3.10

• What is economic restructuring and how has it affected Western countries?

  Shift from manufacturing to tertiary/quaternary sectors.Effects: Unemployment (e.g. UK coal miners: 240,000 → 13,000) and loss of social cohesion due to decline and migration.
• What caused the 2007–08 global financial crisis?

  Risky sub-prime mortgage lending, where banks lent to low-income borrowers, bundled the loans with secure assets, and sold them.When the housing bubble burst, banks and economies worldwide were impacted.
• What were the impacts of the 2007–08 crisis?

  US: Raised national debt to support spending. UK: Used austerity, saw little growth. Greece: High unemployment led to social unrest, including hate crimes.
• How did Covid-19 and the 2022 Russian invasion affect global economies?

  Covid-19: UK GDP fell 20% in spring 2020, 11% for the year Russian invasion: Cut gas/oil supplies → UK energy prices doubled, gov subsidised bills to avoid recession.
• What is NATO, and how is it funded?

  Formed in 1949, now 32 members (2024). Attack on one = attack on all. Funding is proportional to GDP/population. US pays 15.88%, Greece 1.03%. Only 8 members meet 2% GDP target (2023 median = 1.2%).
• How is naval power maintained today?

  Falklands War (1982): UK spent 4% of GDP on military. UK now uses Type 45 destroyers (modern tech) but only has 6.
• Why are nuclear weapons important to defence strategies?

  2016: UK voted to renew Trident. Costs: £3 billion/year (6% of UK defence budget in 2023–24).
• What is the role of air power in modern military strategy?

  2nd most costly defence sector. US had 3318 aircrafts (2016). Air power is growing due to global tensions; used in Ukraine conflict.
• How has terrorism changed the use of intelligence services?

  Increased funding for anti-terrorism: Surveillance of phones, emails, and social media. Labour-intensive and costly. Example: Man jailed for designing 3D-printed drone for IS.
• What countries are active in space exploration, and what are the costs?

  Active: USA, Russia, EU, China, India, Canada, Japan. Not military-focused. US budget: $62B, EU: $2.6B. 2023: India landed near lunar south pole to explore ice caps.
• Which four countries have successfully landed on the moon?

  India, China, USA, USSR.