Paper 2 - Section A - Superpowers Flashcards
1
Q
Define a superpower
A
A nation with the means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world, and to be a dominant global force
2
Q
Define a hyper power
A
An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power
I.e USA 1990-2010
UK 1850-1910
3
Q
Name an example of a superpower
A
Usa
China
Uk
4
Q
Name an example of an emerging superpower
A
India
5
Q
Name some examples of regional superpowers in different continents
A
Europe: UK, France, Germany
South America: Brazil
Africa: Nigeria, South Africa
6
Q
Name an example of a former superpower
A
USSR
British empire
Japan
7
Q
How does a country gain power and influence? (6 superpower characteristics)
A
- economic power
Large GDP creates influence as a potential market as the home of TNC’s - military force
Military power with a global reach can be used to achieve geopolitical goals - resources
Used to export, manufacture things - dominant belief systems (politics)
Ability to gain political influence - population size
Large diaspora and workers at TNC’s - physical size and geographical position
Access to the sea means better transport and trade links
8
Q
Define a soft power
A
Power that arises from a country which isn’t threatening
I.e
culture and ideology
political values
foreign policies
9
Q
Define a hard power
A
A country which exerts its will
I.e
Military presence and force
Economic sanctions
10
Q
How has Britain applied soft power?
A
- History:
-oxbridge and other unis appeal to global elites
-British law systems modelled globally
- Culture:
- BBC (major international broadcaster)
- London 2012 olympics
11
Q
What is the Heartland Theory?
A
Made in 1904
Created by Halford Mackinder
He identified a region of Eurasia from Russia to China named ‘the Heartland’
> key geo-strategic region in the world
control of most of globes resources
> hard to invade
12
Q
How has the importance of the Heartland theory shifted as technology has advanced?
A
Transportation has become easier: reduced the locational importance of the Heartland Region
> Resources are more easily transported globally
> Military technology reduces need for colonisation of other land
Soft power is more commonly used to gain power
13
Q
Define colonialism (direct colonial control)
A
Full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with its own settlers and exploiting it economically, socially and environmentally
14
Q
Define uni-polar rule / hegemony
A
(In geopolitics) when one state exercises most of the cultural, economic and military power and influence over the rest
15
Q
Define spheres of influence
A
Practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with its own settlers and exploiting it economically, socially, environmentally
16
Q
What were the names of the 2 stages of the British Empire
A
- Mercantile phase (1600-1850)
- Imperial phases (1850-1945)
17
Q
What was the mercantile phase?
A
Small colonies on coastal fringes and islands
I.e Jamaica, Ghana, Bombay
Forts and navy protect trade in raw materials, slavery etc
18
Q
What was the imperial phase?
A
Coastal colonies extend inland, with the conquest of vast territories
Gov institutions set up
Complex trade develops
> export of uk goods
Religion, competitive sport and English language introduced
19
Q
How was the British empire justified (2 ways)
A
- Modernism view;
- world can be improved by human intervention
- British were naturally intelligent
- British were natural leaders
- Europe could improve the world by colonising
- Evangelical Christianity and social Darwinism
20
Q
Define evangelism
A
Spread of Christian word through churches and schools
> belief the natives were inferior
belief that colonialism was a divine calling
21
Q
Define social Darwinism
A
“Might is right”
> strong should survive over the weak
22
Q
What was the Cold War?
A
An indirect war between the ideologies of capitalism and communism
23
Q
When did the Cold War start?
A
After the 2nd world war (1945+)
24
Q
Which superpowers were engaged in the Cold War?
A
USA and USSR
25
What lead to those two countries becoming superpowers?
- American growth and industrialism post 1960s following railroads and resource exploitation
- 1917 Russian Revolution resulting in rapid industrialisation which underpinned victory in Europe in WW2
26
What are capitalist ideologies?
