super powers

Question 1

what is a superpower

Answer 1

a country with the capacity to project power and influence anywhere in the world, sometimes in more than one region of the globe at a time

Question 2

how does physical size and location determine superpower status (give an example)

Answer 2

It determines the area over which a country has potential influence,
Larger countries may have more resources,

eg- The future of the Arctic (resources) lies in the hands of Russia and Canada as they are the largest countries bordering the ocean

Question 3

how can resources determine super power status (give an example)

Answer 3

Resources may be critical to economic development,
May increase influence as energy insecure countries become dependent on oil rich states

eg- countries in the middle east often threaten to with-hold oil supplies unless the price per barrel increases

Question 4

how can population size determine superpower status (give an example)

Answer 4

Economic growth can only be maintained with a large workforce and market

eg- EU has access to 550 million people

Question 5

how can military forces determine superpower status (give an example)

Answer 5

through political power

eg- UN membership is based on those countries which possessed nuclear weapons in the 70s

Question 6

Give an example of how economic power can provide superpower status

Answer 6

The world’s 20 largest economies donate almost all aid to the world’s poor (so have influence over them)

Question 7

who are the contenders for superpower status and why

Answer 7

BRICS- demographic, economic
EU- population, economic, military
Gulf states- resources

Question 8

what is the difference between hard and soft power

Answer 8

soft- making people want the same things

hard- forcing people to do things

Question 9

what is power transition

Answer 9

the movement of power rankings

Question 10

what is power diffusion

Answer 10

spreading of power away from the nation state

Question 11

explain the movements of superpower status in terms of the world as a whole

Answer 11

1) bipolar- USA and USSR prior to 1991
2) unipolar- USA was the only dominance
3) Multi-polar- the rise of the BRICs

Question 12

Outline Franks Dependency Theory

Answer 12

Developing worlds in the North become dependent on exploitation from the South

Developed countries are dominant at controlling trade and taking resources so developed nations keep developing nations in a state of under development

Question 13

evaluate franks Dependency theory

Answer 13

for: explains African poverty
against: underestimates the rise of the Asian tigers

Question 14

outline Wallenstein’s world systems theory

Answer 14

Three way division of labour between the core (exploitation, TNCs), semi periphery (mass production) and periphery (primary industry, cheap labour)

Question 15

evaluate Wallenstein’s world systems theory

Answer 15

for: more realistic world view with the rise of the NICs and BRICs being considered part of the semi periphery world

Question 16

outline rostow’s modernisation theory

Answer 16

the idea that countries develop through 5 stages:

1) lowest level of development
2) preconditions for take-off
3) take off
4) drive to maturity
5) highest level of development

Question 17

evaluate rostows modernisation theory

Answer 17

for: MEDCs and NICs go through these stages, shows the success of capitalism through industrialisation
against: there are variations within countries, for example in the UK there are disparities in the levels of development between North and South

Question 18

What are the effects of a global power shift

Answer 18

Cultural dominance,
Effects on natural resources,
Changing alliances and conflicts,
Impacts on core regions due to the rise of the semi periphery

Question 19

Outline the conflict that occurred during the period in which there was a biopolar world

Answer 19

The cold war (1945 to 1990) occurred as there was a biopolar wold and so after ww2, the USA and USSR were in a race to become a unipolar superpower.

This included the space race whereby NASA was established in 1958 (USA) but a Russian astronaut was sent to space first (USSR)

Question 20

How did the USA become a superpower

Answer 20

by 1940 they were the largest manufacturer of industrial and consumer goods,
US dollar was the world’s major currency by 1950 with 60% of all bank reserves held in dollars,
Produces over 25% of global GDP,
Military dominates global arms and defence spending

Question 21

How did USSR become a superpower

Answer 21

Stalin realised military and industrial strength and conducted a series of five year plans,
In 1941 when Hitler invaded, USSR has industrial strength to defeat Hitler

Question 22

why does Brazil have the potential to become a superpower

Answer 22

contains half the population of the continent,
spends more on military than the rest of SA,
40 million hectares of land (energy secure)

BUT
Most external debt of all BRICs

Question 23

why does India have the potential to become a superpower

Answer 23

2nd largest population in the world,
cultural power through IT and English speakers

BUT
resource insecure,
20% live in poverty

Question 24

why does China have the potential to become a superpower

Answer 24

Direct investment to Africa (300% increase in FDI),
Investment into education and infrastructure,
East is densely populated

BUT
Inequality- much less economic expansion in the North and Interior

Question 25

Outline the changing political situation in China

Answer 25

Communist:
1953 to 1957- first five year plan was used to emphasise the development of capital intensive heavy industry
1958-1960- Great leap forward as they broke away from the soviet model and raised industrial and agricultural development

Capitalist:
1966 to 1976- cultural revolution and China become a self reliant economy
1978 onwards: economic reforms as they moved the economy from a planned economy to a market orientated economy

Question 26

what is neo-colonialism

Answer 26

using capitalism, businesses, globalisation and cultural imperialism to influence a country

Question 27

what is reverse colonialism

Answer 27

the concept of native people taking back their power

Question 28

what is imperialism

Answer 28

a relationship of political, economic and cultural controls between geographical areas

Question 29

what is colonialism

Answer 29

the political rule of a nation by another

Question 30

what is colonisation

Answer 30

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

Question 31

why is the Uk powerful

Answer 31

UN- permanent place

NATO- American military alliance

Question 32

Why did the British Emipire collapse

Answer 32

After the second world war, the Uk was bankrupt and unable to support it’s empire leading to anti-colonial movements as countries pushed for independence. Most countries became independent by 1970.

Question 33

what is the role of the UN

Answer 33

to prevent war and settle disputes for members which are primarily developed nations meaning it has lots of military power

Question 34

what is the role of the IMF and world bank

Answer 34

to stabilise currencies and fund debt ridden countries, those who put in the most control the loans throughout the world so developed nations have more power (USA gets 17% of all votes)

Question 35

what is the role of the WTO

Answer 35

settling trade disputes and promote free trade by removing tariff measures

Question 36

what is the role of the G8

Answer 36

forum for the world’s richest and most powerful countries which hold 65% of GNP and hold nuclear weapons which created high economic and military superpower status

Question 37

what is the role of NATO

Answer 37

to promote hard power through the rise of communism, it created the bipolar world