EQ1: What are superpowers and how have they changed over time? Flashcards
Why do some countries, and country groupings, have a much greater geopolitical influence than others?
Because of their geographical characteristics
Why is geopolitical power dynamic?
It has changed in the past and continues to change as countries rise and fall in global influence
Why has the EU been weakened in terms of its global power?
The fact that its 28 member states often disagree is a weakness in terms of global power. The EU could be further weakened when the UK leaves in 2019-2020 following the 2016 Referendum vote.
What are the six sources of power?
Economic Political Military Cultural Demographic Natural resources
What is hard power?
Hard power: using military and economic influence (trade deals, sanctions) to force another country to act in a particular way.
What is soft power?
Soft power: more subtle persuasion of countries to act in particular ways, on the basis that the persuader is respected and appealing. Includes political persuasion (diplomacy) and cultural influence.
In 2017, how many member states made up the EU?
28
What are the limitations of using hard power?
- Hard power (threats of force or direct military action) can get results but is expensive and risky.
- Others may view military action as unnecessary or illegal, so the aggressor may lose allies and moral authority (e.g. Russia’s 2014 invasion of the Crimea).
- A country’s “credibility deteriorates [and] international cooperation diminishes as attitudes of distrust tend to grow.” This, in turn, makes it less likely that states will engage in hard power when a justifiable need arises.
What are the limitations of using soft power?
- Soft power relies on a country having respected culture, values and politics, which may be enough to persuade some countries but not others.
Which country has the most active nuclear warheads?
USA 1790 (2015/16 data)
Why was Heartland theory influential?
- It persuaded the USA, UK and other European countries that Russia needed to be ‘contained’, i.e. prevented from spreading outward by taking over new areas close by.
- It reinforced the idea that control of physical resources (land, mineral wealth) was important.
Why could the Heartland theory be considered less influential in the twenty-first century?
- Modern military technology - size is no protection
- Physical resources are traded internationally; there is much less need to have them domestically.
- War and conflict are generally seen as abnormal, whereas in the past they were accepted ways of gaining power.
Give two examples to show that hard power still exists.
- In 1991 and 2003 the USA and its allies invaded Iraq, partly to secure oil supplies.
- Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine/Crimea in 2014, claiming to be protecting ethnic Russians.
During the imperial era, what did the development of empires rely on?
- Powerful navies to transport soldiers and equipment to areas of potential conquest, and then protect sea-routes and coastlines from enemies
- Large and advanced armed forces to conquer territory and then control it
- Businesses, often government owned, to exploit resources in the conquered territories by mining (gold, tin) and plantation farming (rubber, tea, coffee)
- A fleet of merchant ships, protected by a navy, to transport goods back to the home country
- People from the home country to act as the government and civil service to run the colonies
During the imperial era, how were empires maintained?
Directly by force
How large was the British Empire when it reached its peak in 1920?
Britain had the largest empire, reaching its peak in 1920 when it controlled 24% of the world’s land across all continents.
Explain why European countries gave independence to their colonies.
This was because the cost of maintaining empires was too high as Europe rebuilt after the Second World War.
What are the four indirect mechanisms of power?
Political
Military
Economic
Cultural
During the Cold War, how did the USA and USSR obtain allies among other countries?
The USA and USSR sought allies among other countries as part of the USA-led ‘West’ or USSR-led ‘East’. This included:
- military alliances, e.g. USA (NATO) and the USSR (Warsaw Pact)
- foreign aid as a way to ‘buy’ support from emerging and developing nations
- support for corrupt and undemocratic regimes in the developing world, in return for their support for the superpower
