Superpowers EQ1 Flashcards
what is a superpower ?
a nation or group of nations with the means to project it’s power and influence anywhere in the world, and to be a dominant global force e.g the USA
what is an emerging superpower ?
the rising, primarily economic influence a nation or group of nations has which has steadily increased their global presence the BRICs and MINTs
what is a hyperpower ?
an unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power e.g British Empire 1850-1910
what is hard power ?
one way a nation / group of can exert power using threat, mainly through their military and economic sanctions
what is soft power ?
a more persuasive way of a nation / group of exerting their power commonly through sports and education systems
what is the soft power index ?
created in 2012 by a UK magazine ‘ Manocle ‘ and the UK institute for government
uses a range of data including overseas aid contributions and personal freedom
many small countries exert influence above their size e.g Sweden are 5th
a lot of larger countries rank low due to lack of personal freedoms like gay marriage
what is the importance of resources for superpowers ?
resources are essential for economic development meaning countries with these resources should hold economic power
however exporting this can add little to the economy & TNC’s control large volumes of resources e.g BP in Nigeria
what is the importance of military for superpowers
large militarise = threat and so countries may be viewed as more powerful e.g India
type of weapon is also representative of power e.g North Korean nukes
what is the importance of the economy for superpowers ?
a country with a large economy has greater control over the global economy
these countries control investments and use the most powerful currencies as well as determine economic policies that affect the rest of the world
how do countries maintain power ?
hard and soft forces
Britain mainly focuses on soft power now through the British embassy, the BBC and our universities
what is Mackinder’s heartland theory ?
he believed to exert influence, it was crucial for nations to control a strategic area of land
this area of land was called Eurasia and involved most of modern Russia and the arctic circle
this was due to the wide access it gave the nation to the rest of the world
what is a uni-polar world ?
a world in which one nation / group of dominates e.g the British empire
what is a bi - polar world ?
a world in which there are two main nations / group of which dominate e.g the US and the USSR
often the two powers conflict in views e.g in the cold war, US & USSR
what is a multi - polar world ?
more complex with many superpowers & emerging powers competing for power in different regions
what is colonial rule ?
the direct control over territories conquered e.g European powers from 1600-1900s
