introduction to superpowers

• ways of classifying powerful countries

  • superpowers eg USA-can influence the rest of world, hold strength through economy,military and political desicions
  • emerging powers eg China-potential superpowers, influence growing rapidly and hold economic power
  • regional power eg mexico-influence other countries within the continent
• 6 characteristics for superpower status 


  economic-high GDP and ownership of TNCs

  political-influence intergovernmental organisations eg UN, influence how countries behave

  military-use to threaten,invade defend and aid other countries- expanding influence eg USA spent 778 million dollars on military in 2020
• 6 characterstics for superpower status 


  cultural-specific idiology other countries wish to follow

  demographic-larger population which is educated and healthy=larger military and larger labour force

  access to natural resources- large supply means not reliant on others for their supply, can influence through trade of natural resources
• ``USA

  • only true superpower, dominates all characteristics
  • hyperpower=not challenged by others, britain from 1850 to 1910 and USA from 1990-2010
• hard power - military

  • well equipped military,military bases in foreign country and nuclear weapons
  • USA and allies used hard power during iraq war(2003-2011)
• hard power-economic sanctions

  • trade restrictions,travel bans,freezing of assets- limit opportunities for country to act in undesireable way
  • eg Russians invasion on ukraine in 2022 resulted in sanctions on russia
  • hard power can be expensive and risky and create long term economic and political instability-importance decreased overtime
• soft power

  • the use of power through attractive policies/ideologies
  • seen through the spread of culturevia films,music ect=helps countries spread their global influence
  • eg spread of the english language, worlds most spoken tool of communication=spreads ideas and beliefs
  • international relations=influence with appealing policies and cultural values
  • globalisation=soft power succeeds when country share a degree of shared culture
• hard and soft power

  • economic policies eg trade agreements involve no direct threat however nature is to control how country wishes to sell its goods eg may be forced at lower price- element of hard power
• mackinder geostrategic theory about superpowers

  • centre of Eurasia as 'heartland'- has a large land mass and inland position=protection from attacks via the sea.
  • also contains large percentage of worlds natural resources
  • mackinder suggested whoever had control over heartland would become a superpower(russia)
  • however, large part of russias coastline within arctic circle so unsuitable for trade
• mackinders theory

  • influenced geostrategic thinking beyond the 2nd world war
  • eg during cold war between USA and USSR, the usa was influenced by mackinders theory to restrict USSRs control of the heartland