superpowers Flashcards
UK - soft power
2012 olympics
2nd most common language
british diplomates widely respected
USA - hard power
large trading partner and has global brand + intellectual property
British empire - unipolar
ended in 1960 - controlled 23% of worlds surface
after WW2 England was bankrupt and could not support their colony.
USA + USSR - bipolar
USA - $287 million + democracy
USSR - $291 million + communist
both used military influence - tanks and navy
both had political control in half of world
USA used neo-colonialism by giving money to countries to help re-build to get them on their side
both used propoganda against the other country - USA produced red menace
North Asia
Said to become the most powerful area in the world due to the size and characteristics of Russia - their military power and access to resources
China neo-colonialism
China invested $3 billion in Africa - due to its stores of resources, land mass and cheap workers
cancelled $100 million debt owed by Cameroon
made 2250km of railways and 3350km of roads - trading easier
funded 17 major HEP dams
relies on African oil and copper from Zambia
BRICS
Brazil,Russia, India,China and South Africa
emerging national economies
leading developing or newly industrialised countries - large fast-growing economies
G20
19 countries and the EU
collectively account for 85% of global GDP and trade
65% world’s population.
acting on environmental degradation
China - agreed to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%
Russia - reducing emissions by nanotech, using energy efficient laws
future for resources
rare earth - use a lot of electricity and water to extract - can contaminate groundwater
food supply - increasing demand - increased population, westernisation of food culture - increasing meat
more water needed for agriculture to meet demand
causes of environmental degradation
China - fossil fuels
Mexico - deepwater horizon , releases 450 million litres of oil
brazil - food production increased by 20% in last 10 years - forest removal
South and East china sea
China is building many man-made islands to extend its EEZ so it can access oil and shipping routes
China is building military bases, US had already got navy fleets so they would get involved in conflict arose
Arctic tension
oil reserves found
Russia, Canada, US Norway and Denmark all claim land
Russia claimed 1/2 of the territory but this is disputed
Russia sent submarines to collect material and put flag down
Russia + Ukraine
USSR collapse in 1991 as Eastern Europe countries became independent from Russia’s influence
tension over gas supply - Russia cut off Ukraine’s supply as they accused them of stealing
Middle east tension
Israel and Palestine want to separate
Afghanistan has been unstable since the Soviet invasion and viewed as suspicious after 911 and Taliban
ISIS caused a focus of western interest in defending countries for their oil supply.
Mackinders theory
Euroasia was a geo-strategic location, whoever controlled it, would control large amounts of physical and human resources
worlds systems theory
core vs periphery
the periphery sells its primary resources to the core - providing skilled workers through international outward migration.
modernisation theory
limitation - based on American and European development
traditional society - primary industry
a precondition for take-off - construction of infrastructure
take off - rapid industrialisation - employment and productivity
drive to maturity - increase the quality of life
high mass consumption - advanced technology
unipolar
once country dominates - USA now or British empire in colonial times
bipolar
2 main superpowers with opposing views
USA and USSR
multi-polar world
several powers and emerging powers competing for global influence
successes of colonialism
railway lines built for transport of goods and army between places
English language spread through empire
education for colonial states improved
negatives for colonialism
crops grown in colonial states were bought by the British at low prices and then sold for high amounts - farmers had little profit
colonial states didn’t have their own government - protests for independence
discrimination - British migrants from natives
military alliances
NATO - USA allies
ANZUS treaty - Australia, New Zealand and the US - cooperate on military matters in the Pacific
economic alliances
EU - promotes free trade and movement of goods and people between member states
ASEAN- 10 south-east Asian nations - encourage economic growth in region
NAFTA - free trade between Mexico, Canada and the US
