Geostrategu

Question 1

Describe Mackinder’s Heartland Theory.

Answer 1

An example of an old-fashioned idea about what makes countries globally powerful.
He saw the centre of the Eurasian land mass as a geo-strategic location: if 1 nation controlled this ‘Heartland’, it would become globally dominant as, it would control 50% of the world’s resources.
His view was that other countries should work together to balance this ‘Heartland’ power and make sure it did not become too dominant.

Question 2

What did Mackinder’s theory influence?

Answer 2

The policy of containment.

Question 3

What is the policy of containment?

Answer 3

The idea that emerging powers, like Germany, after WW1 should be ‘contained’ and not allowed to expand.

Question 4

What do geo-strategic theories look like today?

Answer 4

They are less important:
Superpowers may be more at threat from cyber-warfare than invasion.
Some TNCs have become more powerful than most nations through their control of global trade.
Superpowers may get involved with proxy conflicts, supporting opposite sides of conflicts in world regions.