Superpowers Flashcards
What is a superpower
A nation with the means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world, and to be a dominant global force.
What is an emerging power
Rising primarily economic influence of a nation - or union of nations - which has steadily increased their presence in global affairs
E.g Russia or Japan.
What is a hyperpower
An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power
E.g USA 1990-2010, Britain 1850-1910.
What is hard power
Getting your own way by force
What is soft power
The power of persuasion, making policies attractive
What is economic power
Sitting somewhere in between soft and hard power
What is smart power
A combination of hard and soft power, powerful countries will use this
What are the 6 pillars of superpower status
Military, Political, Cultural, Resources, Economic, Demographic
Military supporters status (2)
-The threat of military power is powerful
-Millitary force can be used to achieve geopolitical goals
Political superpower status
The ability to influence others through diplomacy to get your way is important and is expertise through international organisations
Cultural superpower status
How appealing a nations way of life, values and ideology are to others
E.g film, art and food
Resources superpower status
Physical or human
-level of education and skills by the nation but also the sheer amount of people
Economic superpower status
A large and powerful economy gives the wealth to build and maintain a powerful millitary, exploit natural resources and develop Human Resources through education
What is sharp power
Manipulation through interference in political election and media opinions
What are the sources of power (6)
Economic, political, military, cultural, demographic, natural resources.
What is economic as a source of power
A large total gdp gives countries the wealth needed to be a global player
What is political as a source of power
A leading country in like UN or IMF
What is military as a source of power
Having nuclear weapons to threaten
What is cultural as a source of power
Having ideas that other find appealing
What is demographic as a source of power
Power requires people to support
What is natural resources as a source of power
Having things such as fossil fuels
What’s 3 ways to maintain power
-international influence
-starting with hard power to be remembered and threaten
-military alliances to create allies e.g NATO
What is unipolar
A world dominated by only one superpower
E.g 1800-1919 dominance of British empire
What is bipolar
A world where two superpowers rule with opposing views
E.g 1945-1990 USA vs USSR
Cold War
What is multipopular
When many superpowers and emerging powers compete
E.g 1919-1939 inter war period
What was the British empire and why did they believe it was right
When Britain was the biggest global superpower and believed it was their right to obtain colonies
-politically more land = more power
-economically colonies = cheap labour
Down to Royal Navy and sea and military power
Neo-colonial mechanisms of power (5, long)
Military alliances- between superpower and developing when they become dependant
Development aid- string attached forced to agree to policies
Investment from abroad creates jobs but relays on receiving following policies
Low exports- contrast with high prices for the goods
Debt- developing countries borrowing money from developed
America vs USSR after world war
America became a strong player but USSR did not agree with beliefs and policies so took advantage of weakened countries to become more powerful
Communism (6)
-union of soviet socialist republics
-social objective is equality
-businesses belong to the state
-government planned economy
-dictatorship (no free elections)
-workers employees by the state
Capitalism (6)
-the USA
-social objective is freedom
-free market economy
-workers are employees by profit making individuals
-democracy with elected leaders
-businesses are privately owned
What is cultural hegemony
The idea that rule is maintained through ideological means, achieved through social institutions which allow them to influence values, ideas, and expectations of society
US cultural hegemony
Largely unchallenged
The US consumer culture can be identified through brand value where 6/10 top brands in 2020 are American TNCs
What are the BRIC countries and what are they
Brazil, Russia, India, China
A group that are to be suture powers by working together?
What are the MINT countries
Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
How and why are china developing film industry and social apps
USA want their movies into china by three ways (co-production, fee, revenue sharing)
However China want their own films and now have created their own Hollywood
Created their own internet apps that include all aspects of western apps e.g WECHAT
What’s the future of superpowers
All four MINT countries are expected to have an increase in gdp
USA and china stay near the top
And Nigeria’s potential will increase due to population increase and strong relationship with china
Brazil strengths and weaknesses
-Strong agriculture - Small military
-Energy independent -Economy boom and bust phases
-Growing middle class -Education lags behind
Russia strengths and weaknesses
-Nuclear power -Extreme inequality
-Huge oil and gas reserve -Dependent on oil and gas
-UN seat -Difficult relationships with USA/EU
India strengths and weaknesses
-Youthful population -Possible resource shortage
-English widely spoken -Poor energy
-Nuclear armed -High poverty levels
Chinas strengths and weaknesses
-Highly educated -Soon ageing population
-Military growing -Major pollution issues
-Modern infrastructure. -High wages mean TNC not interested
E.g high speed rail
Mexico strengths and weaknesses
-Advanced economy -Crime poor global image
-USMCA trade bloc. -Well educated
-More open for busin -Many well educated will migrate out of Mexico
Indonesia strengths and weaknesses
-Youthful population -Deforestation
-Economic growth -High poverty
-Largely untapped natural resources -internal political instability
Turkey strengths and weaknesses
-Economy increasing -Internal political problems
-Member of NATO -External political instability
-Youthful population
What is the modernisation theory
Rostow 1960
A five stage model that outlines five phases that countries must pass through to develop and gain more power
What’s stage 1 in modernisation theory
Traditional society
-subsistence farming
-small governing elite
What’s stage 2 in modernisation theory
Preconditions for take off
-commercial exploitation
-primary production
-commercialisation
What’s stage 3 in modernisation theory
Take off
-urbanisation
-industrialisation
-growth of manufacturing
What’s stage 4 of modernisation theory
Drive to maturity
-diversification
-innovation
-investment
What’s stage 5 in modernisation theory
Age of mass consumption
-highly sophisticated society
Modernisation theory criticisms
It does not explain how some countries gain the cultural and political power needed to become a superpower
What is the dependency theory
Frank in 1966
