Sources of geopolitical power

Question 1

Global TV news tend to be dominated by which countries?

Answer 1

USA, China and EU countries.

Question 2

What are emerging powers?

Answer 2

Emerging powers are countries whose power is increasing; they usually have some strengths but also weaknesses in some areas in comparison with a superpower.

Question 3

What does the term ‘geopolitical’ refer to?

Answer 3

Geopolitical refers to the influence of geographical factors (economy, population size, military strength) on the actions of countries towards others: their foreign policy, agreements and alliances and conflicts.

Question 4

What is a superpower?

Answer 4

A superpower is a country that can project its power and ideas globally, and influence other countries using its economic, political, military and cultural strengths.

Question 5

What is the hierarchy of power from smallest to biggest?

Answer 5

Regional power, Emerging power, Superpower, Hyper-power

Question 6

What are the six sources of power?

Answer 6

Economic, political, military, cultural, demographic, natural resources.

Question 7

How does economic power help countries to be powerful?

Answer 7

A large total GDP gives countries the wealth needed to be a global player

Question 8

How does political power help countries to be powerful?

Answer 8

Leading, rather than following, within global organisations such as the UN, IMF and WTO

Question 9

How does military power help countries to be powerful?

Answer 9

Nuclear weapons, a large navy and airforce are required to threaten or force a country’s will on others.

Question 10

How does cultural power help countries to be powerful?

Answer 10

Having ideas, art, music, food and fashion that other people find appealing is a source of power.

Question 11

How does demographic power help countries to be powerful?

Answer 11

Power requires people, to support a large economy and the military.

Question 12

How do natural resources help countries to be powerful?

Answer 12

Fossil fuels, land for farming, mineral wealth and water resources increase self-sufficiency.

Question 13

What is hard power?

Answer 13

Using military and economic influence (trade deals, sanctions) to force another country to act in a particular way.

Question 14

What is soft power?

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

What are sanctions?

Answer 15

Sanctions are penalties applied by one country (or international organisation such as the UN) to another, such as the refusal to trade with them, refusing foreign travel or banning them from taking part in international sport.

Question 16

What is smart power mean?

Answer 16

Smart power means a combination of threat and persuasion: a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to a country getting its own way.

Question 17

Top three powers for total GDP

Answer 17

USA
EU
China

Question 18

Top three powers for population

Answer 18

China
India
EU

Question 19

Top three powers for active nuclear warheads

Answer 19

Russia
USA
EU

Question 20

Top three powers for percentage of the world’s 2000 largest TNC’s

Answer 20

USA
EU
China

Question 21

What are the criticisms of the use of hard power?

Answer 21

It can get results but is expensive and risky.

Others may view military action as unnecessary or illegal, so the aggressor may lose allies and moral authority.

Question 22

What is the limitation of using soft power?

Answer 22

Soft power relies on a country having respected culture, values and politics, which may be enough to persuade some countries but not others.

Question 23

What is the positive of using soft power?

Answer 23

Soft power, applied well, is low cost and, because it is about creating alliances and friendly relations, may spread to other countries.

Question 24

Example of an international ranking of soft power

Answer 24

Monocle magazine

Question 25

Who is usually top of the international rankings of soft power?

Answer 25

USA, UK, France and German i.e. Western, liberal democracies.

Question 26

What type of force and power have been used in the past for achieving and maintain power?

Answer 26

Military force and hard power were the common mechanisms.

Question 27

What theory did the British geographer, Halford Mackinder produce?

Answer 27

Heartland Theory

Question 28

In what way was the Heartland theory influential?

Answer 28

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 that idea that control of physical resources (land, mineral wealth) was important.

Question 29

By the twenty first century, which did the ideas presented in the Heartland theory become old fashioned?

Answer 29

Modern military technology can hit deep inside another country’s territory - size is no protection.
Physical resources are traded internationally; less need to have them domestically.
War and conflict are generally seen as abnormal these days.

Question 30

In what ways does hard power still exist (USA and Russia)?

Answer 30

In 1991 and 2003 the USA and its allies invaded Iraq, partly to secure oil supplies.
Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, claiming to be protecting ethnic Russians.

Question 31

Who did Russia invade in 2008?

Answer 31

Georgia

Question 32

Who did Russia invade in 2014?

Answer 32

Crimea, Ukraine

Question 33

Who did the USA invade in 1991 and 2003?

Answer 33

Iraq

Question 34

In the Heartland theory, what does the world island contain?

Answer 34

The most of the world’s natural resources

Question 35

In the Heartland theory, why is the heartland hard to invade?

Answer 35

Physical barriers in the way

Question 36

What does the term ‘Geo-strategic’ refer to?

Answer 36

Geo-strategic refers to the policies of a country in terms of securing the resources it needs, both within its territory and globally.