Superpowers - EQ2 - 7.5 Flashcards
Superpowers and emerging nations play a key role in global actions including (name 3):
Crisis response
Conflict response
Climate change
Crisis Response
What is crisis response
- During times of crisis such as floods or earthquakes countries provide help to other countries
- Superpowers and emerging nations pay a leading role in this
- The aid can be in the form of finance, building materials and other resources
- aid is usually from IGOs & NGOs
Who pledged to help following the 2023 Syria Earthquake
- At least 105 countries and 16 international organisations pledged help to Turkey and Syria following the 2023 earthquake
- including significant resources from the USA and emerging superpowers
How did China respond in aid to 2023 Turkey Syria Earthquake
- offered $10.3 million in aid to Syria and Turkey as well as sending three rescue teams totalling almost 600 people
How did USA respond in aid to 2023 Turkey Syria Earthquake
USA sent a disaster response team of 200 people and pledged $185 million in aid
How did the EU & Nato respond in aid to 2023 Turkey Syria Earthquake
- The EU sent 31 rescue teams and 5 medical teams as well as committing €6.5 million
- NATO deployed temporary housing to accommodate 4,000 people
How did the UN respond in aid to 2023 Turkey Syria Earthquake
UN released $25 million from its emergency funds
Describe the reception of the response to being the global police
- Many Americans do not accept this role
- China is very reluctant to act in this way, despite its rising power
Give an example of interventions by the global police
- In 2001 the USA with support from the UK, Australia, Canada, France and Germany led military intervention in Afghanistan to remove the Taliban from control
What is the global police
- In 1942 President Roosevelt proposed the concept of ‘four policemen’
- USA, UK, China and the former USSR would be the only ones to have arms
- They would work together to maintain global peace
- For the USA, and to a lesser extent the EU, this expectation is a heavy responsibility and also a huge economic cost
What is the role of superpowers in responses to climate change
- Global warming and climate change require an international response because it affects the entire globe
- Superpowers and emerging nations have a significant role to play in the response
How is climate change being responded to on an international scale
- In 1988 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up to assess the ‘risks of human-induced climate change’
- This was followed by several international agreements:
- Earth Summit 1992
- Kyoto Protocol 1997
- Paris Agreement 2015
In what way can superpowers be a hindrance in climate change response (give an example)
President Trump’s decision to withdraw the USA from the Paris Agreement in his second administration was seen to be detrimental to their superpower status - it undermined COP29 finance talks
A key characteristic of a true superpower is that weaker countries ….
look to it to act in times of crisis
Why is it still a necessity for hyperpowers e.g USA or Britian (in the imperial era) to have allies
- Allies can be ‘eyes and ears’ in distant parts of the world, spotting trouble as it develops
- Allies increase the network of military assets spread around the world
- Political and economic allies can form a large bloc, to force their agenda on the wider world.
Did Roosevelt’s 4 policeman strategy happen
Although this did not happen the four nations would become the the permanent members of the UN along with France
What are the focuses of allianes
Military
Economic
Environmental
Justice and peacekeeping
The existence of military alliances throughout much of human history has been important to ensure…
- Ensure mutual protection
- If one nation is attacked, the allied nations agree to defend them
- The earliest, which is still in force, is the Anglo-Portuguese alliance of 1388
What are the benefits of the USA having military alliances across the globe
- A leading role in deciding on military operations (which its emerging power challengers (China, India, Russia) cannot match)
- They ca position powerful military bases and naval assets in countries around the world - approximately 600 in total
- Global reach
USA Military alliances
When was NATO formed
1949
USA Military alliances
What is the purpose of NATO
- The purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of member nations
- Collective defence means that an attack on one nation is an attack on all NATO nations
USA Military alliances
When was ANZUS formed
1949
USA Military alliances
Who is in ANZUS
Australia, New Zealand, United States - Security Treaty (ANZUS)
What is the purpose of ANZUS
- Original focus on co-operation on military matters in the Pacific Ocean region
- Now relates to worldwide conflicts
Give 3 example of military alliances that the USA is in that are not with rival superpowers
- Mutual Defence Treaty with South Korea
- Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security with Japan
- Thanat-Rusk Communique with Thailand
Give 2 statistics about the USA and its allies military spending
The USA and its military allies spent $966 billion on their militaries in 2015, or 58% of global military spending.
