What Makes a Superpower?

Question 1

What economic factors make a superpower?

Answer 1

1. High GDP, levels of trade and influence over global trade
2. Hard currency held in reserve by other countries
3. home to TNCs

Question 2

What political factors make a superpower?

Answer 2

1. permenant seat on UN security council

2. Multilateral agreements

Question 3

What military factors make a superpower?

Answer 3

1. high expenditure
2. large amount of hardware and personnel
3. intelligence networks
4. command over global military

Question 4

What cultural factors make a superpower?

Answer 4

1. rich cultural history or way of life voluntarily adopted by many around the world

Question 5

What demographic factors make a superpower?

Answer 5

1. significant percentage of global population

2. young population

Question 6

What access to resources factor make a superpower?

Answer 6

able to export and control supply of valuable commodities

Question 7

How does the US’s economy make it a superpower?

Answer 7

1. US dollar is a global reserve currency, making it cheaper for the US government to borrow money
2. 162 of the worlds 500 largest TNCs are based in the US, meaning a disproportionate amount of investment decisions regarding the location of production, pricing, technology transfer and infrastructure investment are taken in the US

Question 8

How does the US’s military make it a superpower?

Answer 8

1. US has worlds second largest military (1.4 million personnel)
2. 25,000 aircrafts and 11 carriers
3. 2,486 active warheads
4. high expenditure

Question 9

How does the US’s culture make it a superpower?

Answer 9

1. Americanism

Question 10

How does the US’s geography make it a superpower?

Answer 10

1. military bases abroad
2. many embassies and consulates
3. ex-pat communities
4. branch plants of TNCs