The idea that the world is split into developed core countries and undeveloped peripheral countries. It’s the relationship between these countries that helps to maintain and increase the core power
Dependency theory criticisms
Newly industrial countries have developed e.g South Korea
Many Asian NICs have received aid from USA to help them develop
What is the worlds system theory
Wallerstern 1970s
Three tier model with the core, periphery and semi periphery. And it argues that cycles of growth and stagnation which typify capitalist development allow some countries to shift
Worlds system theory criticisms
It is really an analysis of worlds patterns of power and wealth rather than an explanation for them
What are IGOs who created them and why
Inter-governmental organisations
Created by western global superpowers
Bretton woods 1944 conference aim was to create IGOs to stop future wars
And uSA and Europe are able to exert considerable influence over global economy maintaining superpower power
Explain the current global economic system
Dominated by free market capitalist economic system
Capitalism operated alongside socialist planned economies
Collapse of socialist economies in the USSR and Eastern Europe
Chinas movement, state capitalism
Reform in communist Cuba
World bank and capitalism
Makes loans to developing countries but within the free market which actually benfits the larger developed TNCs
IMF and helping capitalism
Assisting countries to reform their economies
-this also means they are open so developed countries can use them and exploit their labour
What are the three top TNCs
-Walmart ($482bn) USA
-State grid ($330bn) China
-Petro china ($299bn) China
What are the two types of TNCs (explain)
Publically traded TNCs whos shares are owned by numerous stakeholders around the world e.g Tesco, Disney
State owned TNCs that are majority or wholly owned by the government e.g bank of China, Petronas
How do TNCs dominate global economies
They are of a big scale meaning they can out compete the smaller companies
Their ability to borrow money to invest allows to take advantage of globalisation
Free trade has opened up new markets, allowing them to expand easier
TNCs may influence government policies- wont sell if u don’t change laws
Easily recognisable- one language and pictures
What is cultural impact
Measured by using brand value e.g apple 234
TNCs influence countries they originate and sell too
Brands recognised by pictures and no words
How to TNCs cause westernisation
Since many of the top TNCs are American meaning that as they spread around the world they are spreading their values and ways of life therefore westernising the rest to the world e.g fast food
How are TNCs cultrally globalising
The whole worlds culture is being spread everywhere not just Americans, for example sushi is becoming more popular in Europe
However the Western spin on it is it being in supermarkets and packeted e.g meal deals (hybridisation)
What is cultural traffic
Movement of the products being spread can be both America to Asia and Asia to America
What’s the role of the media in TNCs
It gives the USA the ability to constantly reinforce its cultural message and values, often in a subtle way
(Putting what should be culturally right in movies)
How has the USA has intervened military in foreign countries (3ways)
-as part of a UN Security Council Action
-together with allied countries as a coalition outside UN remit
-unilaterally ( with not support from other countries )
NATO
Promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defence to build trust and prevent conflict (political)
NAFTA
North America free trade agreement- established a free trade zone in North America ( economic )
ANZUS
Australia, New Zealand, US, treaty - protect the security of the pacific (environmental)
ASEAN
The Association of SouthEast Asian Nations- regional grouping that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members
UN
United Nations- maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations promoting social progress
IPCC
Intergovernmental panel on climate change- provide policy makers with regular scientific assessments on climate change put forward adaption and mitigation ideas ( environmental )
EU
European Union- promote peace, its values, and well being of its citizens
2015 carbon dioxide emissions
china = 29%
rest of the world = 35%
Chinas footprint
-accounts for 50% coal consumption but only 19% population
Chinas act to try and be environmentally healthy
the agreement to cut co2 could limit economic growth but chines companies are now some of the biggest cleanest enrgery with heavy investment in sola panels
EU sustainability
they encourage farmers to grow food intensively but th same food could of been imported for lower cost
russia and sustainability
- reducing green house emissions by using nanotechnologies
USA left vs right wing sustainability
- right= resist government intervention want a free market
- left= argue for the health of the peopled the environment
Who are the middle class
enough disposable income to afford minor luxuries like vacations or restaurants but also rely on borrowing for big tickets items e.g homes and cars
what 4 problems linked with growing middle class
- food, water, energy and resources
pressures on food from middle class growing
- demand for new food types
- land use for grains convented to meat and dairy
pressures on water from middle class growing
- India already got water supply problems
- critical by 2030 60% water scarcity
pressures on energy from middle class growing
- global oil demand rising (30% by 2030)
- causing prices to rise
- won domestic supplies are likely to be stronger
pressures on resources from middles class growing
- demand fro rare earth materials could increase prices
- demand for lithium batteries high and hard to meet
- copper supply shortages in the future
what is the nutrition transition due to rising middle class
- a Chang in diet form carbs towards protein dairy products and fat
- eating more processed foods
what is intellectual property
- refers to creations of the mind such as inventions
- protected in law enforcement e.g. patents
advantages of IP
- without it innovations and ideas can be stolen
- the cost of developing new medicines could not be recoupled through selling products if other copy the idea
disadvantages of IP
- requires users to pay a fee to the inventor
- holder do not have a duty to make a new invention available could prevent new medicine being made
- can create a monopoly where the patent denies the product to some people
what is colonial
direct control excepted over terioist
what is regional power
dominant but only in certain areas
what does Neo colonial mean
the use of economic political cultural or other pressures to control or influence other countries usually between previous colony members
what is the WTO responsible for
regulates global trade , brokers trade agreements (peace)
2 ways china abuse IP to gain power
- forced technology transfer, allows short term sale but long term china uses all their information to make product
- china offer subsidies to its sate owned businesses In order to under cut current prices
