superpowers

• What is a superpower?

  A nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.
• Soft power


  Spread of culture and ideology

  -mcdonaldisation

  soft power causes the erosion of cultures and ideology.
• Hard power


  Military action

  USA has military bases in every continent.

  russia spends 7.2% of GDP on military

  hard power can protect, but is aggressive and hostile which is looked down upon due to NGOs like NATO
• how can you measure power


  using composite index such as....
• Explain Mackinder's 'Heartland Theory'


  1904

  More land = more power

  he said the heartland was from eastern europe to russia.

  
  

  Mackinder said it should be Russia who controlled due to location and resources but, since they had poor governance and many borders, they were considered weak. I.
• What happened during the imperial era (colonialism)


  -cultural imperialism (britain spread things such as cricket and tea drinking)

  - economic imperialism(exporting tea back the uk)

  -ethnic cleansing
• Define: Unipolar, bipolar,multipolar


  one, two, three or more
• Example of bipolar world


  USA vs USSR - cold war

  capitalism vs communism
• Why does China challenge the USA's hegemony


  china =

  =economic potential

  =demographic power

  =membership of IGOs

  =resources
• EMERGING POWERS - example

  BRICS
• Why could brazil be the next superpower??


  -no enemies/conflict

  -high interest rates

  -lots of raw MATS

  -no natural disasters

  -LOTS OF OIL+WATER (security)
• Why wont brazil be the next superpower??


  -corruption

  -large gap between rich and poor

  -high crime rate
• Why could Russia be the next superpower??


  -oil and gas

  -weapons + nuclear

  -largest land mass
• Why wont russia be the next superpower??


  -poor demographic.

  -dictatorship
• Why could india be the next superpower??


  -DEMOGRAPHICCCC (young) = huge market for manufacturing. broader market due to emerging middle class

  -has coal

  -speak english alot
• Development Theories - 4


  world systems

  dependency

  modernisation

  development
• World systems theory


  (core+periphery)

  This recognises that some countries are more developed (core) than others (periphery) whilst some are emerging (semi-periphery).
• Frank's dependency theory


  developing countries remain dependent on wealthier nations for trade

  -africa selling resources to china to pay debt

  -taiwan getting rid of dependency from china

  -south korea
• Modernisation theory


  due to tncs + western ideologies - Countries move from underdevelopment to high mass consumption
• eq2


  What are the impacts of superpowers on the global economy, political systems and the physical environment?
• how do superpowers influence the global economy? + WHAT IOGs


  Promotion of free trade and capitalism

  The more tncs a country has, the more powerful it is, as they can spread their ideology, such as Hollywood and McDonalds.

  WTO

  WORLD BANK

  IMF
• How are TNCs dominant forces


  1-McDonalds encourages cultural diffusion in places - providing people with a new + unhealthy diet.

  2-Mostly created for profits. this means LICs such as ghana cannot afford products such as medicine.
• what is global culture

  arts, food and media

  eastern nations adopt western ideologies such as fast food, industry working and movies/television.

  the world will have 1 culture one day
• International decision making - military


  NATO
• International decision making - Economic


  EU ASEAN NAFTA
• International decision making - environmental


  IPCC
• global governance


  -International cooperation is essential when tackling global environmental issues.

  -The IPCC is an organization responsible for producing regular scientific assessments on climate change. Its impacts and ways to mitigate the impacts.

  -COP26 - Glasgow 2021 Tried to set a stronger limit on emissions targets. They tried to limit global warming to 1.5'C.
• UN role


  important to geopolitical stability as they carry out peacekeeping missions + climate change conferences.
• what are superpowers influence on the physical environment


  -use lots of recourses: energy + food + water

  -although they hold conferences about climate change, they use the most.

