Superpowers

• What is a superpower?

  A nation projecting global influence
• What does global influence allow a superpower to do?

  Have a significant say in decision making
• What are the four pillars of Superpower status?

  • Economic
  • Military
  • Political & Ideology
  • Cultural
• How does a large economy contribute to superpower status?

  It enables control over trade and military investment
• What is one way a superpower can exert military influence?

  Threatening or invading other countries
• How does political ideology relate to superpower status?

  It influences other countries to match their systems
• What role does culture play in a superpower's influence?

  It changes how populations think and align ideologies
• What are physical resources that can enhance a superpower's economy?

  Oil and gas
• How can human resources contribute to a nation's economic power?

  A large workforce can develop the economy
• What does the Power Spectrum describe?

  Different approaches to influence power or culture
• Which two countries are considered emerging superpowers?

  China and India
• What are the characteristics of hard power?

  • Military action
  • Threat of trade restrictions
  • Economic sanctions
  • Owning debt of other countries
• What are the characteristics of soft power?

  • Attractive culture & lifestyle
  • Sought-after political advice
  • Encouraging migration
  • Trade alliances
  • Foreign direct investment
• Who classified the region of Eurasia as the 'Heartland'?

  Mackinder
• Why is the Heartland considered geo-strategic?

  It controls large amounts of resources
• What was one policy influenced by Mackinder's theory?

  Containment policies after WWI and WWII
• How has technology affected the importance of the Heartland?

  It has reduced locational importance
• What does Wallerstein's World Systems Theory identify?

  Core and periphery economic areas
• What is the relationship between core and periphery regions?

  Core regions exploit periphery for resources
• What is Rostow's Modernisation Theory about?

  Stages of economic growth and development
• What are the five stages of Rostow's Modernisation Theory?

  1. Traditional Society
  2. Pre-conditions for Take Off
  3. Take Off
  4. Drive to Maturity
  5. High Mass Consumption
• What is a criticism of Rostow's model?

  It is based on American and European development
• What does Rostow's model ignore about some nations?

  They may skip stages due to resources
• What is an example of a declining state?

  USSR post-Cold War
• What does the term 'unipolar world' refer to?

  One country dominates global power
• What is a characteristic of a bipolar world?

  Two main superpowers with opposing ideologies
• What was the British Empire's approach to expansion?

  Based on hard power and colonization
• What were some successes of colonial power?

  • Built railway lines for transport
  • Spread the English language
  • Improved education systems
• What were some negative impacts of colonial power?

  • Low prices for crops hurt farmers
  • Lack of self-governance led to instability
  • Discriminatory policies persisted
• What led to the collapse of many empires in the 20th Century?

  Bankruptcy and focus on rebuilding home countries
• What does neo-colonialism describe?

  Dependence of former colonies on developed countries
• How did colonialism exploit resources?

  By extracting commodities at low prices
• What is Frank's Dependency Model about?

  The cycle of neo-colonialism and dependence
• What is an example of neo-colonialism today?

  China's fishing rights in Mozambique
• How do the IMF and World Bank relate to neo-colonialism?

  They create debt cycles for developing nations
• What characterized the Cold War?

  Geopolitical tension between USA and USSR
• What were the two opposing ideologies during the Cold War?

  Capitalism and communism
• What were some key events during the Cold War?

  • Installation of communist governments in Eastern Europe
  • Creation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
  • USA's aid to rebuild Europe
  • Space Race competition
• Why is the Cold War termed 'cold'?

  There was no large-scale direct fighting
• What happened after the collapse of the USSR?

  USA became the global dominating force