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A Level Edexcel Geography AO > Superpowers EQ1 > Flashcards

Superpowers EQ1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is a superpower?

A

A superpower in a nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force. It describes the three dominant world power throughout time British empire, USSR and USA

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2
Q

What is the definition of an emerging superpower?

A

Emerging powers are those nations who’s economic, military and political influence is already large and is exponentially growing.
E.g. BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China)

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3
Q

What is the definition of regional powers?

A

Regional powers are those the can project dominating power and influence over their countries within the continent or region.
E.g. England, Germany, France in Europe
South Africa and Nigeria in Africa

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4
Q

What are the 5 pillars of power?

A

Superpower status deepens on the pillars of power with USA having all of these pillars and China lacking cultural and political power it includes
- political
- military
-cultural
- resources
- economic (underpin and hold the other pillars up)

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5
Q

What is economic power?

A

Economic power underpins all the other pillars as the ‘base’. A large and powerful economy gives nations the wealth to build and maintain a powerful military and political system, exploit natural resources and spread culture. It includes.

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6
Q

What characteristics do counties with large economic power have?

A
  • large GDP (high % of international trade, currency uses as reserve currency)
  • a large GDP (home of TNCs and creates induce as potential market)
    E.g. USA has the worlds largest total GDP $18.5 trillion
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7
Q

What is political power?

A

This is the ability to influence the policies of other counties through the dominance of negotiations. Many international organisations don’t equally value each ember with voting controlled by economic contribution allowing these countries to essentially ‘get there way’ allowing them to continue benefiting and growing.

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8
Q

What is military power?

A

Military power can be used as a threat of military action (which is a powerful bargaining chip) and can be used to achieve geopolitical goals. Military power includes blue water navy, drones and missiles.
E.g. Russia has the most nuclear warheads (1750) and China has just developed its blue water navy .

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9
Q

What is a blue water navy?

A

A navy that can deploy into the open oceans.

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10
Q

What is cultural power?

A

This is the ability to influence the beliefs, values, ideology and way of life in other countries. This is achieved by dominance of media, TNCs introducing cultural products. It is indicated through the spread of language, food and clothing.
E.g. USA has the highest percent (27%) of the worlds 20 largest TNCs

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11
Q

What is resource power?

A

This can be in the form of physical resources (fossil fuels, energy and minerals) but also human resources such as education level, skills and demographic weight. It helps nations gain power as they
- proved input for economic growth
- export as high price gaining economic power (e.g. OPEC with oil)

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12
Q

How does demographic weight help gain superpower status?

A
  • a large population means a large diaspora and workers at TNCs
  • assists economic power due to a rage markets
  • larger armies
    E.g. China has largest population of 1382 million
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13
Q

What is hard power?

A

Hard power is the use of military and economic influence to force a countries to act in a particular way.

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14
Q

What does hard power include?

A

It includes
- military action and conquest (or the threat of it)
- creation of alliances (economic and military) to marginalise some nations
- economic sanctions

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15
Q

What is soft power?

A

Soft power is the more subtle persuasion of countries to act in a particular way, on the basis that the persuader is respected and appealing.

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16
Q

What does soft power include?

A
  • cultural attractiveness influence other nations through media and film
  • political persuasion (diplomacy)
  • moral authority of a nations foreign policy
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17
Q

What is Joseph Nyes option on hard and soft power?

A

Nye argued that the most powerful countries utilise ‘smart’ power which is a combination of hard and soft mechanisms to get their own way.

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18
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hard power?

A

Hard power has become less important over time.
+ it can get results
- it’s expensive and risky
- some view military’s actions as unnecessary or illegal so the aggressor may loos allies and moral authority (Russia on Ukraine)

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19
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hard power?

A

Hard power has become less important over time.
+ it can get results
- it’s expensive and risky
- some view military’s actions as unnecessary or illegal so the aggressor may loos allies and moral authority (Russia on Ukraine)

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20
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of soft power?

A

The importance of soft power has increased over time
- it relies in a country having respected culture, values and politics
+ it’s low cost
+ it’s all about creating alliances and friendly relations, this ideology at spread to other countries

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21
Q

How has the importance of hard and soft power changed over the years?

A

Broadly, hard power has become less important and soft power more important over time. During the colonial and imperial era powerful countries conquered and controlled territory by military force. However, in the 21sr century countries cannot move military hardware about like chess pieces, so soft power diplomacy is proportionately more important.

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22
Q

What is an example of use of hard power?

A
  • the Russian annexation of Crimea, Ukraine in 2013 and its invasions in 2022. EU, USA responded with economic sanctions.
  • Gulf war. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 lead by US forces in Afghanistan.
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23
Q

How is the UK an example of soft power?

A
  • 5th largest economy (attractive market and a source of TNC FDI)
  • diplomacy
  • benefits from its moral authority
  • BBC World Service (neutral and more reliable than many government media)
  • films
  • London dominate international finance, banking and law setting standards and values
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24
Q

What is the Heartland theory?

