Superpowers EQ2 (7.2)

Question 1

Global police definition:

Answer 1

A political system or government with a foreign policy that engages in interventionism, intrusiveness or imperialism

Question 2

The UN definition:

Answer 2

An intergovernmental organisation tasked to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order

Question 3

Geo-strategic definition:

Answer 3

This relates to the strategy required in dealing with geopolitical problems

Question 4

Interdependence definition:

Answer 4

The dependence of two or more people or things on each other, e.g. the economic interdependence of two nations

Question 5

NATO definition:

Answer 5

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is an intergovernmental military alliance between several North American and European states

Question 6

Anzus definition:

Answer 6

A military alliance that operates between Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines.

Question 7

IPCC definition:

Answer 7

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, set up by the UN. Provides the world with an objective, scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts

Question 8

The EU definition:

Answer 8

Free trade and political block that allows free movement of individuals of its member states

Question 9

ASEAN definition:

Answer 9

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations promotes cultural, economic and political development in the region

Question 10

NAFTA definition:

Answer 10

The North American Free Trade Agreement is between in USA, Canada and Mexico, designed to remove tariff barriers between the countries

Question 11

Geo-political stability definition:

Answer 11

A study of the influences of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics and foreign policy of a state.

Question 12

Where did Inter-governmental organisations (IGO’s) originate ?

Answer 12

In Europe after WWII

Question 13

What is the World bank ?

Answer 13

It lends money to developing and emerging economies to promote economic development. This is done within a western capitalism model.

Question 14

what is the IMF ?

Answer 14

the international monetary fund and they aim to improve economic and social well-being through the promotion of improvement policies

Question 15

what is the WTO ?

Answer 15

The world trade organisation regulates global trade and has a sequence of free trade agreements that promote a free trade economy

Question 16

what is the WEF ?

Answer 16

The world economic forum is a Swiss non-profit organisation that promotes globalisation and free trade via its annual meeting which brings together elite businessmen and politicians

Question 17

what are some of the main alliances between countries ?

Answer 17

• NATO: North Atlantic treaty
• NAFTA: North American Free Trade agreement
• The EU
• Anzus: Includes Australia, Philippines, USA and New Zealand and exists so USA can focus military on growing threat of China

Question 18

How did the IMF increase democracy in Ivory Coast ?

Answer 18

They didn’t allow them to receive aid until their government agreed to set up commercial courts and allow free presidential elections.

Question 19

what are some important statistics on TNC’s ?

Answer 19

• 62% of the top 2000 TNC’s in the world are from USA,EU and Japan
• apple’s revenue is the same size as the whole of Chile or Finland
• Walmart employ 2.3 million people worldwide

Question 20

in which ways are TNC’s influential economically ?

Answer 20

• their economic power influences trade patterns
• they can change development in certain regions and even countries as a whole through their FDI
• If they decide to move this can lead to large job losses e.g in Detroit where car companies moved
• countries with more TNC’s are more wealthy nations

Question 21

How have TNC’s enhanced the spreading of western media ?

Answer 21

services like Apple music and Amazon prime mean that western music and TV shows are available all around the world.

Question 22

How is Disney’s brand spread globally ?

Answer 22

• they own radio stations in Spain and TV channels in China and Hong Kong
• Locations like Disneyland and shopping malls around their world spread their brand
• they influence government policy such as copyright laws and French and Hong Kong governments paid towards the construction of disneyland

Question 23

What is a key characteristic of a true superpower ?

Answer 23

weaker countries looking to it for assistance in terms of crisis. This can be intervening in war, natural disaster responses and responding to other threats

Question 24

what is meant by the term global police ?

Answer 24

a country’s government’s foreign policy that engages in interventionism, intrusiveness or imperialism.

Question 25

what are the three main roles of the global police ?

Answer 25

1. crisis response
2. conflict prevention
3. climate change mitigation

Question 26

what are some examples of global actions from countries ?

Answer 26

• During the Ebola epidemic USA, France and the Uk led crisis responses
• after 9/11 USA lead a global effort against Islamic terrorism in Iraq and other parts of the middle east
• The EU took military action against the Gadafi regime in Libya
• after the Haiti earthquake of 2010 the USA responded with medical, food and structural aid

Question 27

What is one negative by product of countries constantly taking global action ?

Answer 27

They may end up getting ‘aid fatigue’ where they get tired of constantly intervening and helping other countries

Question 28

how do alliances add to a superpower’s strength ?

Answer 28

• can be eyes and ears in distant parts of the world so the superpower knows whats going on
• increase their network of military assets
• can form a large bloc to force their agenda on the world

Question 29

What is one major criticism against these large alliances ?

Answer 29

they are often set up by western countries and so their actions of ten reflect western attitudes and don’t always reflect the attitudes of other non-western countries

Question 30

what are some examples of corrupt countries ?

Answer 30

Governments mishandle and keep money for themselves for example in Somalia $150m from the world bank simply went missing. In dictatorships such as North Korea you must ask the governments permission if you want to change your job.

Question 31

What is the UN security council ?

Answer 31

It has 5 permanent members (France, UK, US, Russia and China) but has 15 members altogether and its aim is to try and maintain world peace by applying sanctions, military force and UN peacekeeping forces.

Question 32

what is a criticism against the UN security council ?

Answer 32

it consists of 3 western permanent members (USA,UK and France) but only 2 non western ones (China and Russia ) so western ideas have the edge

Question 33

What other importnat roles does the UN carry out ?

Answer 33

• the European court of justice upholds international law
• peacekeeping missions
• UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) sets global standards and targets for the environments

Question 34

How has climate change affected Kiribati ?

Answer 34

Kiribati is now disappearing due to how low lying it is and the effects of climate change and sea level rise. Increased storms and tides have deposited material on one side of the island as they wash it away at one end meaning it could be shifting rather than sinking. However the poverty of the people living there means that either way they can’t keep on changing houses. In addition to this their water supply is under pressure as it sits just a metre below ground level. 70% of the population claim they will have to leave if the situation gets worse.

Question 35

who are the biggest contributors to global warming ?

Answer 35

• in 2014 NASA’s satellite found concentrations on N. America, Europe, India and China
• China’s emissions have risen by 286% since 1990 which is 5 times the global average
• China accounts for a third of world emissions
• China burns more coal than USA, Europe and Japan combined

Question 36

What are some examples of how countries are willing to act on climate change ?

Answer 36

• China want to reduce coal dependency from 64 to 58%, increase wind power to 4.5% and develop the 3 gorges dam by 2020
• The EU pan to cut energy consumption by 40% by 2030
• at least 20% of EU budget is spent on climate
• USA have reduced total emissions most of all
• Paris agreement has almost every country signed up to it

Question 37

what are some examples of a lack of willingness from countries to act on climate change ?

Answer 37

• only 18% of Chinese citizens agree that climate change is a very serious problem
• Trump is a climate change sceptic and has pulled USA out of the Paris agreement

Question 38

How has high consumption caused environmental degradation ?

Answer 38

-land scarring which means the landscape is changing i n how ti looks
-deforestation for more farmland
-fossil fuels lea to global warming
oil spills lead to damage to sea life

Question 39

what is a major reason for the increased rates of consumption ?

Answer 39

The rising middle class which is risen by 500 million since 2000 especially in places like China. This leads to greater levels of consumption.