Superpowers EQ1 Flashcards
Define the term Superpower
A nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.
When was the term superpower first used?
In the late 1940s to describe the three dominant world powers: the British Empire, USSR and the USA.
What are the key qualities of a superpower?
Have the capacity to destroy the world.
Command a vast economic and political influence.
Have a universal ideology.
What are the pillars of superpower status?
Economic strength Military strength Political strength Cultural strength Resources
What is the importance of economic wealth?
Acts as a prerequisite of power.
Is used to fund infrastructure, military and technology allowing countries to increase their sphere of influence and exploit their natural strengths.
What is the importance of military dominance?
The threat of military action is often used as a bargaining chip.
Can be used to achieve geopolitical goals and extend the sphere of influence. Through a blue water navy, missile technology and drones that can be deployed globally.
Traditionally used to establish colonies but is decreasing in values due to human right laws such as the banning of gas weapons on civillians.
What is the importance of a dominant ideology?
Gives the country an appealing image often acting as a source of inspiration or guidance.
Creates an appealing way of life that want to be replicated in other countries.
Exercised through film, TV and media.
What is the importance of political power?
Allows you to influence others through diplomacy whilst seeming morally correct.
Demonstrated through the influence of international groups such as the UN and IMF, allowing influence over global policies such as trade, aid and conflict.
Why is resource power important?
Physical resources can be exploited for wealth e.g oil, coal and gas.
Human resources include the level of education and skills alongside demographic weight.
What is a blue water navy?
A navy that can deploy into the open ocean and travel longer distances.
(contrast to a green-water navy)
What is soft power?
SUBTLE PERSUASION OF A COUNTRY TO ACT IN A CERTAIN WAY.
Contextual view on a country of being respected, trusted or admired that can support a superpower status.
This can include cultural attractiveness, values/ideologies and moral authority of a foreign policy.
What is hard power?
Using physical resources to enforce control.
Includes military action, alliances and economic sanctions.
What are geo-strategic policies?
Policies that attempt to implement the aims of a country by combining diplomacy with the movement and occupation of troops.
What is the heartland theory?
Developed in 1904 by Halford Mackiner.
Believed controlling the region between Eurasia from Russia to China was essential to global dominance.
As it contains most of the globes human and physical resources.
Why is the heartland theory important?
It influenced policies such as post WW2 attempts to control the spread of communism and the EU response to Russia annexation of Crimea in Ukraine.
Chinese soft power in Africa.
Starting a co-operative development plan in 1950.
Offer educational support programmes with Chines language classes, scholarships in Chinese universities and funding infrastructure development.
Have promised $74 billion in aid to Africa and have helped 50/55 African states.
What are the different types of geopolitics polarity?
Unipolar - one dominant force e.g British Empire.
Bipolar - two superpowers with rivaling ideology contest for power e.g Cold War
Multi-polar - many superpowers and emerging powers compete in different regions of the world, can be complex to understand.
What is colonial power?
Direct control over a foreign region of the world conquered by mainly military force with little/ no power given to the original population.
What is imperialism?
A relationship of political, economic or cultural control between geographic areas.
What is colonialism?
The political rule of one nation over another.
What is colonisation?
The physical settling of people from a colonial power within their colony.
How was the British Empire justifed?
Believed they were modernising the world. Bringing superior intellect and rules to the world.
Believed they were following evangelical Christianity meaning they were spreading the word of God. Colonialism was a divine calling to spread the superior religion.
What is the Mercantile Phase?
Small colonies at coasts/islands were conquered and protected by coastal forts e.g Bombay (India) and New England (USA)
The navy allowed the trade of raw materials and slaves. They also protected the wants of private trading companies that benefited the colony.
What is the Imperial phase?
1850- 1945
Colonies extended inland to cover vast territories.
Acculturation and setting up government institutions help aid control.
Vast trading network and technology such as railways were made to connect colonies.
Settlers from Britain set up farms an plantations in colonies.
How much control did the British Empire have?
By 1920 Britain controlled over 20% of the world’s population and 25% of the words terrestrial land.
How were colonies controlled by Britain?
British civil servants and military personnel emigrated to India.
Educated Indians following English culture were given lower administrative roles
Built symbols of imperial power such as the presidential palace in Dehli.
Acculrurisation of British traditions e.g Circket
Strict social divide between British and Native.
