Eq1 What Are Superpowers? soft and hard powers and the factors that contribute to the superpowers Flashcards
Super power
A state or organisation that is able to extend a dominant influence Other countries globally through economic political cultural and military strength
What are the six sources of power?
Economic power and influence Political factors Military strength Cultural influence Demographic factors access to Natural resources physical size and geographical poisition
Give an example of a country that uses physical size and geographical position to its advantage
Russia is the worlds largest country and controls significant resources as a result - Russia has access to the Arctic region which has vast untapped natural resources that live beneath it
however Russia’s relations with other countries is complex , and so using these resources to its advantage by selling via global trade is difficult.
Where does Russia China and the USA rank in worlds largest countries
1st Russia
3rd USA
4th China
Give evidence to prove that economic power and influence is important in becoming a superpower
In 2015 the worlds 10 largest economies accounted for 65% of the global GDP
Some of these countries have the worlds most powerful currency’s for example the US dollar and the euro
They also have the power to determine global economic policies by joining Political and economic organizations such as a G20 or trade bloks.
Give an example of a country that has used as population size to help with its economic success
China and India also use their large populations as a source of cheap labor in manufacturing- 52.6% of China’s population of 1.39 bln work in agriculture and industry.
However a large population is not critical to power since Singapore is total population is about half of that of London and yet it has a major influence on South East Asia econ.
and 36% of China’s pop. lives on under $2 a day.
Pop. of China
1.4 billion
How much of global military spending does the US dominate
37%
Where does the USA China Russia and India rank in the worlds largest armies?
1st - China
2nd - India
3rd - US
4th- NK
The UN Security Council is the ultimate status in the military power who are the five permanent security council members?
USA UK Russia China and France
Give examples of companies that have influenced global culture
Disney , Sony, universal and Warner, Coca Cola
Give an example of a country that could become a superpower due to its access to natural resources
China dominates the global steel industry and its economy has grown thanks to dependency on coal- because steel is the worlds most important engineering and construction material-
Saudi Arabia remains the largest export of oil in 2020
Where did the UK China India and the US rank in soft power rankings in 2019?
2nd - UK
5th- US
27th- China
India did not make it onto the list
Give evidence to show that as a soft power Britain is a global leader in education
Has prestigious universities like Oxford and Cambridge
42% students are not from the U.K. most are from China, the US and Germany
SOFTPOWER UK ; Number of embassies in the UK
165 embassies which helps maintain status as country with one of the largest networks of embassies around the world
in comparison ; china has 147 embassies
and US - 178
SOFTPOWER UK ; Why is the BBC so important to Britain in its maintenance of status as an important soft power
The BBC News sells its own programs overseas for example The UK version of top gear Is shown in over 100 countries and is the worlds most popular TV series
The BBC News also is a major international broadcaster which broadcasts in more than 40 languages through the BBC World Service
CHINA AS A GROWING SUPERPOWER;
Explain how the hanban institutes set up by the Chinese government helped China to exert its soft power
They set up more than 280 institutes in 88 countries and regions with more planned for 2020
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.
Why was Heartland (geo-strategic location) theory influential?
- Mackinder argeud that the heartland was the key geo-strategic region in the world and control of it meant control over the ‘World Island’.
- 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.
define hegemony
Hegemony is the political, economic, or military predominance or control of one state over others.
define neo-colonialism
Neocolonialism is the practice of using economics, globalisation, cultural imperialism, and conditional aid to influence a country instead of the previous colonial methods of direct military control (imperialism) or indirect political control (hegemony).