How does USA assert global military power through NATO
14 air force bases
USA’s 6th fleet is located in Italy
What are economic alliances
These are agreements between nations which promote fee trade through the removal of trade barriers such as:
Taxes
Tariffs
Quotas
What is the connection between economic & military alliances
- The overlap between economic and military alliances creates interdependence in terms of geostrategy
- Economic prosperity requires geopolitical stability (wars are bad for trade), which is ensured by military alliances
how many member states in the EU
27
Economic alliances tend to be …….. rather than ……
They are also ……. alliances
- regional
- global
- political
What does the EU aim to do
- promote peace, its values and well-being of its citizens
The Euro currency is used by ……of the EU members
19
What are the benefits of the EU
- A united Europe has far greater economic and political power than the individual nations, enabling:
- More power in trade negotiations
- Greater access to markets
- Greater protection for EU businesses and industry
definition of supranational
having power or influence that crosses national borders
In what way is the EU a political alliance
- It is also a political alliance with supranational and intergovernmental decision making
What happened with the EU in 2021
- The UK left the EU in 2021;
- as one of the largest trading nations in the EU, this has impacted both the UK and the remaining EU nations
The EU allows for the…
- freedom of movement for people (within the Schengen Area) and goods
What is NAFTA
- Established in 1994 creating a free trade zone between Canada, USA and Mexico
What happened in 2008 with NAFTA
- all tariffs and quotas were abolished on US exports to Canada and Mexico
What has NAFTA now been replaced iwth
USCMA
Natfta is one of the…
- largest trading blocs in the world
What is ASEAN
- Established in 1967 by the nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand
- it now has 10 member states
What are the aims of ASEAN
- Accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development
- Promote regional peace and stability
- Promote collaboration between nations
Why have environmental alliances increasingly been formed
- Increasing global environmental challenges have led to the creation of environmental alliances to tackle the global issues including:
- Climate change
- Deforestation
When was the IPCC formed & by who
- 1988
- by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UNEP
Why was the IPCC created
Created to provide members with regular reports on knowledge and understanding of climate change, impacts, future risks and possible options for mitigation and adaptation
how many members are in the IPCC
195
What is the UNFCCC
- Established an international environmental treaty to tackle the impact of human activity on climate
- Signed by 154 states in Rio de Janerio at the Earth Summit 1992
- Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings take place each year at locations around the world
How was the UN founded
founded by 51 countries following the end of WW2
What are the aims of the UN
- Maintain international peace and security
- Develop relations between countries
- Promote social progress, living standards and human rights
What rae the 6 principle divisions of the UN
- General Assembly
- Security council
- Economic and social council
- Secretariat
- International Court of Justice
- Trusteeship council
How many members of the UN are there
193 member nations
There are … permanent members of the UN Security Council which is the most….
There are five permanent members of the UN Security Council which is the most powerful part of the UN
Who are the 5 permanent members on the UN security council
China
France
Russia
UK
US
Describe the power of the UN security council
- The five members have power of veto and can reject any proposal
- The security council is responsible for maintaining peace and preventing conflict. one way this is achieved is peacekeeping missions
What is the advantage of western nations in the UN security councik
- The western countries (UK, USA and France) have an advantage as they are able to outvote Russia and China who frequently vote together
Give 2 examples of UN peacekeeping missions trying to promote sustianable peace
- Ethiopia and Eriteria due to the conflict between the two countries (2000-2008)
- Lebanon as a result of the Israeli invasion (1978)
UN
International law is upheld by the…
- International Law Commission and the International Court of Justice
How does the International Court of justice settle disputes
- The seat of the court is in The Hague
- There are 15 judges who represent the global regions
- Its work includes international criminal tribunals for war crimes
what is the role of the international court of justice
- Its role is to settle legal disputes and disputes betwen countries, as well as giving advisory opinions on legal questions
What does COP stand for
Conference of the Parties
What is the decisionmaking body for the UNFCCC
COP
What did every country agree to in COP
- Limit global warming to below 2oC and aim for 1.5oC
- To make money available to adapt to the impacts of global warming
- Make national plans which set out how they will reduce their emissions - these are known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
- Review the progress every 5 years
What are the 2 main purposes of COP
- To assess the effects of the past measures that have been introduced to limit climate change
- To reach agreement and set out plans for future ways to limit climate change
Define causality
- why global powers become involved in the affairs of others
What is the connection between corruption & inequality
There is a connection between corruption and inequality which leads to …
A vicious circle between corruption
Unequal distribution of power in society
Unequal distribution of wealth
What superpowers were part of the relief aid to Haiti
- USA
- France
- Nations that are members of the UN (aid given though UNICEF)
In what ways were countries involved in helping Haiti after their natural disaster
- Humanitarian aid (healthcare, shelter, medical support, food aid, etc.).