A

Mackinder in 1904 prosper the heartland theory. It states that the country that controls Eastern Europe (the Heartland) will gain control of the world islands (Africa and Eurasia), they will be able to control the world. He argued that the heartland was the key geo-strategic location due to its control over the worlds physical and human resources and difficulties for invasion making it a power base.

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25
Q

What did the Heartland theory influence?

A
  • persuaded the USA, US and other European countries that’s Russia needed to be contained (prevented from taking over new land)
  • reinforced the idea that control of physical resources was important
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26
Q

Why is the heartland theory inadequate today?

A
  • modern military technology can hit deep inside another countries territory (size is no longer a protection)
  • physical resources traded internationally
  • war and conflict are generally seen as abnormal
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27
Q

What are the differnt types of geopolitical polarity?

A
  • Unipolar (a world dominated by one superpower) e.g. The British Empire or the US today
  • Bipolar (A world dominated by two superpowers with opposing ideologies (USA and USSR in the Cold War era)
  • multipolar (more complex world wind many superpowers and emerging powers)
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28
Q

What was the imperial era?

A

The period from 1500 to 1950 was an imperial era, were the eroded was dominated by empires by direct colonial rule. E.g. the British empire

29
Q

How was needed to developed as empire?

A
  • powerful navies (to transport solider and equipment to areas of potential risk and precipitation sea routes)
  • large and advanced army’s (to conquer and control territory)
  • businesses to exploit resources in conquered territories
  • people from the home country to immigrate and act as the government and run the colonies
30
Q

What was the British empire?

A

Arguably the most powerful empire in the imperial era was the British Empire. By 1920 they
- ruled over 20% of the world population
- 25% of land area
- Royal Navy dominated the role oceans

31
Q

How did the British colonise India?

A
  • British military personnel, civil servants and entrepreneurs emigrated to India to run the Raj
  • educated Indians who spoke English and wore European dress occupied the lower administrative positions
  • process of acculturation was undertaken (process of cultural change)such as cricket and English language
32
Q

What was the Cold War?

A

This was a period of tension between ideologically rival superpowers the capitalist USA and communist USSR that lasted from 1945 to 1990.

33
Q

What is the definition of ‘colonial’?

A

The direct control extorted over territories that had been conquered.

34
Q

Why did the imperial era end?

A

Empires ended between 1950 to 1970 were European countries gave independence to their colonies because of the cost of maintaining them was to high after Europe rebuild after WW2 and high demands for independence.

35
Q

What dominate the post-colonial era?

A

The era from 1945 to 1990 was dominated by the Cold War creating a bipolar world between US and USSR. There was never a direct war between the countries with indirect control used to vie for positions as a unipolar power.

36
Q

What is indirect power?

A

Indirect power in similar to soft power, with nations using alliances and the pillars of power to gain further control as today no superpower or emerging power has a significant empire.
E.g. Indirect power was essential in the Cold War era

37
Q

How is politics used to gain indirect power?

A
  • dominance in international decision making within in the UN and other IGOs.
  • this means some countries have a disproportionationL influence as these IGOs do not hold their members as equals. (Wealth/donations)
38
Q

How is military used through indirect control?

A
  • the threat of large powerful army’s
  • selective arms trading that process weapons to key allies but no enemy’s (military aid)
39
Q

How can economics be used for indirect control?

A
  • trade deals and trade flows to create economic alliances creating interdependence/dependency
40
Q

How can cultural be used for gain indirect control?

A
  • use of global media (film, t.v and musics)
  • TNCs spread their ideologies
41
Q

What is neo-colonialism?

A

Neo-colonialism is the control of developing countries by developed countries through indirect means. (Culture, economic, military’s and politics)

42
Q

How does developed counties control less developed counties (new-colonialism)?

A
  • debt aid relationship (aid money given but then will have to be paid back which is normally unachievable)
  • poor terms of trade (developing countries export low value commodities but have to import expensive manufactured goods from developed countries)
  • Brian drains (educated working population relocate to developed world for better economic opportunities)
43
Q

What is hegemony?

A

A term used to describe the dominance of superpowers over other countries.

44
Q

Can a unipolar world be stable?

A

A unipolar world might appear stable by the hyper power is unlikely or be able to maintains control everywhere as hegemony is hard to maintain. This could led to frequent challenges by rouge states.

45
Q

Can a Bipolar world be stable? What

A

A bipolar world could be stable with two opposing blocs. Stability will depend of diplomatic channels of communication between each side and each superpower having the ability to control countries in its bloc. Breakdown of control and or communication could led to high conflict.

46
Q

Can a multipolar system be stable?

A

Multipolar systems are complex as there a numerous relationships between equal states. Stability is unlikely as there are high opportunities to misjudge intentions, fears over alliances creating more powerful blocs meaning high risk of conflict.
It can be argued that period between 1910-1945 was a multipolar state that led to the two world wars.

47
Q

How has patterns of power changed over time?

