challenges for superpowers

• superpowers experiencing economic and social problems

  • emerging powers are challenging the dominance of the USA and EU(longstanding superpowers)
  • some cities in USA and EU have undergone a shift from manufacturing industries to service sector(economic restructuring)- significant job losses eg detroit
  • USA and EU rely on migrant labour in some sectors of work eg care workers. as emerging economies grow they become more attractive destinations for workers- superpowers may face labour shortages in some high skill sectors eg health and social care
• maintaining military power- significant economic cost

  • in 2018 USA spent 3.3% of their annual GDP on their military
  • many people believe this money should go into foreign aid, education
  • superpowers maintain their power by regularly updating their military equipment- some many find unsustainable
  • superpowers have greatest capacity to build nuclear weapons- TRIDENT(UKs submarine nuclear missile programme) has cost the government £20 billion
• superpowers less dominant in space exploration

  • USA has led the way in terms of space exploration for decades but there are other countries starting to contest the USAs dominance in space
  • india has lauched hundreds of satellites into space
• emerging powers beginning to challenge superpowers

  • population growth slowing down-global fertility rates decreasing -may reduce importance in having a large population
  • other factors eg nations position in international desicion making or its ability to tackle global issues eg climate change may become more important
  • global problems eg similar to covid 19 may disproportionately effect the most advanced economies
  • future for superpowers may become the countries that are able to maintain the highest degree of self-sufficiency when both renewable and non-renewable resources are in short supply