- social objective is freedom
- democracy with elected leaders
- free market economy
- businesses are privately owned
- workers are employed by profit making individuals
- the USA
27
What are communist ideologies
- social objective is equality
- dictatorship
- government planned economy
- businesses belong to the state
- workers employed by the state
- USSR
28
What were the stages of decline for the USSR as a superpower
1. 2 superpowers had similar land, population and resource size
2. Both powers aimed to spread their influence globally
3. ‘Proxy wars’ around the world
I.e Korean War, Vietnam war
4. ‘Iron curtains’ across Europe, blockades — no transfers between superpowers
5. Rise of PRC (1949)
6. Creation of NATO and Warsaw Pact
7. Development of long range nuclear weapons
8. Détente (thawing of Cold War) encouraged due to economic decline in communist nations
9. Independence of former Soviet Unions — dissolution of USSR
10. One superpower remained: USA
29
Define multifaceted control
Being able to control through a range of methods
I.e political, military, economic, cultural control
30
How did the British empire use ‘direct colonial control in India’?
1. Military:
- Indian soldiers paid to fight for UK
- Indian soldiers built empire for us
- 6000 officials in charge of 2 million Indian soldiers
2. Political control:
- Indian princes signed treaty to pay to rule their own land
>UK ripped up treaty and took back all land — gave palaces back
3. Cultural control:
- bagpipes, tweed jackets, cricket
- British architecture in palaces
31
Why did the British empire collapse?
1. Competition
Rise of USA and USSR buoyed by massive WW2 investment in industry
2. Nationalism
Ghandi, the Boers etc.
Britain had to contend with better organised nationalist political movement
3. WW2
Decimated British industrial capacity with bombing
32
Define unipolar power
A world dominated by one hyper power
33
Define bipolar power
World dominated into 2 separate blocs
34
Define multipolar power
Different clusters of opposing groups
35
What is a disadvantage for uni, bi and multi polar worlds?
Unipolar;
Could lead to frequent challenges from nations who don’t accept the hegemony of the sole power
Bipolar;
Depends on diplomatic channels remaining open
> breakdown of control or allies could lead to disaster
Multipolar;
Different clusters of opposing groups
> may increase risk of conflict due to more regional powers
36
Is hard or soft power more effective?
Hard power is more forceful, meaning it can achieve results promptly but it is more expensive.
People may view military action etc as being unnecessary and so may lose moral authority
Soft power relies on a country having respectable culture, values and politics — which may persuade some countries but not all. It is all about creating friendly relationships
37
How has the relative importance of different forms of power changed over time?
19-20th century:
- ideas of controlling vast land area became important (heartland theory)
- more hard power
21st century:
- modern military technology means land size is no longer a protection
- physical resources are traded internationally
- war and conflict are generally less frequent
- more soft power
38
What does the development of empires rely on?
- powerful navies to transport soldiers and equipment. Also to defend
- large armed forces to defend territories
- businesses (Gov owned) to exploit resources in the conquered territories
- people in the home country to act as the government to run the colonies
39
At it’s peak, how much land did the British Empire rule over in 1920
24%
40
What is Wallerstein’s world systems theory?
It identifies 2 different economic areas within the world — the core and the periphery.
Core regions are economic powerhouses and control most aspects of global trade
The periphery typically provide labour and materials for the core nations
41
What is Rostow’s modernisation theory? (5 stages)
1. Traditional society;
Countries economy predominantly based on primary industry
2. Pre-conditions for takeoff;
There is a demand for raw materials and trade by external countries — increase in businesses and FDI
3. Take off;
Rapid industrialisation, creates large surge of employment, environmental degradation
4. Drive to maturity;
Growing economy will encourage new industries and investment, creating further jobs, improving services via increased taxes
5. High mass consumption;
Developed countries are capitalistic and there is consumer sovereignty
42
What are criticisms of Rostow’s modernisation theory?
1. Based largely on American and European development which ignores other stages of growth that other nations (who may not fit the model) may go through
2. Only considers advancement of development (doesn’t describe declining nations) i.e USSR
43
How does politics cause indirect control?
- dominance in international decision making within the United Nations, G7, WTO
- some countries have disproportionate influence
44
How does military influence indirect control?
- threat of large powerful armed forces with global reach
- selective arms trading who provide weapons to key allies but not enemies
45
How does economies influence indirect control?
- use of trade deals / blocs + sanctions to create economic alliances that create interdependence between like-minded countries
46
How does culture influence indirect control?
- use of global media (TV, film, TNC’s) spread ideology and values of a country through consumer culture
47
What examples of indirect power became important during the Cold War era?
The USA and USSR sought allies among other nations via:
-NATO or Warsaw pact
- foreign aid — ‘buy’ support from developing countries
- support for corrupt regimes
48
How do some geographers argue that western nations continue to control their ex-colonies (through neo-colonialism)?