A

1800 - 1919 > British empire (unipolar)
1919 - 1939 > interwar period (multipolar)
1945 - 1990 > Cold War (bipolar)
1990 - 2030 > USA (unipolar)

48
Q

What advantages does emerging powers have over existing powers?

A

The global consensus is that some emerging powers will be increasingly important to the global economic and political systems and US dominance will decline.
- EU and Japan have an ageing g population
- USA economic growth is downing down
- increase in manufacturing based economic has huge potential for growth
- growing middle class
- demographically larger

49
Q

Where are future superpowers likely to emerge from?

A
  • BRIC nations
  • The G20 major economies
50
Q

What are the BRIC nations?

A

BRIC nations include Brazil, Russia, India and China. They are a group of emerging power.

51
Q

What is the G20 nations?

A
52
Q
A

The G20 was formed in 1999 and meets annually. It’s made up of 19 countries that could be potential superpowers (Mexico, Saudi Arabia ect) as well as the EU. They collectively account for 85% of the global GDP, 85% of world trade and 65% of the world population.

53
Q

How will emerging powers impact the unipolar status?

A
  • demand more say in global organisations such as the UN
  • have more influence over global financial decision making through WTO, IMF and world bank
  • play a greater role in international peacekeeping missions and disaster response snd military capacity grows.,
54
Q

What is the strengths of Brazil as an emerging superpower?

A
  • 9th largest GDP
  • regional power in Latin America
  • strong agriculture economy and exporter
  • energy independent in oil and biofuels
  • growing middle class and maturing consumer society
  • modern economic structure
  • huge resource wealth from the Amazon Rainforest
55
Q

What is the weaknesses of Brazil as an emerging superpower?

A
  • small military capacity (can only manage regional interventions)
  • has a ‘boom and bust’ economy
  • rainforest is being consistently degraded
  • low education levels
56
Q

What is the strengths of Russia as an emerging superpower?

A
  • 12th largest GDP
  • Vert powerful nuclear armed military (1750 nuclear war heads highest in the world)
  • large resource wealth with oil and gas reserves
  • permanent seat on the UN Security council
57
Q

What is the weaknesses of Russia as an emerging superpower?

A
  • ageing and declining population
  • extreme levels of inequality
  • difficult diplomatic and geopolitical relationships with the EU and USA
58
Q

What is the strengths of India as an emerging superpower?

A
  • 7th largest GDP
  • Youthful population with large economic potential
  • English widely spoken and graduation form school widespread
  • nuclear armed
  • global leader in IT technology
59
Q

What is the weaknesses of India as an emerging superpower?

A
  • high levels of poverty
  • poor energy and transport infrastructure
  • possible resource shortages especially water and energy
  • poor political relationship with neighbours (Pakistan)
60
Q

What is the strengths of China as an emerging superpower?

A
  • 2nd largest GDP
  • highly educated and technically innovative population
  • leads in fields such as renewable energy
  • military technology and each is growing (military bases and blue navy)
  • powerful manufacturing economy
  • increasingly becoming engaged with other parts of the world (Africa with mineral resources)
61
Q

What is the weaknesses of China as an emerging superpower?

A
  • ageing population
  • major pollution issues in terms of air and water
  • rising wages make its economy increasingly high cost for TNCs
  • relies on imported raw materials
  • places a limited geopolitical role
  • tense relationships with its neighbours in South East Asia
62
Q

What is the strengths of Mexico as an emerging superpower?

A
  • 9th largest GDP
  • Part if NAFTA
  • Large untapped natural resources
  • modern economic structure
63
Q

What is the weaknesses of Brazil as an emerging superpower?

A
  • high crime levels (drugs) give it a bad global perception
  • Brian drain is prominent
  • ageing population
64
Q

What is the modernisation theory?

A

Outlines by WW Rostow who suggested that economic development only begins when certain pre-conditions are met
- modern infrastructure
- education
- banking
- effective government
Once in place, industrialisation and the growth of secondary industry would begin along with increasing urbanisation.

65
Q

What is dependancy theory?

A

A.G. Frank argued that a relationship between developed and developing countries is one of dependency preventing developing countries form making economic progress. New-colonial mechanism and net reader of wealth are responsible. To begin developing these countries have to break free form that relationship.

66
Q

What is the world system theory?

A

Immanuel Wallerstein. He proposed that the world is split into three sections core, semi-periphery and periphery nations. The semi periphery are the emerging economies.

67
Q

What theory best fits with the modern world?

A

The world system theory best fits the current pattern of developed, Ed ting and developing counties. Modernisation theory is useful to determine why countries are hemming wealthy. But none of the theories are especially good at identifying why some countries become superpowers.

68
Q

How has the importance of hard and soft power changed over the years?

A

Broadly, hard power has become less important and soft power more important over time. During the colonial and imperial era powerful countries conquered and controlled territory by military force. However, in the 21sr century countries cannot move military hardware about like chess pieces, so soft power diplomacy is proportionately more important.

A Level Edexcel Geography AO (29 decks)

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