EQ1 Flashcards
Define superpower
A nation with the means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world, and to be a dominant global force. Requires huge resource demand so it is rare.
What are the forms of power and examples?
Military - nuclear weapons, satellite and spy tech.
Economic - buy resources & influence trade patterns
Cultural - project a way of life, behaviour and thoughts
Geographical - physical or cultural presence
Which power is the most important?
Economic as it it required to maintain all the other forms.
What are the 3 societal systems and give examples
Imperialist - British empire/British culture, economy and politics dominating subordinate colonies and democracy only existed in Britain.
Capitalist - USA, division between profitable businesses and those who work for them
Communist - USSR, Karl Marx developed theory means of production should be owned in common to create more equal society, state owned all businesses and property, not a democracy
What is different about USA being a capitalist?
They are a democratic one.
Why are the USA a strong superpower?
- World’s most powerful military machine which can operate anywhere which no other power can do
- Economically dominant (most of largest TNCs, world trade, dollar is reserve currency and more dollars abroad than in USA)
- US consumer culture dominance allows hegemony
What is cultural hegemony and give examples.
Theory developed by Antanio Gramsci (Italian Marxist philosopher)
Power is maintained largely by consent without need to directly force it as values are just accepted by people
(e.g. education, religion, media values)
What are some examples of power changing?
- USA are being threatened by Asia with their rapid economic growth and population centre
- History shows superpowers don’t last forever and seasonally/cyclically change
- Collapse of Communism as cultural and economic USSR hegemony disintegrated overnight
Who are the emerging superpowers?
EU
BRICs
Middle East rich oil nations
What do emerging superpowers require?
Strong economic growth Large pop. Key resource access Market economies Regional power & influence
Why is the USA becoming a weaker superpower?
Vulnerability to terrorist attacks as not invincible anymore
Economic problems at home (2008 financial crisis)
Ill conceived foreign policy actions and undermined international authority (Iraq War, Guantanamo Bay terrorist suspect detention)
Increased dependence on foreign oil and gas imports so less economic bargaining power
Why is China becoming more influential?
-Showcase of Chinese culture, integrity and technical skill through the Beijing Olympics
Chinese companies are becoming world players
Having an increasingly important role in fighting against global warming as they are the biggest CO2 emitters
Tech. is advancing rapidly
What change has there been since WW2?
BRICs and EU emergence
Decline in colonial superpower in the UK
Struggle for global superiority between USA & USSR
Who developed the Modernisation theory and when?
1960, W.W Rostow
What are the key principles of the Modernisation theory?
Strong beliefs of free trade, Western democracy & capitalism
Communist USSR, Cuba and China could not develop if they didn’t adopt the model
Influential as you develop by investing in infrastructure and industries to create preconditions for take off like the Asian tigers did
The first nations to experience the Industrial Revolution (USA & Britain) had initial advantage