- debt-aid relationship; where developing countries owe money for past loans
- poor terms of trade
- loss of productive people who migrate to developing countries (brain drain)
49
Over time how has the distribution of uni, multi and bipolar power changed?
1800-1919; British empire: UNI-POLAR
1919-1939; inter-war period: MULTI-POLAR
1945-1990; USA vs USSR: BI-POLAR
1990-2030; USA globalised era: UNI-POLAR
2030+; ???
50
In theory, which power mechanism should be more stable, and which brings higher risk?
More stable: UNI-POLAR
- only one ‘top dog’ however this comes with high costs
- USA been called ‘worlds policeman’
Less stable: BI-POLAR
- high tensions between opposing powers
- created a ‘power-vacuum’ and allowed for rise of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan
51
Which country is most likely to rival the USA’s current hegemony?
China, as:
- it has huge human resources
- economy grown exponentially since 1990
- increasingly engages with other parts of the world i.e Africa
- has military ambitions
52
Who are the BRIC nations?
Brazil
Russia
India
China
53
What is likely to happen to the influence that emerging powers have in the near future?
- demand more say in global organisations like the United Nations (security council)
- have more influence over global financial decision making at the World Bank
- play a greater role in international peacekeeping mission
54
How much of global CO2 emissions are emitted by the BRIC’s?
42%
55
Have the BRIC’s become more involved in tackling climate change in recent years?
Yes
At the UN Change conference in Paris in 2015 the BRIC countries were involved in the agreement whereas they weren’t in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol
56
What are the strengths of China?
- 2nd largest GDP in 2016
- powerful manufacturing economy
- growing military power and tech
57
What are the weaknesses of China?
- ageing population
- unwilling to engage in global problems
- environmental issues
58
What are the strengths with India?
- youthful population
- 7th largest GDP
- global leader in IT tech
59
What are the weaknesses of India?
- poverty
- poor energy / transport infrastructure
- lack of water resources
60
What are the strengths of Russia?
- 12th largest GDP
- powerful nuclear military
- large oil and gas reserves
61
What are the weaknesses of Russia?
- ageing population
- difficult relations with rest of world
62
What are the strengths of Brazil?
- 9th largest GDP
- huge natural resources and farming potential
- modern economic infrastructure
63
What are the weaknesses of Brazil?
- economy has boom and bust cycles
- limited military strength
64
What are the strengths of Japan?
- 3rd largest GDP
- tech advanced
- culturally influential via tech
65
What are the weaknesses of Japan?
- ageing population
- slow economic growth since 1990
66
What are the strengths of Mexico?
- 15th largest GDP
- advanced economy (NAFTA)
67
What are the weaknesses of Mexico?
- poor rep for crime and corruption
68
What are the strengths of NigeriA?
- 26th largest GDP
- untapped natural resources
- vast population and growth potential
69
What are the weaknesses of Nigeria?
- deep poverty
- internal conflict
70
What are the apparent trends with countries and their strengths / weaknesses?
- countries with ageing populations face major problems with paying for their support, workforce shrinks
- shortages of physical resources could derail ambitions of some countries
- countries with modern infrastructure, balanced economic sectors and good energy suppliers will do better
71
What is the Dependancy theory?
- coined by A.G Frank,
Argues that relationship between developed and developing countries is one of dependancy
- prevents developing countries from making economic progress
- neo-colonial mechanisms and a net transfer from developing to developed worlds are responsible
72
What is the best theory to demonstrate the current pattern of developed and developing countries?
- world systems is good for current pattern of developed / developing countries
- modernisation is useful in explaining how some nations become wealthy
None of the theories are especially good at identifying why some countries but not others become superpowers
73
It can be said that superpowers have a disproportionate influence on the global economy. How did USA, EU and Japan account for 60% GDP?
- capitalism; people earn profits
- promotion of free trade in goods and services across borders
- domination of private enterprise
- promotion of wealth creation
74
What were the successes of colonial power?
- railway lines were built throughout the country
- English language was widespread allowing commonwealth countries to outsource services and participate in business
- education
75
What were the drawbacks of colonial power?
- majority of crops grown in colonial states were bought by the British for low prices and sold for large amounts
- many colonial states didn’t have gov
- discriminating policies segregated British migrants from natives
76
Why did many empires collapse during the 20th century?
