Issues with Interdependence (3.2)

Question 1

Define interdependence (geography)

Answer 1

Interdependence is the theory that nations depend on each other socially, economically, environmentally and politically.

Question 2

What is social interdependence? Give an example

Answer 2

Social interdependence refers to the greater connections between people in different countries.

Diasporas all over the world increase social interdependence, with around 281 million migrants worldwide in 2020.

Question 3

What is economic interdependence? Give an example

Answer 3

Economic interdependence is when countries are dependent on flows of goods, services and labour entering a country for economic growth.
E.g., Oil from one country is used by others for energy development.

Question 4

What is political interdependence? Give an example

Answer 4

Political interdependence is when countries rely on each other to intervene during political unrest.

An example is the Ukraine Visa scheme where over 175,000 Ukrainians moved to the UK following the Russia-Ukraine war.

Question 5

What is environmental interdependence? Give an example

Answer 5

Environmental independence occurs as all nations rely on each other to protect the environment.
This was evident by the Chernobyl nuclear fallout disaster in Ukraine that reached the UK and France in 1986.

Question 6

Define a remittance

Answer 6

A sum of money that is sent home by migrants working in core regions.

Question 7

Periphery regions and core regions are basically what?

Answer 7

Core regions = HICs
Periphery regions = LICs

Question 8

Define loan

Answer 8

Money that is borrowed by a country

Question 9

Define repatriation

Answer 9

Repatriation involves returning foreign earned profits back to the company’s headquarter country.

Question 10

Define bilateral aid

Answer 10

Aid given directly from one country to another

Question 11

There are unequal flows between interdependent countries. What are they?

Answer 11

1. People
2. Money
3. Ideas
4. Technology

Question 12

State 3 benefits of unequal flows of people

Answer 12

1. The benefits of unequal flows of people between countries are mainly concerned with the workforce. Migrants are an important labour supply to the country as many are able to fill the labour shortages that may be ‘unwanted’ by others, e.g., social care sector in the UK.
2. The countries that people are migrating from may also benefit as workers send remittances back to their home country to boost development.
3. The unequal flows of people enables some to flee from conflict and poor quality of life to somewhere with greater opportunities.

Question 13

How do unequal flows of people cause inequalities?

Answer 13

1. LICs may suffer from brain drain, where highly skilled workers leave the country. People who are not able to migrate could remain trapped in the cycle of poverty, reinforcing existing inequalities.
2. It is also easier for people from HICs to migrate than people in LICs, creating inequalities between countries.

Question 14

Unequal flows of people causing inequalities: How many countries could UK citizens travel to compared to Afghans without a visa in 2017?

Answer 14

In 2017, UK citizens could travel to 173 countries without a visa whilst Afghans could only move to 24 countries.

Question 15

How do unequal flows of people cause conflict?

Answer 15

As companies have access to larger labour supply from migration, they may depress wages for the locals. This could result in conflict between local and migrant populations.

Question 16

How do unequal flows of people cause injustice?

Answer 16

Migrant workers may be exploited, working in dangerous environments for low wages. For example, an estimated 1200 migrants died while building for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Question 17

State 3 benefits of unequal flows of money/capital

Answer 17

State 3 benefits of unequal flows of money/capital

Question 18

How do unequal flows of money cause inequalities?

Answer 18

1. Foreign aid can lead to dependency, where governments have limited incentive to improve their country and provide support for its poorer citizens.
2. Profits earned by TNCs are often repatriated to headquarters in HICs, widening inequality.

Question 19

How do unequal flows of money cause conflict?

Answer 19

1. Foreign aid may be given to corrupt governments/organisations that can use it to fund conflict.
2. Tensions could also arise between TNCs and residents as local firms are displaced, reducing the availability of appropriately skilled jobs.

Question 20

How do unequal flows of money cause injustice?

Answer 20

TNCs may pressurise governments in LICs to pass laws that make it cheaper to operate there, such as through cutting regulation or ignoring dangerous sweatshop working conditions.

Question 21

How have unequal flows of ideas been beneficial

Answer 21

1. Many HICs promoted the concept of neo-liberalism in the 1980s, which limited state intervention through new ideas like privatisation, deregulation and free trade.
2. The spread of information between countries has led to more development and less conflict.

Question 22

How do unequal flows of ideas cause inequalities?

Answer 22

LICs may feel forced to keep up with the idea of neo liberalism even if it does not benefit themselves, and it tends to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few large TNCs in developed nations.

