Enquiry Question 1 - What are superpowers and how have they changed over time? Flashcards
What is a superpower?
‘A nation with means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world, and to be a dominant force.’
What is a hyperpower?
An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power. e.g. USA 1990-2010 and Britain 1850-1910.
What are the characteristics of a superpower?
- a strong economy
- attractive for business and tourism
- access to ports
What makes the US a superpower?
- Tourism: $204bn spent by tourists in the US.
- Gold: USA’s gold reserve is around 8000 tonnes.
- Athletics: 2520 medals won by the US between 1896-2016.
- GDP: $18tr in the US, they make up almost 25% of the worlds economy.
- Military: the US has a fleet of 13,000 aircraft and can deploy whenever they like because of their 800 bases in 70 countries.
What are the three types of power and examples of it?
Hard power : military presence and force
Middle powers : economic power - aid and trade
Soft power : culture and ideology
What are the seven mechanisms of power?
- Physical size and geographical position (hard)
- Economic power and influence (hard)
- Demographic factors (hard/soft)
- Political factors (soft)
- MIlitary strength (hard)
- Cultural influence (soft)
- Access to natural resources (hard/soft)
What is colonialism?
The act of one power/country controlling other countries for natural resources and territory.
What is imperialism?
A relationship of political, economic or cultural control between geographical areas.
What is colonisation?
The physical settling of people from a colonial power within their colony.
What is neo-colonialism?
It refers to an indirect form of control that meant newly independent countries were not actually masters of their own destiny.
What are some African countries China has invested in and what in?
- Mauritiana : oil and iron ore
- Ghana : oil and road projects
- NIgeria : preferential bidding for oil supplies
- Cameroon : gold mining and road buildings
- Equitorial Guinea : oil
- Angola : agriculture
- South Africa : financial services
- Zimbabwe : power station
- Ethiopia : dam construction
- Sudan and South Sudan : railway development
How is the navy helping china become the next superpower?
- they are building the 2nd island chain, artificial islands built for naval bases
- building new ships, submarines and aircraft carriers
- building new ports and making deals to use other countries ports too
How is African investment helping china become the next superpower?
Increasing involvement in Africa by building new infrastructure like roads and ports.
How is the energy trade helping china become the next superpower?
-China is the largest importer of oil and it is used to fuel their growth
How is the new silk road helping china become the next superpower?
- China to Pakistan economic corridor will give China acecess to the Indian ocean
- 40 year lease on 2000 acres in Pakistan to make a SEZ
- direct access to Europe gained via the belt