- many colonial powers were bankrupt after the war
- after the war many powers focussed in rebuilding their Home Countries and less on the colonies
- anti-colonial movements increased demand for independence
77
Define neo-colonialism
It was first used to describe interdependence of former colonies on other countries after their independence, however it now describes the exploitative relation between more powerful developed countries who gain personal benefit
78
What model can we use to explain the cycle of neo-colonialism?
Franks dependency model; explains how the neo-colony becomes dependant on the neo-colonial power controlling it
79
Briefly, why did the Soviet Union lose the Cold War?
- size of the economy
- arms race
- proxy wars meant supporting your allies which was costly
- defence spending
- invasion of Afghanistan (USA secretly supported and trained Mujahideen who were rebels against the soviets)
80
What is a rogue state?
A country which doesn’t accept / follow the ideologies of superpowers I.e North Korea
81
What are the conditions of capitalism?
- private ownership of business and property
- wages based on supply and demand and level of skill
- profit driven
- free markets with little restriction
82
What are the conditions of communism?
- government owned land and businesses
- wages determined by gov
- profits taken by gov and supposedly invested into services
- supply of goods controlled by gov
83
What was the iron curtain during the Cold War?
The border between eastern and Western Europe (buffer zone overruled by commie governments to protect Russia from the west) — strategic importance
84
What is the Warsaw pact?
Alliance between USSR and its supporting countries
85
What was the space race?
A competition of knowledge and economic capacity between USA and USSR — many believe USA won after sending Apollo 11 to the moon
86
What’s are proxy wars?
When the two sides support opposing wars I.e Vietnam war (USA backed Vietnam against USSR and China)
87
What countries make up the G20?
EU, Turkey, Indonesia, South Korea, Saudi, Mexico etc
88
What are the roles of the westernised IGO’s (world bank, IMF, WTO and WEF)?
1. World Bank:
- 1944
- lends money to developing and emerging economies to promote development
- done within a capitalist model
- money originates from developed countries
2. IMF:
- 1945
- promotes global economic stability
- aids economies in opening up to world trade / investment
- aids countries with economic difficulty
3. WTO:
- 1995
- helps remove barriers to international trade
- negotiated global free trade agreements — removal of quotas and trade taxes
4. WEF:
- 1971
- Swiss non-profit organisation
- acts as a forum for discussion between business, politicians and IGO’s
- pro free-trade and pro-TNC’s
89
What does the Brandt line suggest?
Willy Brandt suggests there is a rich north, poor south (except Australia)
90
What is an IGO?
Intergovernmental organisation — involves several countries working together on issues of common interest
91
What are the two types of TNC’s?
1. Public TNC’s:
Owned by private shareholders
Capitalist, free-market economics
Shareholders receive dividends
I.e apple
2. State owned TNC’s:
Owned by governments
Communist countries
Often within strategic industries I.e banking, oil, gas
I.e Bank of China
92
What is the largest TNC globally?
Walmart ($485 billion in 2015)
- employs 2.3million worldwide
93
What has allowed TNC’s to become more influential than IGO’s over time?
- economies of scale
- loans allow for investment in new tech
- global shift towards capitalism has opened more opportunities for them
94
Which intellectual property laws protect new inventions of TNC’s?
- patents
- copyright
- trademarks
95
What percentage of global output did the largest 200 TNC’s produce in 2015?
25%
96
How do TNC’s spread cultural globalisation through their ideology and soft power?
1. Trade routes
- economic power influences trade patterns and the location of areas of growth
- partially responsible for the global shift
2. Technology:
- investment of profits in new tech and patents which earns them more money via royalties
- 90% global patent royalties are paid to the EU, US and Japanese countries
97
How has McDonald’s contributed to global culture?
- quick service and cheap food globally
- Beijing sees McDonald’s as a middle class consumption for a special family outing which lasts for hours
- countries have adapted (glocalised) their menus to the likes of cultures
- lack of info provision means poorer people consume more without knowing health risks
98
How has Coca Cola contributed to global culture?
- mexico is one of the largest consumers of coke — poor info provision
- founded in 1886 by John Styth Pemberton in Atlanta, employs 60,000 worldwide
- most recognised brand globally
- located in every country except Cuba and North Korea
99
How does News Corporation contribute to global culture?
