The maintenance of power

Once gained, superpower status has to be maintained. How this is achieved has changed over time.
As recently as 1945, large parts of the world were under colonial rule
Most colonial powers were European, although the USA did maintain some colonies, e.g. the Philippines
Colonial rule usually has a number of distinct phases:
1. Exploration, resulting in the discovery of new lands
2. Initial settlement, usually on coasts, in defended forts
3. The beginnings of trade in raw materials
4. Gradual extension of rule over larger territories by direct military action and conquest
5. The development of political systems and institutions and transport and trade networks both to rule the colony and to exploit its resources
Some colonies became relatively peaceful places, but the threat of military action against insurgents was ever-present and indigenous people usually lacked freedoms, living mostly in poverty
Colonial India
1. In India today it is possible to see the legacy of British rule
2. In order to maintain power, British military personnel, civil servants and businessmen emigrated to run the Raj
3. Symbols of power were built, such as the residence of the governor-general of India in Delhi
4. A process of acculturalisation was undertaken as British traditions such as cricket and tea-drinking, and crucially the English Language, were introduced
5. A strict social order was maintained, differentiating between ruling white British and the Indians
6. India was modernised so that its economy could better serve the needs of the mother country
7. Perhaps the most durable feature of this process was the railway system, built by the British
8. By 1880, 14,000km of railway had been built
9. By 1920, 61,000km had been built
10. The railways hugely improved transport and trade, but also allowed more efficient military transport - useful when putting down rebellions
11. When independence was granted in 1947 there followed a period of chaos as colonial India was partitioned
In many colonies, the era of decolonisation and independence brought conflict and division rather than the immediate freedom and prosperity people hoped for
In many countries, colonial borders did not reflect religious and ethnic boundaries, which led to conflict over territory
Although colonies had government institutions, indigenous people had been excluded from running them, so experience in governance was lacking
As colonial powers packed up and left, insurgents took the opportunity to push them out, which resulted in violence
Neo-colonialism
1. After decolonisation and independence, some new national leaders argued that their countries were being subjected to a new form of colonialism, waged by the former colonial powers and other developed nations
2. The term neo-colonialism was first used by Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of independent Ghana
  1. He regarded neo-colonialism as worse than colonialism because, as he put it:
    1. Neo-colonialism is the worst form of imperialism. For those who practice it, it means power without responsibility and for those who suffer from it, it means exploitation without redress.
    2. In the days of old-fashioned colonialism, the imperial power had at least to explain and justify at home the actions it was taking abroad
    3. In the colony those who served the ruling imperial power could at least look to its protection against any violent move by their opposition
      1. With neo-colonialism neither is the case
3. Neo-colonialism refers to a form of indirect control over developing countries, most of them former colonies
4. Neo-colonialism is most often linked to Africa and is used as an explanation for the lack of development in that continent
5. Proponents of neo-colonialism point to evidence such as the share of world trade that goes to the least developed countries to argue that neo-colonialism has prevented any real development progress in the 40 years since colonies gained their independence
6. Neo-colonialism is a theory which cannot be proved, but its supporters point to a number of mechanisms which work to allow the developed world to maintain control over parts of the developing world
7. Neo-colonialism is really an extension of dependency theory
8. Possible mechanisms of neo-colonialism
  1. Strategic Alliances
    1. The USA and USSR formed alliances with many developing nations to spread their global influence, often by means of foreign aid
  2. Aid
    1. Aid can be given with 'strings attached', forcing the recipients to spend the aid in the way the donors wish
  3. TNCs
    1. Foreign direct investment, e.g. locating low-tech manufacturing in the developing world, means big profits for TNCs but low wages and few skills for the developing world
  4. Terms of Trade
    1. Low raw material and commodity export prices contrast with the high prices the developing world must pay for manufactured goods
  5. Global finance and debt
    1. Many developing nations pay huge sums to the developed world each year in debt interest payments, which often exceed aid receipts
  6. Structural adjustment policies (SAPs
    1. Countries wishing to have their debt relieved have to apply Western economic policies devised by the World Bank and IMF, losing some of their economic sovereignty

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The maintenance of power

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	Created by Jodie Goodacre over 10 years ago