  -different superpowers have different willingness to reduce carbon emissions, the USA refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol whereas the EU have set regulations on packaging and resource

  -emerging middle class consumption = more usage -> less availability of resources and more exploitation of the environment
• kyoto


  The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty based on the scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and that human-made CO₂ emissions are driving it
• EQ3


  What spheres of influence are contested by superpowers and what are the implications of this?
• What are the tensions over physical resources


  -people want resources from the arctic = tensions

  -tensions form over the exploitation of materials
• sphere of influence


  A sphere of influence is an area or territory beyond a country's national borders, over which it feels it should have power but without having any formal authority there.
• china sea political conflict


  Strained relations between North Korea (a Chinese ally) and South Korea (a US ally) as North Korea has become a nuclear power. China sees South Korea and Japan (US allies) as economic competitors. All countries have ongoing disputes over islands in the sea.
• south china sea conflict


  Numerous disputed islands, claimed by China and US allies the Philippines and Taiwan. China has aggressively pursued a policy of island settlement and artificial island building - then adding military facilities. The South China Sea is a very tense region. China's 'Nine-Dash Line' and 'First and Second Island Chain' policies force it to try and control a large area of ocean south and east of China. The USA has considered this a sphere of influence since the Second World War
• africa + china (changing relations between developing nations and superpowers) BRI


  Developing economic ties between emerging and developing nations (such China's African Policy) increases interdependence, generates environmental impacts whilst bringing opportunities and challenges.

  ➔ Since 2006, China has invested in Africa by building bridges, roads and social infrastructure such as hospitals. China has also created business opportunities within Africa but these a usually filled by Chinese workers who have migrated to Africa. It has been reported that working conditions are extremely poor with factories having very few rights and little wages.

  ➔ Critics have been quick to notice that China's interest in Africa is largely for economic gain as Africa holds an abundance of natural resources and land.

  -Huawei has implemented 4g networks in Africa. They want to spy on Africans.
• "Describe the demand for resources among the USA, CHINA, and BRIC countries. [4]

  YOU CAN LITRO LIST THIS QUESTION AS IT IS A DESCRIBE QUESTION. JUST USE FULL SENTENCES. WHEN YOU SEE 'EXPLAIN' JUST USE 2 POINTS AND DEVELOP THEM A LITTLE.

  · As superpowers' demand for resources increases, their environmental footprint also grows.

  · China accounts for 39% of world coal consumption.

  · The USA accounts for 30% of corn consumption. (they ship a lot to China)

  · USA has largest oil consumption, with 24%.
• using the figure and own knowledge, assess the severity of the impact on people and the environment of the growth in middle class numbers and spending"


  · Run out of food if there are supply chain issues. Due to importing foods from the USA. If demand goes up, however the supply does not change, people will be spending more money. This will lead to having to import foods from USA. Potentially becoming dependent on them. If they went to war they would be F****d

  · They will have to use growth hormone on the food to make it grow faster. This affects the people.

  · Mass production cannot keep up with the waste. They can't dispose of the poo. So leave it in the water. Or on the ground. This causes methane production and pollution of water.
• Assess the ways a country's global influence can be contested. [12]


  1 - Movies, Hollywood, being challenged by China's new movie makers,

  USA will have decreased influence on the world, China will grow their influence and portray China as a good country to its viewers.

  2 - Dominating TNCs can be challenged by TNCs in other countries e.g. APPLE and HUEWAI.

  HUEWAI are trying to increase their influence on the world, by implementing 4g towers in east Africa. People will view Huewai in a better way seen as they are helping develop their country. However this is being contested by the people of east African countries as they want to increase satellite tv use to increase awareness.

  3 - territory -

  The British empire was contested by the rising awareness for human rights, leading to new superpower America emerging.
• Assess the extent to which emerging powers have a neo-colonial relationship with developing countries. [12]


  1- Increased trade routes as a result of the BRI = more TNCs attracted to trade = more FDI = the country such as China having control over east Africa e.g. Huawei. Soft power route to neo colonialisation

  2- Developing countries heavily rely on the economic support of emerging powers, such as China and india. This could be compared to the colonisation of india, by Britain, as the uk gave them so much, that they became dependent on them, e.g. railways and trade support.

  3- Post colonial relationships. Such as the relationship between France and north Africa. In 2019, the starting lineup of the France national football team had 8 players from African heritage, who claimed French nationality by living in the country.