Patterns of power

Question 1

What era was from 1500 to 1950?

Answer 1

Imperial era

Question 2

Which European countries had built empires?

Answer 2

Spain, Portugal, UK, France and Germany

Question 3

What is an empire?

Answer 3

An empire is a group of territories and their peoples ruled over by one country, usually taken by conquest. The conquered territories are usually called colonies.

Question 4

What did the development of empire rely on?

Answer 4

Powerful navies
Large and advanced armed forces
Business, often government owned
A fleet of merchant ships
People from the home country

Question 5

Why did development of an empire rely on powerful navies?

Answer 5

To transport soldiers and equipment to areas of potential conquest, and then protect sea-routes and coastlines from enemies.

Question 6

Why did development of an empire rely on large and advanced armed forces?

Answer 6

To conquer territory and then control it

Question 7

Why did development of an empire rely on business?

Answer 7

Often government owned, to exploit resources in the conquered territories by mining and plantation farming.

Question 8

Why did development of an empire rely on a fleet of merchant ships?

Answer 8

Protected by a navy, to transport goods back to the home country

Question 9

Why did development of an empire rely on people from the home country?

Answer 9

To act as the government and civil service to run the colonies.

Question 10

What happened to attempts by the conquered people to rebel against the colonial power?

Answer 10

They were brutally suppressed.

Question 11

Who had the largest empire, when was its peak and what percentage of the world did it own?

Answer 11

Britain
Peak in 1920
Owned 24% of the world’s land across all continents

Question 12

In which period did empires end?

Answer 12

1950-1970

Question 13

Why did Europe’s empires fall?

Answer 13

The cost of maintaining empires was too high as Europe rebuilt after the Second World War.

Question 14

What has China done in relation to Tibet?

Answer 14

China has effectively acted as a colonial ruler of Tibet, brutally suppressing dissent during rebellions by Tibetans in 1959 and 2008.

Question 15

What English culture was encouraged in India, particularly amongst wealthier Indians?

Answer 15

English schools and language
Competitive sport (cricket)
Dress
Tea drinking

Question 16

Which countries does Russia partly control?

Answer 16

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova

Question 17

What is indirect political mechanism of power?

Answer 17

Dominance in international decision-making within the United Nations, G7, World Trade Organisation and others.
Some countries have disproportionate influence.

Question 18

What is indirect military mechanism of power?

Answer 18

The threat of large, powerful armed forces with global reach.
Selective arms trading that provides weapons to key allies, but not enemies.

Question 19

What is indirect economic mechanism of power?

Answer 19

The use of trade deals and trade blocs to create economic alliances that create interdependence between like-minded countries.

Question 20

What is indirect cultural mechanism of power?

Answer 20

The use of global media (TV, film, music) arts, culture and global TNC brands to spread the ideology and values of a country through consumer culture.

Question 21

What does the term ‘ideology’ refer to?

Answer 21

Ideology refers to a set of beliefs, ideas and values held by most people in a society.

Question 22

What is the main ideology in Western countries such as the USA and Europe?

Answer 22

The dominant ideology is one of democracy, capitalism and freedom.

Question 23

How was indirect power used during the cold war between the USA and Russia?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

What features does neo-colonialism have?

Answer 24

A debt - aid relationship: Developing countries owe money for past loans to developed countries, but their poverty means they also depend on hand-outs of foreign aid.
Poor terms of trade: Developing countries export low value commodities (tea, copper, cocoa) but have to import expensive manufactured goods from developed countries.
The loss of their brightest and most productive people: who tend to migrate to developed countries if they can.

Question 25

What was the cold war?

Answer 25

The cold war, between 1945 and 1990, was a tense period dominated by the USA and USSR superpowers which were broadly equal in terms of power and influence, but ideologically opposed to each other.

Question 26

Where is China accused of neo-colonial actions?

Answer 26

Africa

Question 27

What can patterns of power be characterised as?

Answer 27

Uni-polar
Bi-polar
Multi-polar

Question 28

What does uni-polar mean?

Answer 28

One globally dominant superpower, or hyperpower

Question 29

What does bi-polar mean?

Answer 29

Two opposing superpowers, with different ideologies, but broadly equal in status.

Question 30

What does multi-polar mean?

Answer 30

Many broadly equal powers, with regional influence but less global influence.

Question 31

What does hegemon mean?

Answer 31

A hegemon or hegemonic power, is a superpower that has mastery over all others. This includes in cultural terms, as well as economic and military ones.

Question 32

What was the pattern of power in 1800-1919?

Answer 32

Uni-polar

Dominated by the British Empire

Question 33

What was the pattern of power during the inter-war period 1919-1939?

Answer 33

Multi-polar

Question 34

What was the pattern of power during the cold war 1945-1990?

Answer 34

Bi-polar

Question 35

In theory, why should a uni-polar world be stable?

Answer 35

There is only one ‘top-dog’, but the costs of being the hegemon are high and hard to sustain. The USA has been called ‘the world’s policeman’, meaning it is involved in numerous trouble spots all at the same time.