Superpowers

Question 1

What is a superpower?

Answer 1

Country with the ability to project its power and influence anywhere in the world

Question 2

What is a emerging power?

Answer 2

A country with the potential to become a superpower as its influence grows

Question 3

WTO (World trade organisation) function:

Answer 3

Organisation regulates world trade and encourages countries to remove or tariffs on trade

Question 4

IMF (international monetary fund) function:

Answer 4

Aims to create a more stable global economy, providing financial assistance to developing nations

Question 5

World Bank function:

Answer 5

Loans money to developing nations for development purposes, investing in their domestic industries

Question 6

Case study of hard power (use of military):

Answer 6

USA during the Iraq War and Russia invasion of Ukraine in 2022

Question 7

Case study of hard power (economic sanctions):

Answer 7

Sanctions to Russia in 2022 for example the US and UK banned Russian imports including oil and natural gas, oligarchs in London were also affected, Abramovich the former Chelsea owner being one of them

Question 8

What is soft power?

Answer 8

Where a country expresses its influence through culture, politics or trade

For example France with its rich culture, as well as being involved in many IGOs, a big one being the EU

Question 9

Heartland theory (1900s) explained:

Answer 9

Geographer Mackinder believed whoever controlled Europe and Asia would control the world.

According to that theory Russia would be the global power, however certain things could harm Russia’s power like:

.Many bordering nations so can be attacked from many directions
.Much of its coast is frozen during winter, has few year round ports

Question 10

Economic influence by USA after WW2:

Answer 10

Marshall plan, programme of financial aid to help rebuild Western Europe countries that were damaged by the war

There was also investment into countries such as Japan and Singapore to promote economic growth and prevent spread of communism

Question 11

Ways that growth of superpowers can cause environment degradation:

Answer 11

-Deforestation
-Increase of carbon emissions by factories and vehicles
-Dams for HEP

Question 12

Ways that growth of superpowers can benefit the environment:

Answer 12

-Reduction of non renewable source usage for energy
-Investment in alternatives for cleaner energy (e.g. in 2022 China generated 46% more wind energy than all of Europe, the 2nd largest wind energy user)

Question 13

Rise of China:

Answer 13

In recent years China has experienced significant economic growth, so significant the US is now reliant on its manufactured goods.

China is also seeking global influence through investment in its military and expansion of operations to Africa

Question 14

China in Africa:

Answer 14

Increase for demand of resources has led to China importing resources from Africa such as oil from Nigeria, by 2015 China had become Africa’s largest trading partner.

Africa has benefitted, development in mining and agriculture industries to guarantee supplies, banking and IT to create secure financial systems

Infrastructure investment (building of schools, hospitals, and trained 40000 African personnel)

Question 15

Environmental impacts of China investment in Africa:

Answer 15

-Illegal deforestation in Mozambique
-Oil spills in Sudan and Angola
-Forest loss and river pollution from mining in DRC

Question 16

Growth of a power leading to geopolitical tensions (China):

Answer 16

Taiwan:

Territorial claims of this region has led to tension, after Chinese civil war in 1949 both Taiwan and China considered themselves the legitimate Chinese government, no agreement reached

Japan:

Post world war 2 the heavy investment of USA into Japan increased tension as they went on to adapt to a capitalist, western like economic recovery

India:

India is suspicious of China’s good relationship with Pakistan and China is concerned about India’s military interest in the South China Sea

Question 17

Tensions over territory:
(South China Sea)

Answer 17

Building of artificial islands such as Spratly islands to extend its territorial claims
Establishment of military bases to defend itself against neighboring countries against this approach such as Vietnam

US and its allies worried about this development, however China is using this military presence to help against piracy.

Question 18

Tensions over resources:
(Arctic region)

Answer 18

Several national claims to large parts of the Arctic, said that the region contains 1/8th of world’s untapped oil and 1/4 of its gas.

EEZs (200 nautical miles offshore) are disputed there which has led to political and military tensions (e.g. Canada has carried out military exercises in Arctic since 2002)

Question 19

Difference between the economic alliances EU and NAFTA:

Answer 19

There is no free movement of people in NAFTA

Question 20

Environmental alliance:
(IPCC)

Answer 20

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) produces reports every 5 to 7 years which support the main international treaty on climate change

Question 21

3 development theories to explain the patterns of power:

Answer 21

1)Rostow’s Modernisation theory
2)Frank’s Dependency theory (Core and Periphery)
3)Wallerstein world systems theory

Question 22

Difference between dependency theory and the world systems theory:

Answer 22

The world systems theory expanded the dependency theory to include the semi-periphery, made up of emerging nations

Question 23

Players in international decision making:

Answer 23

Haiti 2016:

Hurricane Matthew which destroyed several thousand homes, 350 000 Haitians needed aid.
USA and France provided 550 personnel
NGOs (e.g. British red cross) launched appeals for $7 million

Afghanistan after 9/11:

US launched coalition troops to help against the supreme groups such as Taliban, killing militant leaders like Bin Laden and helping ease off rules on women’s dress and schooling

Question 24

Brazil (emerging power) facts:

Answer 24

Positives:

.Important in South America as it produces half the GDP, has huge natural resources and is self sufficient for food and energy
.Young population (median age of 31)
.Culturally rich, e.g. famous for its football and Rio Carnaval
.Amazon rainforest supports global initiatives against climate change, also has no enemies with little military activity

Negatives:

.Lots of environmental damage such as pollution from mining and deforestation for cattle ranching
.Least significant military out of BRICs, only capable of handling regional affairs
.Politically unstable, corruption occurs

Question 25

Russia (emerging power) facts:

Answer 25

Positives:

.Strong military power and has nuclear weapons
.Significant oil and gas supplies
.Growing economic and political links to Asia (particularly with China)

Negatives:

.Ageing and declining population
.Difficult relationship with USA and Europe
.Limited amount of cultural influence

Question 26

India (emerging power) facts:

Answer 26

Positives:

.Young population (66.2% of population is aged from 15-64)
.Culturally rich, Bollywood is world’s largest film industry
.Huge economic potential, English speaking education system and growing middle class
.Nuclear weapons

Negatives:

.High levels of poverty, as well as slums accumulating in urban areas
.Poor infrastructure (transport, water and energy), long way behind China
.World’s worst environmental problems, seriously polluted

Question 27

China (emerging power) facts:

Answer 27

Positives:

.Large and increasingly educated workforce
.Growing military that possesses nuclear weapons
.Investing in infrastructure projects to increase trade to the rest of the world

Negatives:

.Ageing population due to one child policy
.Reliant on importing raw materials (e.g. oil, iron ore and soya)
.Major air and water pollution from industries

Question 28

Problems experienced by superpowers:

Answer 28

1)Ageing population, in 2021 21% of the EU population were aged 65 and above

2)Struggle to attract investment, US and EU have high rent prices and wages so investment more common in Africa and Asia

3)Deindustrialization, economic decline of Detroit in US

4)Reliant in migrant labour in some sectors of work, in future if they’re tempted to move to Emerging countries that will lead to labour shortages in certain sectors of existing superpowers (e.g. the health and social care in Germany)

Question 29

Reasons that emerging powers might overtake existing powers:

Answer 29

1)US and EU are becoming increasingly energy insecure
2)Emerging powers have larger youthful populations, governments don’t spend as much on things like pensions and disability allowances, more money spent on working population