Superpowers Flashcards
What is a superpower?
A dominant nation with the ability to impose its influence globally
Who were the superpowers of the mid-1900s?
USA, USSR, British Empire
What is a hyperpower?
An exclusive, singular superpower that dominates all aspects of power
What are the five aspects of power?
Political, economic, cultural, military, resources
What is an emerging superpower?
A nation that is beginning to display the ability to impose its influence globally
What is a regional superpower?
A nation with the ability to impose its influence regionally
What is economic power?
Having a large economy and monetary resources
What is military power?
To have the threat of military action and force
What is political power?
The ability to influence others through diplomacy and international organisations
What is cultural power?
Having an appealing way of life and set of values/ideologies that others wish to be a part of
What is resource power?
Having physical and human supplies
What is hard power?
Nations getting their own way by using force
What is soft power?
The ability of a nation to indirectly get their own way, such as by persuasion
Is economic power soft or hard?
Somewhere in between
Why can’t a country maintain themselves with just hard power?
It is a blunt instrument; wars only broadly achieve their goals and it causes conflict with other nations
Why can’t a country maintain themselves with just soft power?
Some nations are so culturally dissimilar they have no influence
What are some examples of hard power?
Military action; economic and military alliances; economic sanctions
What are some examples of economic power?
Economic aid; trade agreements
What are some examples of soft power?
Cultural appeal; values, ideology and religion; morality of foreign policies
What is a geo-strategic location?
A location with access to, and control over, a large territory and its resources
Where is Halford Mackinder’s heartland?
North Central Asia; Himalayas to the Arctic
What are the three distributions of global power?
Unipolar; bipolar; multipolar
What is a unipolar world, and an example of it?
A world dominated by one superpower
the British Empire
What is a bipolar world, and an example of it?
Two superpowers with opposing ideologies vie for power
USA and USSR during the Cold War
What is a multipolar world?
Many superpowers and emerging powers compete for power in different regions
What local attributes contribute to a country’s superpower status?
Resources, land area, demographics
What international attributes contribute to a country’s superpower status?
Membership of trade blocs; IGOs
Name an example of a “mechanism” of power
Halford Mackinder’s Heartland
What are the three patterns of power?
Imperial power, indirect control, neocolonialism
How much of the world’s land area did the British Empire occupy?
24%
What was the primary cause for the end of imperial power?
Expenses due to WWI and WWII
When did superpowers first begin to exert indirect control on other nations?
Bretton Woods institutions
When was Bretton Woods?
1944
What were the Bretton Wood institutions?
IMF, IBRD (now part of World Bank)
How does the USA use the IMF to exert indirect control?
Counties have to apply the IMF’s Western economic policies for loans, losing economic freedom
Where are the Bretton Woods’ headquarters?
Washington, D.C.
How do the World Bank and the IMF differ?
WB primarily lends money for developing countries
IMF oversees international exchange rates and payments, and loans for members’ international debts
Define neo-colonialism
Use of economic, political or cultural pressures to influence other countries, especially former dependencies
How do TNCs contribute to neo-colonialism?
Dominate local markets economically, with Western business practices. Local businesses can’t compete
Exploit factory workers with low wages
How has China used neo-colonial power?
FDI to Africa
Infrastructure built by Chinese workers
Chinese goods are overwhelming local producers
UN voting support to settle debts
How much has China invested in African railways?
$5bn in 2016
What are the MINT countries?
Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
What are the BRICS countries?
Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
How has China become a superpower?
Large population, TNC host country, SEZs, blue-water navy
How do the BRICS exert global influence despite not being part of the G8?
They have their own annual summits
What are the economic weakness of the emerging powers?
Reliant on industry, TNC presence
Low GDP/capita, widespread poverty (e.g. India, slums)
What are the political weaknesses of the emerging powers?
Corrupt government (e.g. Brazil)
How was Brazil’s government corrupt?
Operation Car Wash: government officials (President Lula) and Petrobas involved in a bribery scheme
What is the Dependency Theory?
A developed Core and a developing Periphery.
They rely on each-other, but the Periphery is “held back” by the core
What are the five stages of the Modernisation Theory?
- Traditional Society
- Pre-conditions for take-off
- Take-off
- Drive to maturity
- Mass consumption
What is the World Systems theory?
Developed Core, emerging Semi-Periphery, developing Periphery
For the World Systems theory, what nations are in the Semi-Periphery?
BRICS, MINTs
How can privatised companies influence politics?
Lobbying
for favourable policies
How do TNCs influence global technology?
They own intellectual property through patents, which they can use or sell
How do TNCs influence global energy security?
Gazprom provides much of Europe’s energy
How do international brands influence superpowers?
Some brands are seen as ‘desirable’ and encourage people to emulate their culture
Why do people want to be Westernised?
The west is seen as successful and wealthy
What nations are on the UN security council?
China, France, Russia, U.K., U.S.A.
How has UN action been unsuccessful?
Action in the Congo was ineffective
Failed to protect citizens from Bosnian soldiers in Czechoslovakia
What is the UN security council responsible for?
Military intervention, peacekeeping, refugees, human rights
What action has the UN taken with regards to Iran?
Imposed a trade embargo based on their nuclear weapons
Name a success of international environmental governance
Montreal Protocol
Name a failure of international environmental governance
Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement
Who set up the International Court of Justice?
USA
Why do some large superpower nations not want to reduce fossil fuels?
Worried it’ll affect their superpower status
How much sea does each nation possess?
200 miles
How did Russia exert its sphere of influence?
Annexation of Crimea
Give an example of an overlapping sphere of influence
Ukraine - NATO or Russia
Give an example of China’s sphere of influence
Taiwan - international recognition
What political tensions are there in Asia?
Communist China vs democratic India
When was the most recent armed conflict between China and India?
1987
Where is there tensions in south Asia?
Pakistan - China - India
Kashmir border
How is the EU in decline?
UK leaving EU
What challenges do Japan face?
Ageing population, resistant immigration policy
