Flashcards
Superpower 1
Cards in this deck (47)
- 1What is a superpower?It is a nation with the ability to protect its influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force. The term superpower dates from the late 1940s when it was used to describe the three dominant world powers at the time: the USA, USSR and British Empire.
- 2Define hyperpower?An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power (political, economic, cultural and military); examples include USA from 1990 to 2010, and GB from 1850 to 1910.
- 3Define blue water navy?One which 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.
- 4Define diplomacy?The negotiation and decision-making that takes place between nations as part of international relations, leading to international agreement and treaties.
- 5Define Ideology?A set of beliefs, values and opinions held by the majority of people in a society. These determine what is considered normal or acceptable behaviour. Superpowers project their ideology on others. In the case of the USA this includes 'Western values' of free speech, individual liberty, free-market economics and consumerism.
- 6Define geo-strategic policies?Policies that attempt to meet the global and regional policy aims of a country by combining diplomacy with the movement and positioning of military assets.
- 7What did Professor Paul Dykes define a superpower as? What does this stress?A nation that can 'conduct a global strategy, including the possibility of destroying the world; to command vast economic potential and influence; and to present a universal ideology'.
It stresses the global nature of superpower status: everyone is aware of a superpower's influence and potential to affect world affairs. - 8In some cases, what can a lone superpower be referred to as?Hyperpower
- 9What are emerging superpowers?They are those nations whose economic, military and political influence is already large and is growing.
- 10How are regional powers different to emerging superpowers? Give an example.They are smaller. They influence other countries at a continental scale - e.g. South Africa within Africa.
- 11What are the 5 pillars of power?Economic
Military
Political
Cultural
Resource - 12Explain economic powerThis represents the base of the temple and is the prerequisite (need it for the other powers) of power. A large and powerful economy gives nations the wealth to build and maintain a powerful military, exploit natural resources and develop human resources through education.
- 13Explain military powerThis is used in two ways: firstly, the threat of military action is a more powerful bargaining chip; secondly, military force can be used to achieve geopolitical goals. Some form of military power, such as blue water navy, drone, missile and satellite technology, can be deployed globally and reach distant places.
- 14Explain political powerThe ability to influence others through diplomacy to 'get your way' is important and is exercised through international organisations such as the UN and World Trade Organisation (WTO).
- 15Explain cultural power?This includes how appealing a nation's way of life, values and ideology are to others, and is often exercised through film, the arts and food.
- 16Explain resource power?These can be in the form of physical resources (fossil fuels, minerals, land) as well as human resources (level of education and skills in a nation, as well as the sheer numbers of people - demographic weight) - e.g. India and China
- 17Give examples of countries/blocs that could be considered superpowers.EU
USA - 18Give examples of weaknesses some of these countries ability to be a superpower?China - lack of cultural and political influence
EU - 28 (soon to be 27) member states do not always act coherently, so, as a whole, the bloc's economic size is not reflected in global influence. - 19Data on superpower characteristics can be used to quantify their power and influence. Single measures are unlikely to be good indicators? Why and give examples?E.g. population size, total GDP.
They only quantify one aspect of power. To determine how strong nations are all pillars of power need to be included. - 20Give four measures that would be useful when looking at a power index: Explain why.- Total GDP (economic)
- Total population (resources/demographic)
- Nuclear warheads (military)
- TNCs (economic/cultural). - 21Which countries are ranked 1st and 2nd using the Superpower Index?USA - 10
China - 14
(lowest = best) - 22What is the next most powerfullest country and what is its score?Japan - 26
- 23What is the difference between hard and soft power? Give examplesSoft power is the power of persuasion. Some countries are able to make others follow their lead due to their appealing cultures and ideologies. Others may be attracted due to their moral foreign policy.
Hard power is when you get your way by force. For example, through military action or the threat of it, or the creation of economic and/or military alliances with the aim of marginalising some nations. Economic sanctions can also be used to damage a nation's economy. - 24Where does economic power sit?Sit somewhere between hard and soft power. Includes aid from one nation to another, and signing trade agreements to increase economic ties.
- 25What is smart power? Why is it necessary?Smart power is adopting a combination of hard and soft mechanisms in order for a nation to get its own way. It's necessary because invasions and war don't often go to plan and fail to achieve the aims of those exercising hard power, and soft power alone may not be persuasive enough, especially if very different cultures and ideologies are involved.
- 26Very broadly, what type of power has become more important over time?Soft
- 27When was hard power more important than soft power?During the colonial and imperial era, from 1600 to 1950, powerful countries conquered and controlled territory by military force. Armed forces were often positioned across the world in a way akin to a global game of chess. This approach was influenced by early geo-strategic thinking.
- 28What did British Geographer, Halford Mackinder identify and when?He identified a region of Eurasia he named the 'Heartland' in 1904.
- 29Where did this area cover?This continental land area, protected by invasion from the icy sea to the north, stretched from Russia to China and from the Himalayas to the Artic. He argued that the Heartland was the key geo-strategic location in the world because control of it commanded a huge proportion of the world's physical and human resources.
