Different types of Global Power Flashcards
1
Q
Define power
A
The methods nation-states use to exercise control and achieve desired outcomes - influencing others.
2
Q
Realists views on power
A
- Nation-states exist in a global ‘self-help’ environment - focuses on survival in an anarchic world order, with no supranational authority capable of enforcing global standards of behaviour.
- Illustrated by Dalton’s Billiard Ball Model - states constantly collide with each other as they seek to protect their own interests, so conflict is inevitable.
- States accumulate power through the structural dynamics of a system of international anarchy.
3
Q
Liberals views on power
A
- Sees power as interwoven and interconnected, especially regarding globalisation.
- Uses the Cobweb Model = states’ interests are so closely intertwined that they gain more through cooperation, rather than competititon.
4
Q
What does both the Cobweb and the Billard Model help us with?
A
Establishing how the balance of power affects global politics.
5
Q
What does power consist of?
A
+ Economic capability
+ Military strength
+ Cultural appeal
+ Diplomatic strength
+ Population
+ Structural power
+ Regional power
+ Research and development
+ Natural resources
6
Q
Economic capability
A
- Measured in GDP.
- Includes factors like: debt levels, stability of economic growth, influence over trade rules and contributions to international programmes and organisations, international aid.
- In GDP, the US is the world’s largest economy. However, in terms of purchasing power parity, China dominates - more complex by the relative slowdown in the American economy compared to the rapid growth of emerging economies.
7
Q
Military strength
A
- A nation’s standing army (a criterion for being a superpower) and its global reach - a state’s ability to deploy anywhere at anytime.
- Includes: navy, air force capacity and technological capacities (nuclear weapons, drones and increasingly cybertechnology).
- USA dominates = spent $801 billion in 2021, representing 39% of the world’s military spending.
8
Q
Cultural appeal
A
- Television, celebrites, brands - more controversial and complex (hard to measure).
- Some say the world is increasingly more homogenised or the world is a ‘melting pot’ with many countries competing for global influence.
- No doubt that it provides a soft power influence in IR - traditionally, globalisation has been seen as a way that the USA can expand its global influence by its political and cultural values - Americanisation, or negatively ‘American Imperialism’.
9
Q
Diplomatic strength
A
- Includes elements of structural power, reach of its foreign policy and the global impression the states makes, together with its ability to utilise its power of influence.
- Must be prepared to provide global leadership on issues like conflict resolution, environment, global economy, poverty and development.
10
Q
Population
A
- Appears straightforward, providing significant power, but has underlying complexities if many live below the poverty line, suggesting that the state may be preoccupied with the internal socio-economic problems.
- Must note if the pop is ageing and is fertile:
+ Japan = suffered from its resistance to immigration, some critics argued this has reduced its capacity for innovation.
+ US has an expanding and youthful population - may reach 438M by 2050 while Russia will shrink to 80M.
11
Q
Structural power
A
- State’s ability to influence intergovernmental organisations like the UN, the World Bank and the G7.
- The US provides the largest share of funding for the World Bank and the IMF, while China financially dominates the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank).
11
Q
Regional power
A
- Some have significant influence in their respective regions - may pool sovereignity to enhance their influence and gain a greater level of structural and diplomatic pressure - especially in terms of influence over IGOs and NGOs.
- The USA, for example, dominates the Organisations of American States and Russia is the most important member of the Eurasian Custom Union.
11
Q
Research and development
A
- Expenditure on the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existing ones.
- Serves as a status symbol, providing states with strategic advantages - especially regarding new technology.
Chart in US $ billions
1. United States 612.714
2 China 514.798
4 India 158.691
25 Indonesia 10.758
12
Q
Natural resources
A
- States that are resource-rich can possess significant bargaining power and can act independently - more difficult to sanction due to states’ reliance on their resources.
- EXAMPLE = Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to rise in prices in energy.
- BUT a possible hindrance to some, especially sub-Saharan Africa, as the ‘resources curse’ = encourages powerful states to try economically dominate poorer countries, relegating them to a state of neo-colonial dependency - Nemu (pacific island).
13
Q
Define hard power
A
- Realist’s perspective.
- Physical elements of military and economic power: the more powerful state will have military strength to attack and defend + the strongest economy can afford to place sanctions.
- Both are a form of command power, through which a state can change a rival state’s actions. Therefore, it focuses on the ways in which a nation state can compel obedience to its will.
