Detailed notes for revision regarding the (Human Systems and Geopolitics) Topic 7: Superpowers, A level geography course.
Overview: Superpowers can be developed by a number of characteristics. The pattern of dominance has changed over time. Superpowers and emerging superpowers have a very signif...
What are superpowers and how have they changed over time?
A superpower – is a nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world
and be a dominant global force.
Emerging superpowers – are those nations whose economic, military and political influence
is already large and is growing.
Regional powers – are smaller. They influence other countries at a continental scale.
e.g. South Africa within Africa.
Superpower status depends on what might be called pillars of power:
- Economic power: A large powerful economy gives nations the wealth to build and
maintain a powerful military, exploit natural resources and develop human ones
through education.
- Military power:
o Threat of military actions is a powerful bargaining chip.
o Secondly, military force can be used to achieve geopolitical goals.
- Cultural power: includes how appealing a nation’s way of life, values and ideology
are to others.
- Resources: can be in the form of physical resources but also human ones.
o Level of education and skills.
o Demographic weight (numbers of people)
Only the USA, China and the EU could be considered true superpowers.
- China’s case is weakened by its lack of cultural and political influence.
- The EU case weakens as the 28 member states do not always act coherently. (The
bloc’s economic size is not reflected in global influence)
Geo-strategic policies – policies that attempt to meet the global and regional policy aims of
a country by combining diplomacy with the movement and positioning of military assets.
,Hard versus soft power:
Soft power: a persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of
economic or cultural influence.
- Some countries are able to make others follow their lead by making policies
attractive and appealing.
Hard power: Hard power is coercive power executed through military threats and economic
inducements and based on tangible resources such as the army or economic strength.
Economic power: economic power can be thought of as sitting somewhere between hard
and soft power.
- Invasion, war and conflict are very blunt instruments. They often do not go as
planned and fail to achieve the aims of those exercising hard power.
- Soft power alone may not persuade one nation to do as another says, especially if
they are culturally and ideologically very different.
Hard power has become less important and soft power more important over time.
- In the 21st century, superpowers and emerging powers cannot move military
hardware about like pieces on a chess board.
Mackinder, ‘Heartland’ theory:
• Heartland theory : The heartland theory was developed in 1904 by a geographer called
Halford J. Mackinder. This theory suggested that the globe could be distinguished by two
power blocs. He named what he suggested was the center of the world's power, the
‘heartland’. The ‘Heartland’ was denominated as the territory in the area of central
Eurasia. Halford J. Mackinder suggested that whoever dominated the central and
Easterneurope would control the three continents of the ‘world Island’, Europe, Africa
and Asia.
• “Who rules Eastern Europe commands the Heartland. Who rules the Heartland
commands the world Island. Who rules the world Island commands the world”.
, Changing patterns and polarity:
There are different types of polarity
1. Unipolar world – is one dominated by one superpower.
a. Unipolar world dominated by one hyperpower might appear stable, but the
hyperpower is unlikely to be able to maintain control everywhere.
2. Bipolar world – is one dominated by two superpowers, with opposite ideologies.
a. Bipolar world could be stable, as it is divided into two opposite blocs. Stability
will depend on diplomatic channels of communication between the blocs
remaining open and each superpower having the ability to control countries
in its bloc.
3. Multi-polar world - is more complex: many superpowers and emerging powers
compete for power in different regions.
a. Multipolar systems are complex as there are numerous relationships
between more or less equally powerful states. Opportunity to misjudge are
high and may increase the risk of conflict.
Colonial – colonial control refers to the direct control exerted over territories conquered.
Ruled by force, with almost no power or influence been given to the original population.
Acculturation – A process of cultural change that takes place when two different cultures
meet and interact; it includes the transfer of a dominant culture’s ideas on to a subordinate
culture.
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