Superpowers

Superpowers

1. What makes a country as superpower?

   • Must have the means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.

2. Mini case studies

   • Brazil
     • Generally peaceful with no military conflict since 1974 aside from aiding Colombia in the war on drugs.
     • Largest exporter of wood
     • Huge tourism from beaches to rainforest
     • Huge internal wage disparity.
     • Huge issues with gang and drug trafficking.
   • Russia
     • Largest supply of natural gas and second largest oil reserves
     • GDP doubled to $600 trillion since 2000 (Putin's rein)
     • Huge demand from China and India made resources very valuable, the government's 50% stake in Gazprom resulted in huge profits.
     • Corruption is a big issue.
     • Very few allies (removed from G8)
   • The UK
     • 5th largest economy
     • Members of NATO, UN, G8 etc. Many alliances.
     • 53 nations under our Monarch,
       • Commonwealth
     • Whilst good in many areas, excellent only in culture. Needs more to set apart and become a superpower.
     • Known as Global Language
     • Very small Island
       • Commonwealth
   • Iran.
     • 4th largest oil and second largest gas reserves
     • Development of Iran river - huge increase in water supply for agriculture as well as more trade routes.
     • Rated top 10 for historical sites
     • Extremely corrupt dictatorship.

3. Past Powers

   • British Empire
     • The largest formal empire in history
       • Approx 1/3 of the world
       • 1600-1945
     • Left behind the commonwealth, arguably a potential superpower.
       • 53 nations
     • After WW2 Britain couldn't afford to sustain its colonies.
     • Peaceful protests such as Ghandi's played huge role in anti-colonial movement.
   • USSR
     • By 1941, had the industrial strength to defeat Hitler and supersede the British Economy.
     • Under Stalin's dictatorship, Industrial production multiplied, military spending increased greatly and steel industries moved out of harms way.
     • In the 1980s there was no economic growth,
       • Resulted in rationing and drop in health
     • 15-20% of GNP spent on military (far too much)
     • 1922-1991
     • Glasnost and Perestroika: Freedom of trade and speech resulted in focus on economic gain rather than supporting a country and the development of new political parties.
   • Roman Empire
     • The most successful superpower in history.
     • Used all main types of power (economic etc.)
     • Once controlled huge parts of Europe and the Middle East.
     • Signs of their presence e.g. roads exist to this day.
     • Became too comfortable and thus its people were no longer trained in combat resulting in a lack of warriors.

4. China

   • 200million people moved from poverty between 1990-2005
   • China invested $30billion in Africa
   • Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
     • Nuclear Fusion reactor produced hydrogen plasma at 49.999 million degrees Celsius for 102 seconds.
   • Ageing Population
     • Aged 65+ predicted to rise from 110-331million (2010-2050)
   • Football
     • Large investment for Chinese teams with aim for world cup hosting and victory.
   • Largest military (population) in the world
     • 2,285,000 people
   • Conflict
     • China has high political tensions with current and potential superpowers.
     • East China Sea, conflict with Japan over 200m barrels of oil in reserve.
       • In 2015, Chinese aircraft approached Japan’s airspace more than 570 times.
     • Xingjiang region
       • In 2009, large-scale ethnic rioting in the regional capital, Urumqi meant some 200 people were killed, most of them Han Chinese, according to officials.
   • China has been rapidly piling sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new islets in the region.
     • Tensions rise

5. USA

   • World's only current superpower
   • World's largest economy
     • The United States' GDP was estimated to be $17.914 trillion as of Q2 2015.
   • Strongest Military in the world
     • $581trillion
   • Huge political influence worldwide.
   • Involvement in IGOs such as UN and 5 eyes.
     • The Five Eyes are an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
   • Loss of global trust stretching from Vietnam war to recent conflict with ISIS
     • Media play a monumental role in this
   • Median income of families dropping since 2010
   • $ global currency
   • Top 1% have 38% of US income
   • Ending of sanctions in Iran, loss of political power.

6. India

   • India's economy is projected to reach the No. 3 spot by 2020
   • India's military is ranked No. 4 in 2015 by Global Firepower after the U.S., Russia, and China, and followed by the U.K.
   • No military alliances such as NATO
     • Likely to join UN by around 2025
   • Minimal political influence abroad.
   • Shackled by conflict with Pakistan
     • Constant border skirmishes since war ended in 1991
       • This is the 4th war since 1947
     • Limits support from India populace
   • Almost half a billion are living in poverty
   • Democracy, reduces likelihood of infighting