- major company that includes many of the largest media outliers
- since 1979, every winning political party in the UK has been supported by the Sun; they campaigned against the EU
- NC actively promotes Christian programmes via TV networks
100
What is culture?
A system of shared beliefs, values and traditions including behaviour, dress, art, language, food, relationships and religion
101
What is westernisation?
Spread of western culture:
TNC brands are key drivers of cultural globalisation and the spread of western culture and values (soft power)
102
What are the westernisation ideologies?
These include:
- individual rights and freedom
- idea that accumulating wealth, owning property and consuming goods and services indicate a successful life
- importance of leisure activities
- importance of having the latest tech
- living in a small family unit
103
Under what circumstances do weaker countries seek superpowers in times of crisis? (Give examples)
- intervening in war and conflict
Vietnam proxy war
- taking action with crisis response
2010 Haiti earthquake USA used its naval and air force assets to respond to the disaster
- responding to terrorism
Since 2001 USA have led a global effort against Islamic terrorism in Iraq, Pakistan etc
- responding to longer term threats I.e climate change induced global warming
104
What would countries seek to have allies?
- allies can be ‘eyes and ears’ in different parts of the world
- allies increased the network of military assets spread around the world
- political and economic allies can form a large bloc to force their agenda on the wider world
105
Give examples of different military alliances that the USA has globally
1. NATO; Canada, European countries
- 14 airforce bases
- USA’s 6th fleet is located in Italy
2. ANZUS; Australia and NZ
3. Mutual defence treaty with Philippines
4. Military alliance with South Korea
- 2 airforce bases
5. Security alliance with Japan
- 3 airforce based
- USA’s largest fleet located in Japan
106
How much did the USA and its military allies spend in 2015?
$966 billion (58% of global military spending)
107
What economic alliances does the USA have globally?
1. The EU, between 28 member states
2. NAFTA, (North American free trade agreement) between USA, Mexico and Canada
3. ASEAN, between 10 SE Asian countries including Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia
108
What does the overlap between economic and and military alliances create?
Interdependence in terms of geo strategy. Economic prosperity requires geo political stability (wars are bad for trade)
109
What year was the United Nations security council set up?
1946
110
Why was UN Security Council created?
In an attempt to create a new world order of peace, prosperity and stability, and to avoid further wars
111
How many non-permanent, rotating members are there in the UN?
10
112
What internationally-recognised power does the UN hold?
- apply sanctions to countries deemed as a security risk
- military force against another country can be authorised
- UN peacekeeping force can be authorised to reduce conflict and tensions or improve development and quality of life for locals
113
Does the west or the east have an advantage with the UN?
The west: permanent members act as 2 blocs whereby the west has a 3:2 advantage (USA, UK, France all tend to vote together)
114
What does it mean for a UN member to veto a decision?
Their right to reject a decision or proposal by the law making body
115
Where and what is the International Court of Justice?
Based in Hague, Netherlands, this court settled disputes between different UN member states. The ICJ has 15 judges of which 5 are from the west
116
What is the aim of the ICJ?
To achieve geopolitical stability and hold governments accountable for actions against the welfare and human rights of their people
117
How does the UN peacekeep?
They source armed forces from member states
118
What offshoot of the UN deals with climate change?
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its scientific advisory panel the Inter-Gov Panel on climate change are important in informing the debate on global warming.
119
Name some examples of UN Climate Change conferences in recent years
- Montreal protocol;
1987, aimed to stop use of CFC’s and Halons (damage the ozone layer)
- Kyoto protocol;
1997, aimed to generally reduce CO2 emissions
- París Agreement;
2015, highest number of signatures / states participating to date, however key emitters I.e USA have since withdrawn
120
What environmental problems have been caused by the growth of emerging economies?
- urban air quality reduced
- imports and exports have increased so CO2 has increased — larger carbon footprint
- deforestation has acceleration for land use or biofuel etc
121
Who are the top 5 countries for CO2 emissions in 2015?