- Advice and technical assistance with monitoring of events (in the event of meteorological events, weather organisations and satellite companies often provide assistance).
- Military support to assist with relief efforts and helping to prevent civil unrest. UN peacekeepers
- Monetary donations to support the rebuilding/resilience of the nation in the future.
What are the differentreasons for giving assistance to countries in instances like after Haiti’s earthquake (give 3 reasons)
- Philanthropic desire/the ‘we want to help’ mentality.
- Emergency relief responses and military operations require regular testing and practice. Putting skills to the test helps build the quality of assistance given over time.
- By giving assistance, countries might forge new relationships, politically, allowing future deals/cooperation to be more likely.
What are ways inwhich the USA & its allies dealt with the Afhganistan conflict diplomatically
- Applying political pressure through diplomatic means
- (through discussions and government policies)
- – e.g., trying to stabilise the region/prevent nuclear armament/political persuasion, etc.
What are ways inwhich the USA & its allies dealt with the Afhganistan conflict militarily
- Military opposition to radical groups and military factions.
- Military support for groups within the country that wish to maintain stability and promote positive ideologies.
- Trying to prevent military groups from crossing borders and infiltrating neighbouring countries.
What are reasons for aiding USA in Afghanistan
- To maintain global and regional stability (preventing the spread of radical groups and ideologies that do not promote peace, etc.).
- To prevent future wars and uprisings.
- To promote western values and equality for all.
- USA military intervention might be seen as the flexing of their ‘political muscle’ on former USSR states and neighbouring countries.
How has the UN interveed militarily in foreign countries
- As part of the UN security council action
- Together with allied countries (as a coalition but outside a UN remit)
- Unilaterally, with no support from another country
Superpowers tend to have huge …………. demands (……………………). This can cause ……………………… damage and a significant contribution to ……………….
Superpowers tend to have huge resource demands (food, fossil fuels and minerals).
This can cause environmental damage and a significant contribution **to carbon emissions and global warming **
What are 2 case study examples for failures of maintaiining global peace within IGOs
- UN security council – veto power (US veto Israel)
- UN Security Council non-permanent members = less power and rotate every two years.
What are 2 case study examples for failures of political alliances
- Excludes other countries who are not members of the trade bloc –> impacts trade and free market
- Creates global disparity –> hinder development e.g Brexit
What is an example of failings in international decisionmaking
US have pulled out of te Paris Agreement –> global police influence other countries to do the same?
What are 2 case study examples for failures of humanitarian aid
- Tied loans increases debt hinders development
- Corruption (Haiti)
What was the impacts of 2016 Haiti hurricane
- cholera a threat, 900 died, 350,000 need aid
What was the limitation of the response to the 2016 Haiti hurricane response
- many regular donor countries, ‘aid fatigue’ has begun to set in, so Haiti’s appeals for assistance brought in only 25% of the money needed
What was the good responses to the 2016 Haiti hurricane response
- USA and France to provide 550 personnel, as well as humanitarian aid.
- NGOs such as the Red Cross also launches appeals for US$7 million.
- IGOs like UNICEF sought US$5 million from UN funds to provide aid for 500,000 Haitian children in need
What happended in response to 9/11
- the US led an international military coalition against the Taliban with forces seeking to destroy training camps and kill militant leaders, particularly bin Laden
What did coalition troops do in Afghanistan
- Coalition troops captured Afghan cities and supported the Northern Alliance
- A new Afghan president, Karzai, was installed easing rules on women’s dress and schooling, training and Afghan army and introducing democratic elections
- The continued presence of overseas troops antagonises many supporters of reform.
- Although BL was killed in 2011, Taliban militants continued to attack forces and government targets.