Question 23

How do unequal flows of ideas cause conflict?

Answer 23

Developing countries may feel a threat to their sovereignty while TNCs believe their intervention is justified. This could result in conflict between TNCs and the government.

Question 24

How do unequal flows of ideas cause injustice?

Answer 24

The idea of free trade and deregulation can lead to more relaxed social and environmental laws in LICs, causing social injustice and environmental damage with poor government management.

Question 25

What are the benefits of unequal flows of technology? Example

Answer 25

The concentration of technology in certain places can encourage rapid innovation, improving quality of life and growth opportunities. For example, technology companies in Silicon Valley, California have developed innovations in healthcare.

Question 26

How do unequal flows of technology cause inequalities? Example

Answer 26

HICs have technological advantage over LICs as they can afford to buy the latest technology. This means they can advance their economy and improve access to information, widening inequalities between countries.

In 2016, 97% of Netherlands’ citizens had access to the Internet, compared to only 20% in Myanmar.

Question 27

How can unequal flows of technology cause conflict and injustice?

Answer 27

Technological weapons can contribute to increased conflict and tensions. For example, it could be argued that the flow of weapons is a factor in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Question 28

Why are some countries deemed more powerful than others?

Answer 28

1. Economic factors like high levels of debt can make some countries less powerful than others. Interest repayments increase debt servicing burdens with less money available to invest in technology and growth. It also means they have limited global decision making power.
2. HICs have technological advantage over LICs as they can afford to buy the latest technology. This means they can advance their economy and improve access to information, widening inequalities between countries.

Question 29

What is the role of the IMF?

Answer 29

The IMF is an international corporation that aims to promote global monetary cooperation and financial stability, encouraging sustainable employment to reduce poverty.

Question 30

What is the role of the world bank?

Answer 30

The World Bank aims to promote long term development, reducing poverty in developing countries by lending money and giving grants.

Question 31

What are 3 differences between the IMF and the World Bank?

Answer 31

1. The IMF focuses on financial stability to prevent a global economic crisis, while the World Bank concentrates on long-term economic development and poverty reduction.
2. WB is a larger organisation with 7000 staff
3. IMF is funded by quotas, WB acquires money via borrowing

Question 32

3 reasons the IMF and WB reinforce unequal power relations

Answer 32

1. Loans from the IMF and WB are conditional, so LICs that do not fit the criteria may be excluded from financial assistance for growth.
2. Borrowing decreases the nation’s sovereignty in making policy decisions, and this is particularly the case for the IMF as ‘a lender of last resort’.
3. Loans could be given to corrupt governments that misallocate resources and widen inequality.

Question 33

What is the role of the WTO?

Answer 33

The WTO (1995) deals with the global rules of trade between nations. It is responsible in supporting trade liberalisation, negotiating legal trade agreements and minimising conflicts between member countries.

Question 34

What is happening to inequality within countries?

Answer 34

Within many developing economies, the Gini index shows that inequality has worsened as the benefits of globalisation are not equally distributed.

Question 35

What are the 4 costs of globalisation?

Answer 35

1. Inequalities
2. Conflict
3. Injustice
4. Environment

Question 36

How does globalisation cause inequalities? (3)

Answer 36

1. Differential access to capital and technology can create inequalities between countries.
2. Deindustrialisation may increase structural unemployment and absolute poverty rates in a country.
3. For example, deindustrialisation of the textiles industry in Leeds caused by cheaper foreign competition had the greatest effect on inner city areas like Beeston and Holbeck.

Question 37

How does globalisation cause conflict? (2)

Answer 37

1. The intervention of TNCs and developed countries to exploit natural resources can cause conflict.
2. As individuals are becoming more dependent on the Internet, attacks on computer systems can result in cyber warfare.

Question 38

How does globalisation cause injustice? (3)

Answer 38

1. Improved transport and communications systems have made human trafficking easier.
2. Many people in developing countries are working in poor sweatshops conditions controlled by TNCs.
3. For example, Apple workers in the Shenzen work 60 hours/week for around $100/month.

Question 39

How does globalisation damage the environment? (3)

Answer 39

1. Countries and companies might have a ‘race to the bottom’, where environmental damage is disregarded to produce cheaper goods.
2. Access to resources from around the world causes deforestation, such as the cleared rainforests in Ecuador and Costa Rica for banana plantations.
3. Trade can also increase transportation, releasing GHG pollutants.