A2: Superpowers
Topic 7
Amy Hannam
,7.1: Geopolitical Power
Characteristics
Mechanisms Of Maintaining Power
• Hard and sof power is seen as a spectrum
• The spectrum consist of a whole range of actons that could be taken by a country to express their power and infuence
• American politcal scientst, Joseph Nye, claimed that the most infuental and powerful countries use both hard and sof power to achieve what he calls ‘smart power.’
Hard Power Sof Power
How EfectveMilitary
Is Sof Power?
Force Economic Sanctons Actons Tied Aid Or Trade Agreements Politcal Infuence Cultural Atractveness
• Many countries rely on sof power for overseas infuence because it is both atractve and efectve
• For some decades the Olympic games have been used by host countries to improve their global ‘brand’ E.G. RIO 2016
Sof Power Index
• The UK topped Monacle magazines sof power index in 2012
• The UK topped the league because of the high levels of personal freedoms, democracy and large number of UK embassies operatng overseas
• The USA came 2nd but China came 21st, mainly due to the lack of personal freedoms there
Mackinder’s Geo-Strategic Locaton heory Factors hat Help A Country Gain Power And Infuence
This theory argues that whoever controlled Europe and The USA has had so much power in recent decades that it has become a hegemon (supreme power). However, the 21 st century has started to
Asia (biggest landmass) would control the world. He provide challenges for the USA, as other countries rise.
identfed a heartland from Eastern Europe to Russia, at
the centre of which, was a pivot
According to Mackinder’s theory, Russia should be the
PHYSICAL SIZE & Russia • Larger countries usually have greater resources
GEOGRAPHIC • Natural resources potental of Russia is over 20% of the worlds reserves
worlds global power. POSI ION
• This places Russia on a special place among industrialised countries
However, Mackinder acknowledged that Russia has 2 • Natural resources used by the economy of Russia account for 95.7% of natonal wealth
natural disadvantages: • There are large deposits of fuel and energy resources: oil natural gas, coal and uranium ore
1. Its many borders means it can be atacked from
diferent directons ECONOMIC China • Chinas economy is growing at an impressive rate, but according to the WB, GDP per capita in the US was $53,042 in 2013,
2. Much of its coasts are frozen in winter, it has few POWER & whereas in China it was only $6,807
year round ports INFLUENCE
• This means that litle of China’s dramatc economic growth is fnding its way into the pockets of Chinese consumers
• China’s headline growth may be higher, but the US economy is the one allowing its citzens to grow along with it
• Over 80% of all fnancial transactons worldwide are conducted in dollars, as are 87% of foreign currency market
Mackinder believed that the heartland could shif transactons
geographically. • As long as the world contnues to place such faith in America’s currency and overall economic stability, the US economy
remains the best
He believed Britain’s
19th century DEMOGRAPHICS China & • Large populaton can provide a sufcient labour force for economic growth
India • Rising superpower (China and India) have the 2 largest populatons in the world (with 1.5 and 1.4 billion people)
industrialisaton • Yet a large populaton is not critcal; Singapore’s populaton is only about 5.5 million yet it has a major infuence on
shifed the Southeast Asia’s economy
pivot westwards.
POLI ICS G20 • Like-minded countries have the greatest infuence
• E.G. the G20’s power has spread towards Asia
• The G20 now represent more than ½ of the worlds populaton
MILI ARY USA & • The US military dominates with a defence budget bigger than the next 9 countries combined
S RENG H China • US is also ahead of Russia and china in terms of global reach
• This is largely due to the fact that 12% of the USA’s defence budget is spent on research and development
• Chinas military is mainly in the Asian regions, especially the security of the South China Sea
• The permanent members of the UN Security Council have ultmate military power status
CUL URAL UK • Every winning party in the UK general electon since 1979 has been promoted by the Sun
INFLUENCE
, 7.2: Changes in Patterns of Emergence Of A Bipolar World Afer WWII
Power Over Time USA USSR
KEY CONCEP : Hegemony he Rise Of China HUMAN Populaton = 287 million in Populaton = 291 million in 1991
RESOURCES 1989
Hegemony is a term used to Americas dependence on china for
describe the dominance of a manufactured goods and China’s rapid PHYSICAL Self-sufcient in raw Self-sufcient in raw materials and
RESOURCES materials and oil exporter oil exporter
superpower over other economic growth has challenged
countries. Hegemony van be America’s power and infuence ECONOMIC Capitalism, free-markets and Socialist, centrally planned
exercised in several ways. For SYS EM TNCs economy, most businesses state
example, the USA spends owned
more on its military than the China is also seeking global infuence POLI ICAL SYS EM democracy dictatorship
next 9 largest senders through its investment in Africa (e.g.
combined. investment in roads and Oil in Ghana) ALLIES Western Europe through Warsaw Pact countries
and is expanding its military but only NATO
mainly in the Asian region MILI ARY POWER Worlds largest navy, Very large army, troops in Eastern
However, the USA also used intelligence agencies (CIA), Europe, KGB, nuclear weapons
culture and media to nuclear weapons
reinforce their power. Disney, However, with China’s economic
CNN, McDonalds etc. spread progress, its populaton is becoming CUL URAL Media conveys positve view Exports a ‘high culture’ message,
INFLUENCE of democracy, consumerism focused on ballet, classical music
American values worldwide beter educated and s challenging the
government which censors the internet
and limits personal freedoms
Maintenance Of Power
Colonial control refers to the direct control exerted over territories Colonial India is a good example of how colonies were controlled directly:
conquered mainly by European powers in 1600 – 1900 1. Britsh military personnel and civil servants emigrated to India to run the Raj
COLONIALISM
They were ruled by force with almost no power or infuence being given to 2. A process of acculturaton was undertaken as Britsh traditons such as
the original populaton cricket, language and afernoon tea were introduced
3. India was modernised. Constructon of 61,000km railways by 1920’s allowed
for efcient transport of troops and exportng goods
How developing countries would be infuenced and controlled afer gaining Possible mechanisms of neo-colonial control:
NEO-COLONIALISM
independence was a key issue of the cold war 1. Aid which comes with strings atached
The frst president (Kwame Nkrumah) of independent Ghana: “neo- 2. Terms of trade-low commodity export prices
colonialism is the worst form of imperialism. For those who practce it, it 3. Military alliances with developing natons
means power without responsibility and for those who sufer from it, it
means exploitaton without redress”
Colonial era came to an end at the end of WWII in 1945 1. The 1950-3 Korean War which led to the division of Korea into US-backed
POS COLONIALISM
Post war bankrupcy meant there was no money to run or defend colonies South Korea and Chinese/Russian backed North Korea
and demands for independence could not be ignored 2. The 1955-75 Vietnam War fought directly by USA and indirectly by China
3. The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 was the closest the USSR and USA got to
Much of the era from 1945 to 1990 was dominated by the cold war. directly
A series of proxy wars occurred with USA, and USSR supported one side
