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A Level > Geography: Superpowers > Flashcards

Geography: Superpowers Flashcards

1
Q

Define the following:
Regional power
Emerging power
Superpower

A

Regional power: A country or state that has power or influence in a part of a continent or world region.

Emerging power: A country that has rapidly increased its influence and economic position in the world.

Superpower: A very powerful country with worldwide influence due to a dominant economy, culture, political persuasion or military strength.

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2
Q

What’s the difference between hard and soft power?

A

Hard power is a coercive approach to gaining and maintaining power. Soft power is an approach that attracts and co-opts with the views of others.

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3
Q

What does Mackinder’s geo-strategic location theory state?

A

It states that the heartland is where the world superpowers are located. The pivot is in the centre of the heartland.

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4
Q 
Define the following:
Imperialism 
Colonialism 
Colonisation
Colonies
A

Imperialism: a relationship of political, economic or cultural control between geographical areas.

Colonialism: political rule of a nation by another. (Also known as political imperialism).

Colonisation: the physical settling of people from a colonial power within their colony.

Colonies: territories under the immediate political control of a state.

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5
Q

Define neo-colonialism.

A

The indirect control of a country by economic, cultural and political means.

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6
Q

Define the following:
Unipolar world
Bipolar world
Multipolar world

A

Unipolar world: A world dominated by one hyperpower.

Bipolar world: A world divided into opposing blocs by two superpowers

Multipolar world: Numerous equally powerful states.

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7
Q

Which countries are in the BRICs?

A

Brazil, Russia, India, China

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8
Q

Which characteristics do superpowers usually have?

A
  • strong economy
  • large military force
  • large geographical size
  • member of many trade blocs.
  • nuclear capability
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9
Q

How did Britain use hard power to maintain control over the Raj?

A

In 1858, they used the military to end a rebellion which lasted 13 months.

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10
Q

How did Britain use soft power to maintain control over the Raj?

A

British culture was introduced to the area through a process called acculturalisation.

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11
Q

How did new technology aid the British empire?

A

The steamship and telegraph allowed them to defend and control the empire. By 1902, the British empire was linked together by a series of telegraph cables.

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12
Q

why has Brazil became globally important?

A
  • strong, diverse economy and a growing middle class.
  • agricultural power, dominates fruit and juice markets.
  • energy independent, can rely on its own energy.
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13
Q

why has Russia became globally important?

A
  • largest country in the world with extensive oil and gas reserves.
  • one of the world’s first nuclear states.
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14
Q

why has India become globally important?

A

-GDP has increased by 7.4% on average between 2006 and 2012.

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15
Q

why has China become globally important?

A
  • ‘workshop of the world’
  • liberal trade policies, in ASEAN which attracts investment.
  • foreign investment aids growth.
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16
Q

what is multipolarity?

A

a world where there are multiple powers/influential countries. the world was multipolar prior to the second world war.

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17
Q

what is the world bank and how does it influence the global economy and give superpowers more influence?

A
  • founded in Breton woods 1944, finances development and addresses the effects of natural disasters. also helps democracy to function.
  • influences the global economy as it gives loans to developing countries to reduce poverty, had a bad reputation in the 70s and 80s for financing environmentally damaging projects and putting countries further in debt.
  • gives superpowers more influence as over 40% of WB votes lie in the hands of the top 8% contributors.
18
Q

what is the IMF and how does it influence the global economy and give superpowers more influence?

A
  • aims to prevent poverty and promote capitalism, has 189 members.
  • influences the global economy as it has a fund to help developing countries in debt.
  • gives superpowers more influence as voting rights and in proportion to investment, more wealthy countries have more of a say. 8 countries control 47% of votes.
19
Q

what is the WTO and how does it influence the global economy and give superpowers more influence?

A
  • regulates global trade by creating trade agreements and barriers in some cases. aims to reduce poverty 1 country 1 vote system.
  • influences the global economy as global trade increased since its formation.
  • gives superpowers more influence as it frees up capital and labour movement for superpowers.
20
Q

what is the world economic forum and how does it influence the global economy and give superpowers more influence?

A
  • swiss non-profit organisation working to encourage public-private co-operation.
  • influences the global economy as it discusses issues such as corruption and encourages governments to set up global links.
  • gives superpowers more influence as TNCs can benefit from government policies such as low taxation.
21
Q

what is the modernisation theory and what does it state?

A

it states the different stages a country goes through, starts with the traditional society (based on sustenance farming with limited technology) to takeoff (rapid growth of manufacturing etc.) to a high mass consumption society (prominent middle class, goods and services).

22
Q

what is the dependency theory and what does it state?

