superpowers Flashcards
(89 cards)
define superpower and name the only one
A nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.
USA
define hypower and an example
Hyperpower: An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power (political, economic, cultural, military); examples include the USA from 1990 to 2010 and Britain from 1850 to 1910.
define blue water navy , the smaller version of it and examples
Blue water navy: One which can deploy into the open ocean, i.e., with large, ocean-going ships. Many smaller nations only have a green water navy designed to patrol littoral waters, i.e., those close to the nation’s coastline.
UK and usa have blue water
Indonesia and singapore
define diplomacy
Diplomacy: The negotiation and decision-making that takes place between nations as part of international relations, leading to international agreements and treaties.
define emerging superpowers and name 4
Emerging superpowers: nations whose economic, military and political influence is already large and is growing.
Brazil
Russia
India
China
define regional power
have the power to influence other countries at a continental scale – a good example is South Africa within Africa.
give 3 pieces of data/info on each sector on why USA are a superpower
-economic
-military
-what type of political system do they have?
-cultural
economic-
-dominate 20% of global economy
-776 of the top 2000 companies in the world are American.
- USA is a major player in international trade, much of which is conducted in US dollars
military-
-The US military budget for 2024 was approximately $997 billion
-12 aircraft tankers (China only has 2)
-nuclears
political-
-democracy
cultural-
-americanisation, influence of disney white wedding
-has 45% of top global brands, spread of culture
-CNN news has globalpresence
define hard power and example
tangible threats, through coersion
often involves military strength in order to induce compliance or obedience
USA’s direct military intervention in Afghanistan to dismantle Al Queda
define soft power and example
a persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence.
British legal system is widely copied and used modelled around the world - spread of culture
mackinders geostrategic theory
his main theory is that you had to have control over strategic areas of land in order to have power and control
mackinder proposed that if you had control over an area he referred toas the “heartland” which was region stretching from Eastern Europe to Asia
then you can ultimately control the wolrd and have global dominance
define unipolar, bipolar, multipolar
unipolar- one country has all global domninance
multipolar- more complex, more superpowers and emerging superpowers have control
bipolar-two superpowers, with opposing ideologies, vie for power, e.g., the USA and USSR during the Cold War
who was the superpower from 1700s to 1930’s and why
uk
unipolar
british empire
colonosiation
GB is the dominant global power; controlling 25% of global land area at its height due to great naval power and industrialisation
who was the supoewers from 1918 to 1945 and why
USA, UK, USSR
multipolar
-USA developed power due to indsturialsing aand giained indepenendece in 19th century
-USSR also started industrialsing and militarisation under Lenin/ Stalin
-Nazi Germany tries to gewt dominance over EU but failed
-UK power is decling, decolonosiation, sufferring from aftermaths of war
who was superpower from 1945-1990 and why
USA and USSR
bipolar
cold war between capitalism usa and communit ussr
race for military and control of land between the countries
who was the superpower from 1990 to 2009 and why
unipolar- usa
The USA and lib demo/capitalism has defeated the state-soc of the USSR
who was superpower from 2009 onwards
becoming more multipolar
USA main superpower
UK and BRICS also have and growing in global dominance
british empire summary of how it started, and what is was ike before it ended
began in late 1400s when cvhristopher colombus discovered america
initially began with colonial settlements in Ireland and Scotland and slave trade
Britain began trade, traded spices from the East Indies and India. These raw materials were brought back to British cities such as Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and London, driving the Industrial Revolution.
Empire grew to include New Zealand, Australia, India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), as well as large expanses of west, east and southern Africa
was unchallenged for large portion of 1800s
steamship and telegraph helped british empire maintain its power
cultural values, legal system, language and range of sports like cricket etc was spread globally
its policy of ‘splendid isolation’ during the imperial era meant that, although it had almost total global control,
was rarely involved with europe apart from the scramble for africa
Occasional rebellions were put down by force, followed by more direct rule; for example, the Indian rebellion of 1857 concluded with Queen Victoria being crowned Empress of India
how did the british empire end
Increasing agitation in Ireland for home rule since the close of the 19th century had led to a guerrilla war against British rule and the eventual creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 and the separation of Northern Ireland, which remained part of the United Kingdom.
wanted freedom and not to be controlled
Discontent in India over the killing of hundreds of Punjabis at the Amritsar Massacre (or Jallianwala Bagh Massacre) in 1919 led many in Britain to question the morality of colonialism.
People in other countries also showed dissatisfaction and declared independence, including Egypt, Australia and South Africa.
what was some negatives of countries no longer being under control of british empire or other colonies
The colonial boundaries became the borders of new countries. For example, ignored cultural borders
all natives of rwanda were believed to have belonged to one cultural and linguistic group
but this was wrong
there was 3 distinct sub groups
Hutu, Tutsi, Taw
since independence, in 1994, the Hutu decided to eliminate the Tutsi, many fled
in 100 days, 800,000 of them were massacreed
some stability reutrned, economoy recovered, ethnic discrimination continues
but one of best gender inequality in the world
the indigenous population had never been allowed access to legal systems This meant that there was a lack of governance skills, which meant that they didn’t run properly resulting in the breakdown of society.
Political corruption and despotism were rife in the fall out of decolonisation. e.g corruption in Nigeria, genocide in uganda dueto leading with iron first
what was the cold war
45 year long standoff between ussr and usa, who were both the most powerful countries at the time, bipolar world
was nver any direct conflict between them
usa wasbuilding and investing in military bases aiming to limit the spread of communism
many proxy wars occurred, meaning USA and/or USSR supported one side in a conflict but did not directly fight each other:
what was the closest usa and ussr go to conflict in the cold war
Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962
a 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union, brought on by the Soviet Union secretly installing nuclear missiles in Cuba.
define neocoloniasm
refers to an indirect form of control and means that countries that were gaining independence were still not actually in charge of their own country.
it means power without responsibilty
and exploitation without reddress
is a strategic alliance in terms of debt, investment and trade
for example WTO and World Bank only give money/aid if Lic’s agree to free trade
what are the neocolonial mecahnsims a country uses to indriectly control decision making and policy in another country
-debt, developing countries borrow money from HIC, end up in a debtor-creditor relationship
-terms of trade, low commodity export prices contrast with high prices for imported goods from developed countries, inhibiting development
-strategies alliances, military alliances between developing nations and superpowers make the developing nation dependent on military aidi and equipment from the supepower
-aid, development aid comes with strings attached (tied aid), forcing lic to agree to policieis and spending priorities suggested by aid donor
-Tnc investment, investment from abroad can create jobs and wealth but be dependent on receiving country folloiwng policies
how can differet patterns of power bring varying degrees of geopolitical stability and risk
-if unipolar, is unlikely they are able to maintain control everywhere at all times, could lead to frequent channgles of rogue states
-bipolar, as it is two opposing blocs, stability is dpeendnet on goof communications and both superpowers having the ability to control the countries in the bloc, breakdown of control and not good communication could lead to conflict,
-multipolar, more complex relations can lead to misjudging intentions, fears over alliances creating more powerful blocs, increases risk of conflict.
period between 1910 and 1945 could be argued as multipolar, and this is when 2 world wars occurred.
