Superpowers- Enquiry Q1 Flashcards
What is a superpower?
A nation that can conduct a global strategy including the possiblity of destroying the world; to command vast economic potential and influence; and to present a universal ideology
What are the pillars of superpower status?
Economic wealth
Military Dominance
Dominant Ideology
Plentiful Resources
Basics of soft power
Magnetism makes countries attractive, lack of makes them repellant
Soft power is intanglible- likeablilty is subjective
What is heartland theory?
The heartland (At the time considered as the region of Eurasia between Russia and China) is a key geo-strategic region. Control of it means control of most of the global human and physical resources
Patterns of changing Polarity
Unipolar world- one dominant superpower
Bipolar- two superpowers with opposing ideologies
Multi-polar- many superpowers and emerging superpowers with varying ideologies competing for power over different regions
Define imperialism
a relationship of political, economic and cultural control between geographical areas
Define colonialism
the political rule of one nation over another
Define colonisation
the physical settling of people from a colonial power within their colony
Phases of an British Empire (x2)
Mercantile Phase
Based on trade- small coastal fringe colonies and navy protecting imports. economic interests of private trading companies defended by British armed forces
Imperial Phase
Based on control- colonies extend inland and conquest of vast territories. Religion, sport and English language introduced. Government of Brits installed to rule
why did the Soviet Union lose the Cold War?
Size of the econony- half that of the USA
Arms race- USA invested over 9% of economy in defence
Proxy wars and supporting allies- the cost of military advisers and aid draining the economy
Star Wars- Soviet’s couldn’t afford to match America’s escalation in defence spending and the space race
Invasion of Afghanistan
How is power exerted in a neocolonial era?
Strategic alliance- superpowers ally with developing nations to spread global influence
Aid- conditional aid forces developing countries to do as superpowers dictate
TNCs- FDI creates big profit with low wages and skill
Terms of Trade-Developed countries manufacture and thus make more money than developing countries who export raw materials
Critics of neocolonialist concept
War and conflict in many countries is the real reason for stunted development
Corruption is endemic in many countries, reach elites take money away from public investment
Many NICs are in fact developing
What is Modernisation Theory ?
Developing countries must create certain preconditions for take off to occur. These include Outwards looking government unique resources educated working population good healthcare diversifying economy
What is dependancy theory?
World is divided into developed core and unfer-developed periphery
The core relies of the periphery for cheap resources and sell it manufactured goods
In order for the maintain their relevence- the core must keep the periphery in a perpetual state of under-development
What is world system theory?
3 tier world. A more dynamic model than dependancy theory as countries can move between states. core, semi-periphery and periphery.
