopted worldwide

Question 7

Give an example of how culture can ensure maintenance of power

Answer 7

BBC international broadcaster
English is the most widely spoken language following Mandarin
The UK exports knowledge management in international consultancy firms

Question 8

Describe how diplomacy can help a country maintain power

Answer 8

UK has one of the largest networks of embassies and high commissions
Britain has always sought to support weaker countries against takeover by stronger ones to maintain balances of power

Question 9

Why has covert power been criticised recently?

Answer 9

The failure of the USA to react to human right abuses in Syria 2013-16

Question 10

What are the two major aspects of hard power?

Answer 10

Military power and economic power

Question 11

The USA remains the largest (1) partner for many countries, exporting high value goods e.g. (2) and global (3) the USA has dominance in (4) and intellectual property such as (5)
The (6) are all vital in spreading western influence

Answer 11

1 - trading 
2 - military aircraft 
3 - brands 
4 - innovation 
5 - patents  
6 - Bretton Woods players (WTO, IMF and world bank)