1. China: 29%
2. USA: 14%
3. EU: 10%
4. India: 7%
5. Russia: 5%
122
How are the BRIC’s increasing their global economic and political systems? (Surpassing Europe, USA etc)
- Europe and USA’s share of world GDP has been in decline since about 1945 and 1990 (whilst the BRIC’s emerge)
- it is likely that the BRIC’s will demand more say in global organisations like the United Nations: there is a case for letting India have a permanent seat
- they want more influence over global financial decision making at the world bank, WTO etc
- they want to play a greater role in international peacekeeping missions and disaster response, as their military capacity grows
123
Define free trade
Exchange of goods and services free of import / export taxes and tariffs or quotas on trade volume
124
How have TNC’s come to dominate the global economy?
- EOS: outcompete smaller companies
- their ability to get loans and high bank balances gives them an investment advantage
- move towards free market capitalism and free trade has opened up new markets
- TNC’s may influence Gov politics
125
Define Americanisation
Cultural globalisation by the USA
126
Define cultural hegemony
Dominance or rule maintained by cultural or ideological means
127
Define cultural imperialism
One culture is promoted and imposed over others
128
List some drawbacks of the security council
- any of the 5 permanent states can veto a decisions
- the UK, France, USA tend to vote as one, Russia and China vote as one: results in deadlock
- have been accused of failing to act
129
What topics of discussion came up at COP26?
- carbon trading agreements agreed
- more transparent emissions reporting so countries can be better compared and emissions tracked
- coal phase-down not phase-out
- agreements on methane and deforestation
130
List some environmental positives that have resulted from Brazil and China in the past few years
**Brazil**
Drastically slowed forest loss and expanded protected areas since 2005
*China**
Become the worlds biggest investor in renewable wind power and solar power and has cut back on coal burning
131
What impact will a global rise in middle class population have on food / water / energy / resource security)?
As a population grows richer, they begin to use more resources i.e live in bigger housing, use more resources, can afford to travel etc: putting strain on resources
- food security will worsen (becoming more expensive)
- water security will worsen (strain on the limited supply)
- energy security will worsen (strain on demand with prices rising and causing blackouts etc
- resource security will worsen (demand for rare Earth minerals will rise (leading to higher prices, potential shortages)
132
What 2 consequences will increased demand likely have?
1. Prices of key resources will rise as higher demand puts pressure on supply
2. The availability of resources, especially non-renewables etc fall as they get used up
133
What impact will a global rise in middle class population have on the environment?
- more mining, oil drilling, deforestation etc
- increased carbon emissions from high energy consumers
- problems disposing of consumer waste in landfill sites etc
- more use of water, therefore wastewater
134
List 6 sources of conflict for superpowers
1. Politics
2. Natural resources
3. Access to trade / transport
4. Territory
5. International property rights
6. Economics
135
Why might land ownership be a cause for conflict / tension?
There are borders and islands that remain unclear over who owns them
- may have untapped energy resources
- opportunities for expansion
- may have military strategic importance
136
Why might intellectual property be a cause for conflict / tension?
- There is increased counterfeiting (particularly from China, as many of the originals are made here and so they have access to IP)
- lack of policing for the topic
- it is a ‘grey area’ — how different does an invention have to be for it to be considered new?
137
What is intellectual property / what does it entail?
- trademarks
- copyright
- patent protection
IP has economic value: royalty fees alone amount to $150-$200 billion annually
138
How can IP strain trade relationships?
- counterfeiting
- espionage
May lead to countries limiting investment into China etc if they fear IP theft, makes trade deals harder, counterfeit goods are often unsafe putting consumers at risk
139
What is happening to the worlds economic centre of gravity and why?
Slowly been shifting from the west towards the east (Asian states becoming increasingly influential whilst the west diminishes in influence
> rapid urbanisation in developing countries in the east
140
Who are fake goods a problem for?
- HIC’s / LIC’s — firms and countries (tax); takes profits away from TNC’s
- IGO’s
- health and safety for consumers
- creates profit for organised crime
141
Why is IP criticised?
- requires users of a product to pay royalties to the inventor — cost to developing countries
- IP holders don’t have a duty to keep innovating
- system can create a monopoly
142
Name some natural resources within Africa which China is keen on exploiting
1. Copper ore in Zambia
2. Crude oil in Angola, Sudan and Chad
3. Coltan (used for mobile phones) in DRC
143
List some advantages and disadvantages of China investing in Africa
**Advantages**
- construction of critical infrastructure which many Africans may not be able to afford
- Chinese factories bring jobs and raise incomes
- trading partner for raw materials
- supply of cheaper technology and goods to support African development
**Disadvantages**
- debt traps I.e 75% of Zambias debt is to China
- reliance on commodities exports (low value, variable price)
- dependence on China
- environmental damage
144
How is Chinese investment in Africa affecting chinas status as a superpower?
