Superpowers

• What is a Superpower?

  a nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.
• What are the 4 pillars of superpower status and its base?

  The base is economic which supports the 4 pillars of resources, military, political and cultural.
• What is hard power?

  A coercive approach to international political relations, especially one that involves the use of military power. (brute force) - Russia annexing Crimea in 2014
• What is economic power?

  The power of giving economic/development aid and signing trade agreements - China gave aid too many African countries so now have power over them in debt.
• What is smart power?

  Combination of both hard and soft power.
• What are the three types of polarity and examples?

  Uni-Polar: there is one dominant superpower such as the British Empire or USA today.

  Bi-Polar: two superpowers with opposing views fights for power such as the Cold War.

  Multi-Polar: many superpowers are emerging and competing for power. such as 1920 - 1930 when many countries were fighting for TBE power.
• What positive/negative impacts did the British Empire have on colonies?

  Process of acculturation - language, cricket. Strict social order, symbols of imperial power. Modernisation of India through railways (61000km).

  Post-colonial conflict, exploitation of labour, the 'real' empire (Amritsar Massacre: peaceful protesters blocked in and shot killing up to 1000 civilians of India.)
• What caused the collapse of the British Empire?


  Post-war bankruptcy, anti-colonial movements.
• What are the two nations in the Cold War and what are their opinions?

  USA: worlds largest navy and air force, capitalist, allied with NATO, democracy, lots of cultural power.

  USSR: self sufficient in materials, eastern Europe allies, dictatorship and communist, censorship.
• What is the Timeline of war events since the British Empire?

  1650-1850 Mercantile Phase of BE where small colonises were conquered too protect trade.

  1850-1930 Imperial Phase where they expanded into countries and impacted culture.

  1930s Germany grew more powerful under Hitler.

  1945 post-colonial era due to post war bankruptcy and start of the Cold War.

  1950-1953 Korean war

  1955-1975 Vietnam war

  1963 Cuban Missile crisis

  1990 End of Cold war and collapse of USSR
• What is neo-colonialism?


  An indirect form of control over countries less powerful/developed.
• What are 5 key neo-colonial mechanisms?

  Strategic alliances, aid, TNC investment, Terms of Trade, Debt.
• What three proxy wars happened in the Cold War?

  Korean war (1950/53) which led to the division of Korea. USA back SK, Russia + China back NK.

  Vietnam war (1955/75) was fought directly by USA but indirectly by USSR.

  Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) was closest to real war that happened.
• What is hegemony?


  The dominance of a superpower (USA spends $581 billion on military) over other countries.
• Why may current superpowers loose power in the future?

  EU + Japan have aging populations

  USA has reduced economic growth

  Many demographically large countries will become much bigger so will become much more wealthy like India.
• What are the BRICS?

  Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
• What are the MINTs?

  Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the BRICS and MINTs?

  Brazil - S:regional leader and energy independent W: deforestation environmentally and low education levels.

  Russia- S: Nuclear power, Un security council W: bad relationship with USA and EU, very dependant on oil and gas

  India- S: large population and English widely spoken W: high levels of poverty, poor transport

  China - S: highly educated, high renewable energy W: pollution issues, reliant on imported raw materials

  South Africa - not in textbook

  Mexico - S: NAFTA member, becoming more democratic W: crime, large brain drain

  Indonesia- S: Youthful population, large resources W: deforestation, multiple hazard zone

  Nigeria - not in table

  Türkiye- S: NATO member, youthful population W: Kurdish political bad, instability bordered with Middle east
• Why can predictions of future superpowers not be trusted, example?

  Japan was on track to become a superpower as higher GDP per capita than UK and USA in 1980s. They had 'lost decade' because:

  - property value collapsed and collapse in stock market

  -high interest rates

  -aging population

  -more competitive Asian countries stole Japan's lead.
• What is Rostow's modernisation theory + -ves?

  A country will only develop if they follow the 5 stages of economic development:

  -Traditional society

  -Pre conditions (infrastructure /Technology/governance/education)

  -Take off

  -Drive to maturity (Industrialisation)

  -High mass consumption

  Negatives: Eurocentric + against Saudi Oil way
• What is Frank's dependency theory + -ves?

  This stated that the periphery (developing and emerging countries) traded raw materials to the core (developed countries) where the materials are refined and sold for more.

  Exploited and holds power for the Rich.

  Negatives: simplistic and isn't followed by Asian tigers
• What is Wallerstein's World Systems Theory?

  There are three economic areas:

  -core (EU, USA, OECD)

  -semi-periphery (Emerging in Latin America and Asia)

  -periphery (rest of world)

  Shows that countries can change over time and isn't a fixed model.

  Negatives: doesn't actually explain the cause of development and changes.
• What was the impact of the end of the Cold War (1990)?


  The world became more capitalistic.
• What is the difference between Free-Market Capitalism and Centrally-Planned Economy?

  It is the private ownership of business vs government ownership of property and land.
• What are the issues with IGOs? (also in migration)

  WEF in 2017 was 1/5 women.

  16.5% of votes USA.
• What is the World Economic Forum?

  Promotes Globalisation.

  - Swiss mountain top where business leaders meet to exchange ideas and make agreements and trade , big deals and big FDI agreements happen there.
• What are the roles and impacts of global TNCs?

  -Large Capital

  -top 12 in China are state-owned

  -most TNCs are from superpowers

  -They spread culture, increase global trad and improve technology.

  -Walmart (USA) have revenue $486 billion in 2014.

  -glocalisation