- 30At its simplest this model can be interpreted as a historical-geographical reason for what?For the traditional British policy of maintaining a balance of power in Europe so that no one continental power could threaten Britain.
- 31Mackinder's Heartland Theory was influential because it contributed to policies of containment. Give three examples.1. Attempts, after WW1, to limit the ability of Germany to expand the land area it controlled.
2. The post-WW2 NATO allies' attempts to contain the Soviet Union from expanding into Western and Southern Europe.
3. The American 'Truman Doctrine' policy of the 1940s and 1950s to contain the spread of communism from the Soviet Union and China. - 32In the 21st Century, superpowers and emerging powers cannot move military hardware about like pieces on a chess board, so what has become proportionally more important?Soft power diplomacy.
- 33However, give examples of how hard power does play a role even today.1. Gulf War (1990-91), the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by US-led forces and the American-led war in Afghanistan (2001-14) all involved hard power to achieve aims by force.
2. The Russian annexation of Crimea in Ukraine in 2013, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed on Russia in response by the EU, USA and other nations, are recent examples of hard power. - 34What has china recently expanded?Its military power and range of weapons in order to add to its position as a economic power?
- 35Hard military is not always successful, but what else is it?Expensive in terms of money and lives
- 36In recent years, how has China sought to increase its geopolitical and economic influences?Through investment in Africa and Australia for mineral resources.
- 37What do many countries rely on and for what and why?Rely on soft power for overseas influences, because it is both attractive and effective.
- 38What has been used, for some decades, for host countries to improve their global 'brand'.Olympics and Paraolympics
- 39Reasons why India do not rank on the soft power rank?- Pollution
- Child labour
- a per capita basis is bound to favour developed states over developing ones like India
- limited and restricted access to electricity.
- Indian government has made no more than modest efforts at promoting study of Hindi.
- high levels of rape
- class hierarchy - the untouchables cannot be protected. - 40How can India improve its ranks and where it is?It is not on the list of 30 countries.
- better its relationship with ASEAN
- better its relationship with West
- allow companies to set up there without having to merge with one of their own.
- invest more into cultural institute.
- improve living conditions
- improving actions taken by the democracy to provide for their people and the country as a whole. - 41What are the three main reasons why Russia has low soft power?Human rights
Democracy
Personal freedom - 42Explain human rights?- Since Vladimir Putin second term as president (2004-present), there has been increasing reports of human rights violations.
- deep concerns relating to number of unsolved assassinations; denying individuals the right to life who oppose Federation, e.g. Sergei Skripal
- Right to fair trial is being violated, indicated by sharp rise in political prisoners.
- e.g. May 2016 - Memorial Human Rights Centre put total at 89, which increased to at least 117 of political prisoners or prisoners of conscience in May 2017.
- 2000, human rights Ombudsman Oleg Mironov estimated that 50% of prisoners with whom he spoke claimed to have been tortured.
- Torture is said to be a widespread means of forcing confessions of guilt in police station/jail. - 43Explain democracy?- previous to 1993 constitution, Russia was a communist dictatorship; the USSR.
- It now claims to be a dramatic, federative, law-based state with a republican form of government.
- However, they faced serious challenges starting new political system from scratch, with president Boris Yeltsin using military force (hard power) in 1993 to dissolve parliament and call for new legislative elections since agreements could not be made. - 44Explain personal freedoms?- officially, Russia has a freedom rating of 6.5/7 according to Freedom in the World 2019.
- However, there are countless unofficial reports of a state-controlled media, a subservient judiciary system, and the Kremlin manipulating elections. - 45How could Russia improve its soft power ranking?By following western countries such as the USA, and by promoting more moral values in society.
- 46Why has China got low soft power- no lasting effect if 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Not long after Olympics finished, China's discouragement of human right activists undercut its soft power rankings.
- low cultural influence - efforts have been made to turn China Central Television into competitors like BBC = not effective due to little international audience
- China's soft power = undermined by its approach to human rights - reflects negatively among western audiences
- low scores in competitiveness, ease of doing business and law diminish its attractiveness as a global hub.
- dictatorship - Hong Kong
- Restricted internet
- poor health and safety - factories
- poor human rights - 47How can China improve its ranking?- increased efforts in digital diplomacy (managing international relations) would enable China to engage directly with global audiences = have more of an influence.
- Chinese president Xi Jinping = improving Beijings image e.g. building its soft power through education, media and sport
- e.g. sport - 2008 Olympics acknowledged that China and its communist leadership = respected member of the international community, despite its negative human rights record.
- can improve by sending doctors and teachers to work abroad and by welcoming students from other nations to study there - human resources
- 2005 - chinas education ministry announced a new initiative to boost Chinese language teaching in global unis, especially America.
- Can improve by enhancing cultural values - china plans to build 100 new Confucius institutes (public educational organisation of china) around the world, teaching the language.
- can improve by investing in other countries - china invested in Africa in infrastructure, agriculture and energy = foreign policy.
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- GCSE Geography Flashcards on Superpower 1, created by Paige S on 16/11/2019.
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- Paige S
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