Geopolitics

Question 1

What is geopolitics?

Answer 1

Geopolitics is the study of relationships (political and economic) between countries and the influence of geographical factors (distance, climate, resources, etc.) on these relationships. It is the influence or power an individual country has over other countries.

Question 2

What makes a country powerful?

Answer 2

• strong military forces (China, US)
• history
• geographical advantages (OPECs)
• population (age, allies, education, etc.)
• environmental factors (natural resources)
• reliance on a sector (eg. primary vs quaternary)
• connectedness (trade blocs, alliances)
• economic status

Question 3

Trade blocs

Answer 3

Countries often group together in a trade bloc (eg. EU, NAFTA). These allow free trade between countries that are members, with no tariff (trade tax).

Question 4

Tariff

Answer 4

Trade tax

Question 5

What was the EU pressuring the UK to do?

Answer 5

Start using the €

Question 6

What do trade blocs give?

Answer 6

• a common external tariff for products coming into the bloc from outside
• a way to manage economic globalisation through geopolitics

Question 7

Advantages of Trade Blocs

Answer 7

• promotes free trade (without tariffs)
• free movement of labour, eg. people, across trading blocs
• creates good trading relationships with other countries in the trading bloc
• living standard goes up as trade prospers
• set high environmental standards
• protects the area’s economy from competition

Question 8

Disadvantages of trade blocs

Answer 8

• importing and exporting to countries that are not in the trade bloc can be expensive
• a country can only be part of one trading bloc, cannot enter others
• legislation can limit workers as well as protect them (eg. they want to work over the limit working hours)
• having to share resources may damage economic sectors
• increase food miles
• loss of sovereignty with main descisions