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7.1) Explain how ‘soft power’ can be used to maintain superpower status [4]One way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through the spread of culture. This can promote the
beliefs,messages and ideologies of superpower status which can increase global influence and therefore power. This is seen
through America, which uses strategies such as Mcdonalisation to maintain its western influence.
A second way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through trade alliances. This helps the spread of economic
and military power by increasing the free movement of materials, commodities and materials.
7.1 Assess the view that hard power is essential in achieving superpower status [12]
Hard power: Soft power:
● Using military and economic influence to force a ● More subtle persuasion of countries to act in a
country to act in a particular way. particular way.
● Hard power can get results but is expensive and risky ● Some may argue that military action is unnecessary
● China is building military bases on artificial islands. or illegal - loss of moral authority
● Case studies - USA ○ Russia in Crimea.
○ 1991 - organised and led the coalition to expel ● Soft power is low cost and is about creating alliances
Iraqi forces and friendly relations, and may spread to other
○ 2003 - invaded Iraq in the Second Gulf war countries.
when economic sanctions did not work. ● Case studies - UK soft power
○ Trump imposed sanctions on imports from ○ 5th largest economy
China to reduce Chinese influence on the ○ Largest network of diplomats and
domestic manufacturing industry. embassies.
○ BBC world service = neutral and reliable
○ Lots of films and television
7.2 Assess the extent to which emerging powers threaten the economic and political global
dominance of the USA. [12]
● China threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● On the other hand, emerging powers can be seen to
China has industrialised. For example, China not threaten hegemony.
established the Asian infrastructure Investment Bank ● The US still has the world's largest naval fleet.
[AIIB] with 87 member states. ● Easy global power.
● India threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● Mass amounts of nuclear resources.
it industrialises. American Express offshores in India. ● Westernisation
● Russia threatens the political dominance of the US ● Free market capitalism and the expansion of
through military deployments abroad. McDonalds.
● China is threatening political dominance through trade ● English is a dominant global language
routes in the South China sea. ● America is a democracy - China is a dictatorship.
● China has less of a global impact.
7.2 Assess the ways in which Britain exerted its control over the world in the 19th and 20th
century. [12]
The British empire underwent 2 distinct phases, the mercantile Within this Britain exerted control over the exploitation of
phase and the imperial phase. In the imperial phase, Britain natural resources alongside control over trade routes.
exerted its control through the exploitation of natural resources. ● Trade routes
● Previously colonised countries such as South Africa ● Through this time period, trade routes with the
were rich in resources that Britain could use to fuel Spanish were integral for building up the economy of
their industrialisation. britain.
● Fleet of merchant ships which could transport ● The British had large and advanced armed forces.
materials back. ● Could easily conquer and control strategic territories.
● Led to the exploitation of less developed countries. ● Britain’s peak - 1920 - controlled 24% of land globally.
● Government owned businesses exerted mining and
plantation farming.
, 7.3 Assess the extent to which China is a threat to the US’ status as the only current superpower.
[12]
● China is a country that has contested superpower ● China is not necessarily challenging the US’s
status as a result of its rising economic importance, hegemony.
wealth of natural resources and a growing population. ● America still has the world's largest naval fleet.
● China has become one of the most prevalent ● Easy global power.
countries to challenge the superpower status. ● Mass amounts of nuclear resources.
● China has huge economic power, it is the ● Westernisation
manufacturing capital of the world. ● Free market capitalism and the expansion of
● China has the world's largest army of 2.8 million McDonalds.
active troops. ● English is a dominant global language
● Challenges America's unrivalled military fleet. ● America is a democracy - China is a dictatorship.
● Strategic location, with access to global trade routes. ● China has less of a global impact.
● Increased cultural influence.
● Growing middle class population.
● Demographic means that there is a large labour
force.
7.3 Assess the extent to which geopolitical power stems from a range of countries’ human and
physical characteristics. [12]
Physical characteristics Human characteristics
● By having both a physical large landmass a country ● Economic growth and influence has a role.
therefore has a larger territory, often controlling more ● Countries such as China can access resources from
physical resources as well as influence over others through investment.
neighbours, therefore further exerting control and ● Economic power is intrinsically linked to superpower
gaining allies. status.
● Russia - largest landmass ○ The USA controls 24% of global GDP.
○ Geostrategic power - owns natural ● Economy is a great tool in trade blocs and alliances.
resources. ○ The IMF is disproportionately influenced by the
○ Borders land areas such as the arctic. economic stake in the IGO.
○ Shows the importance of physical land ● Economic power is far more influential regardless of
● Other factors play a role as Russia is not a major physical size.
power e.g natural resources. ● UK empire
● Military influence
○ US spends the highest amount on defence
spending
● Soft power
7.3 Explain how world systems theory can be used to explain changing patterns of power. [6]
Worlds system theory was developed by Wallerstein The world's system theory can explain the pattern of
Can explain how some countries manage to become wealthy. developed, emerging and developing countries.
Marxist theory, based on the core and peripheries The global core = countries that have used their power in the
free market to explore, exploit and export raw materials.
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