1. **Economic:**
Source of raw materials and market for products
>fuelling economic growth
2. **Military:**
China expanding Djibouti military base to accept aircraft carriers
> strategic positioning
3. **Political:**
Significant dependency from African nations is likely to influence governance / politics to be in favour of Chinese regimes
4. **Strategic:**
Links to one belt one road strategy
145
What is the ‘One Belt One Road’ strategy?
Developed in 2013, this is a proposal by China’s government to develop connectivity between China, Eurasia and Africa:
> has 2 components:
1. **’One Belt’:**
Countries extending from Russia to Mongolia, through Central Asia to Western Europe
2. **’One Road’:**
Extending influence into Southern Asia and India, then to Middle East and east Africa
146
How has China’s O.B.O.R strategy impacted on China’s role as a superpower?
It’s aim to form a cohesive economic area by building infrastructure to increase trade and enhance cultural exchanges has put China on ‘the world stage’
147
List some conflicts / reasons for tensions that have occurred in the Middle East in the past few decades
**Tensions**
1. An alliance between the west with Israel and Arab monarchies whilst an opposing alliance has been formed between Iran, Syria, Russia and China.
**Conflicts**
1. The invasion in Iraq (2003-2011) and Afghanistan (2001-2010) was US-led in attempts to remove Hussain and Taliban to try and create stable govs
> however suspicions that the true aims of this was because the west wanted to protect oil sources has created mistrust in west govs
2. Ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel: Israel has taken land from Palestinians and built settlements which has caused tensions with Muslims globally
3. Since 2015 a civil war in Yemen has involved Saudi Arabia directly and USA indirectly
4. Kurdish people are demanding their own state (Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria)
148
List some reasons WHY the Middle East experiences conflict:
1. **religion:**
Sunni and Shia countries fight against each other in proxy wars
2. **oil and gas:**
65% of worlds crude oil comes from Middle East
3. **history:**
Colonial powers drew up borders in this area which caused a lot of conflict: borders don’t separate populations of separate communities / cultures
149
Why are geopolitical relationships not easy between the west (USA, EU etc) and East (Middle East, North Africa)
- capitalism vs communism
- attitudes to religion, trade, social relations, women, sexuality and environment
150
Describe the relations between India and China
- India is the worlds largest democracy whereas China is a communist dictatorship
- they share a border, but parts are disputed
- China has created a strong economic alliance with Pakistan (China invested $54 billion in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor)
- China has the upper hand in terms of economics, as India has a larger trade deficit
151
List some evidence to support India as an emerging superpower
- worlds 2nd largest and working age population
- democratic gov
- investment in infrastructure
- strong regional links
- big military
152
List some evidence that shows it will be difficult for India to challenge China as an emerging superpower
- low GDP per person
- chaotic
- not permanent member of the UN Security Council
- ethnic + social divisions
153
What factors may slow down growth / cause debt for the west?
- **structural unemployment:**
> loss of manufacturing jobs to emerging economies
> pools of unemployment
> many rely on welfare provision
- **economic restructuring:**
> global shift to Asia has created deindustrialisation in west
> workforce needs retraining in tertiary sector jobs
- **ageing and care:**
> rising life expectancy and low fertility means ageing populations
> care home costs are rising
154
What are some of the largest expenditures for superpowers like USA, France etc?
- defence / military
- intelligence services
- NASA / space exploration
155
In terms of polarity, how might the distribution of power look in the future?
3 possible scenarios:
1. Unipolar — USA remains the single, dominant global hegemon
2. Bi-polar — China draws level with the USA
3. Multi-polar (regional mosaic) — USA and EU decline relative to increasingly powerful BRIC’s
156
What will the world likely look like in 2030? (Think USA and China)
- similar to today, but Chinese economy will likely be the same size as USA
- per capita incomes in China will still be lower
- China is unlikely to become a global political leader by 2030
157
What will the world likely look like in 2050? (Think BRIC’s and USA)
- potentially a very different world — China and India being economically powerful and potential rivals
- USA could have similar levels of power and influence to India and China
