Superpowers Flashcards

1
Q

What is a superpower?

A

A dominant nation with the ability to impose its influence globally

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2
Q

Who were the superpowers of the mid-1900s?

A

USA, USSR, British Empire

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3
Q

What is a hyperpower?

A

An exclusive, singular superpower that dominates all aspects of power

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4
Q

What are the five aspects of power?

A

Political, economic, cultural, military, resources

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5
Q

What is an emerging superpower?

A

A nation that is beginning to display the ability to impose its influence globally

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6
Q

What is a regional superpower?

A

A nation with the ability to impose its influence regionally

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7
Q

What is economic power?

A

Having a large economy and monetary resources

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8
Q

What is military power?

A

To have the threat of military action and force

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9
Q

What is political power?

A

The ability to influence others through diplomacy and international organisations

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10
Q

What is cultural power?

A

Having an appealing way of life and set of values/ideologies that others wish to be a part of

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11
Q

What is resource power?

A

Having physical and human supplies

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12
Q

What is hard power?

A

Nations getting their own way by using force

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13
Q

What is soft power?

A

The ability of a nation to indirectly get their own way, such as by persuasion

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14
Q

Is economic power soft or hard?

A

Somewhere in between

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15
Q

Why can’t a country maintain themselves with just hard power?

A

It is a blunt instrument; wars only broadly achieve their goals and it causes conflict with other nations

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16
Q

Why can’t a country maintain themselves with just soft power?

A

Some nations are so culturally dissimilar they have no influence

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17
Q

What are some examples of hard power?

A

Military action; economic and military alliances; economic sanctions

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18
Q

What are some examples of economic power?

A

Economic aid; trade agreements

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19
Q

What are some examples of soft power?

A

Cultural appeal; values, ideology and religion; morality of foreign policies

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20
Q

What is a geo-strategic location?

A

A location with access to, and control over, a large territory and its resources

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21
Q

Where is Halford Mackinder’s heartland?

A

North Central Asia; Himalayas to the Arctic

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22
Q

What are the three distributions of global power?

A

Unipolar; bipolar; multipolar

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23
Q

What is a unipolar world, and an example of it?

A

A world dominated by one superpower

the British Empire

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24
Q

What is a bipolar world, and an example of it?

A

Two superpowers with opposing ideologies vie for power

USA and USSR during the Cold War

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25
Q

What is a multipolar world?

A

Many superpowers and emerging powers compete for power in different regions

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26
Q

What local attributes contribute to a country’s superpower status?

A

Resources, land area, demographics

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27
Q

What international attributes contribute to a country’s superpower status?

A

Membership of trade blocs; IGOs

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28
Q

Name an example of a “mechanism” of power

A

Halford Mackinder’s Heartland

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29
Q

What are the three patterns of power?

A

Imperial power, indirect control, neocolonialism

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30
Q

How much of the world’s land area did the British Empire occupy?

A

24%

31
Q

What was the primary cause for the end of imperial power?

A

Expenses due to WWI and WWII

32
Q

When did superpowers first begin to exert indirect control on other nations?

A

Bretton Woods institutions

33
Q

When was Bretton Woods?

A

1944

34
Q

What were the Bretton Wood institutions?

A

IMF, IBRD (now part of World Bank)

35
Q

How does the USA use the IMF to exert indirect control?

A

Counties have to apply the IMF’s Western economic policies for loans, losing economic freedom

36
Q

Where are the Bretton Woods’ headquarters?

A

Washington, D.C.

37
Q

How do the World Bank and the IMF differ?

A

WB primarily lends money for developing countries

IMF oversees international exchange rates and payments, and loans for members’ international debts

38
Q

Define neo-colonialism

A

Use of economic, political or cultural pressures to influence other countries, especially former dependencies

39
Q

How do TNCs contribute to neo-colonialism?

A

Dominate local markets economically, with Western business practices. Local businesses can’t compete
Exploit factory workers with low wages

40
Q

How has China used neo-colonial power?

A

FDI to Africa
Infrastructure built by Chinese workers
Chinese goods are overwhelming local producers
UN voting support to settle debts

41
Q

How much has China invested in African railways?

A

$5bn in 2016

42
Q

What are the MINT countries?

A

Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey

43
Q

What are the BRICS countries?

A

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

44
Q

How has China become a superpower?

A

Large population, TNC host country, SEZs, blue-water navy

45
Q

How do the BRICS exert global influence despite not being part of the G8?

A

They have their own annual summits

46
Q

What are the economic weakness of the emerging powers?

A

Reliant on industry, TNC presence

Low GDP/capita, widespread poverty (e.g. India, slums)

47
Q

What are the political weaknesses of the emerging powers?

A

Corrupt government (e.g. Brazil)

48
Q

How was Brazil’s government corrupt?

A

Operation Car Wash: government officials (President Lula) and Petrobas involved in a bribery scheme

49
Q

What is the Dependency Theory?

A

A developed Core and a developing Periphery.

They rely on each-other, but the Periphery is “held back” by the core

50
Q

What are the five stages of the Modernisation Theory?

A
  1. Traditional Society
  2. Pre-conditions for take-off
  3. Take-off
  4. Drive to maturity
  5. Mass consumption
51
Q

What is the World Systems theory?

A

Developed Core, emerging Semi-Periphery, developing Periphery

52
Q

For the World Systems theory, what nations are in the Semi-Periphery?

A

BRICS, MINTs

53
Q

How can privatised companies influence politics?

A

Lobbying

for favourable policies

54
Q

How do TNCs influence global technology?

A

They own intellectual property through patents, which they can use or sell

55
Q

How do TNCs influence global energy security?

A

Gazprom provides much of Europe’s energy

56
Q

How do international brands influence superpowers?

A

Some brands are seen as ‘desirable’ and encourage people to emulate their culture

57
Q

Why do people want to be Westernised?

A

The west is seen as successful and wealthy

58
Q

What nations are on the UN security council?

A

China, France, Russia, U.K., U.S.A.

59
Q

How has UN action been unsuccessful?

A

Action in the Congo was ineffective

Failed to protect citizens from Bosnian soldiers in Czechoslovakia

60
Q

What is the UN security council responsible for?

A

Military intervention, peacekeeping, refugees, human rights

61
Q

What action has the UN taken with regards to Iran?

A

Imposed a trade embargo based on their nuclear weapons

62
Q

Name a success of international environmental governance

A

Montreal Protocol

63
Q

Name a failure of international environmental governance

A

Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement

64
Q

Who set up the International Court of Justice?

A

USA

65
Q

Why do some large superpower nations not want to reduce fossil fuels?

A

Worried it’ll affect their superpower status

66
Q

How much sea does each nation possess?

A

200 miles

67
Q

How did Russia exert its sphere of influence?

A

Annexation of Crimea

68
Q

Give an example of an overlapping sphere of influence

A

Ukraine - NATO or Russia

69
Q

Give an example of China’s sphere of influence

A

Taiwan - international recognition

70
Q

What political tensions are there in Asia?

A

Communist China vs democratic India

71
Q

When was the most recent armed conflict between China and India?

A

1987

72
Q

Where is there tensions in south Asia?

A

Pakistan - China - India

Kashmir border

73
Q

How is the EU in decline?

A

UK leaving EU

74
Q

What challenges do Japan face?

A

Ageing population, resistant immigration policy