A

explains the variation in growth between countries. as the more powerful country exploits the weaker colony, it becomes more dependent upon the stronger power. it’s from a western perspective. developed countries give aid, manufactured goods etc. to developing countries and get raw materials, political support etc. in return.

23
Q

what is the world systems theory and what does it state?

A
  • three ‘worlds’: core, semi-periphery and periphery.
  • interconnections in the world are constantly growing.
  • most power found in Europe and north America.
24
Q

What is the impact of Apple on how we interact and communicate?

A
  • until 2015, it was the largest company in the USA, worth $724 million.
  • more than 1 billion iOS devices sold by 2015
25
Q

How are TNCs dominant forces in the global economy?

A
  • in the 18th/19th century, much of India was run by the British East India Company.
  • in 2015, the top 200 TNCs made up for 25% of the world’s economic output by value.
26
Q

How do TNCs contribute to globalisation through technology?

A
  • all WTO members must register any product or process under patent law, exclusive ownership of the intellectual property.
  • 7000 new patents registered in the USA in 2015.
  • TNCs benefit greatly from patenting their products.
27
Q

How to TNCs encourage globalisation through trade patterns?

A
  • between 1960 and 2010, trade increased by 46% per decade.

- in 2013, it was estimated that TNCs accounted for 80% of global trade.

28
Q

How do TNCs help superpowers to maintain their power?

A

-75% of the forbes top 200 companies are in just 10 countries, 579 of these companies in the USA.

29
Q

How have superpowers been involved in crisis response in Syria?

A

USA

  • spent over $697 million on humanitarian aid.
  • air raids on sites thought to hold chemical weapons.

CHINA

  • doesn’t take any action which may further militarise the crisis.
  • tries to avoid conflict, in contrast to America’s approach
30
Q

How have superpowers been involved in the Iraq conflict?

A
  • the USA used its military strength to overthrow Saddam Hussein, who was believed to have had WMDs.
  • sent 190,000 troops there, Hussein was killed
31
Q

What have superpowers done in order to tackle climate change?

A

USA

  • $1b a year for climate mitigation.
  • Paris agreement.

CHINA

  • pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45% from 2005 to 2020.
  • pledged that non-fossil fuels would account for 20% of its energy production by 2035.
32
Q

What is the role of the UN in tackling climate change?

A
  • every year since 1995, the UN held climate change conferences.
  • during these conferences, parties try to resolve problems posed by climate change and aim to reduce emissions.
33
Q

How does the UN court of justice encourage stability?

A

countries can resolve disputes without resorting to open conflict.

34
Q

What are the impacts of superpower resource consumption?

A

landscape scarring: opencast mining removes vegetation and scars the natural landscapes. the process can cause noise and air pollution, waste can also contaminate waterways.

built environment: in 2003, 250 Chinese cities were affected by acid rain caused by pollutants. this accelerated the weathering of limestone and cement on buildings.

oil spills: 2010 BP oil spill gulf of mexico. killed marine life.

removal of rainforests (for food): forest in Brazil has been cleared and converted to cropland and pasture. brazil exports a lot of meat and juice etc. and so a lot of space is required for farms and crops.

35
Q

What is the middle class?

A

a social group between upper and working classes, including professional and business people.

36
Q

How have physical resources in the arctic led to tensions?

A
  • contains 30% of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and 50% of oil.
  • caused an international race for resources.
  • military presence there due to disputed resources.
37
Q

how have the actions of countries caused tensions within the arctic to arise?

A
  • Canada started military exercises there in 2002 and conducts them annually.
  • A Russian submarine planted the Russian flag on the seabed near the arctic, it was removed by Canada.
38
Q

what are some problems caused by counterfeiting?

A
  • strains trade relations.

- reduces TNC investment

39
Q

What is a patent?

A

legal recognition that a product belongs intellectually to its developer.

40
Q

Why does the Middle East pose a problem to superpowers?

A

POLITICAL TENSIONS:

  • Israel is contentious for many Arab states who want to see a separate state of Palestine alongside Israel.
  • Afghanistan has been unstable since the soviet invasion of 1979, and has been viewed suspiciously by the USA for hiding terrorists.

ECONOMIC TENSIONS:
-key supplier of oil, the role of ISIS in Iraq since the invasion of allied forces focused western interests on defending the country’s oil reserves.

CULTURAL TENSIONS:
-countries of the middle east have historic tribal/religious divisions.

ENVIRONMENTAL TENSIONS:
-past conflicts have caused damage to oil installations.

41
Q

What is gross domestic product?

A

the total value of goods and services a country produces in one year.

A Level (36 decks)

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