Superpowers

Superpowers

What makes a country as superpower?
1. Must have the means to project its power and influence anywhere in the world and be a dominant global force.
Mini case studies
1. Brazil
  1. Generally peaceful with no military conflict since 1974 aside from aiding Colombia in the war on drugs.
  2. Largest exporter of wood
  3. Huge tourism from beaches to rainforest
  4. Huge internal wage disparity.
  5. Huge issues with gang and drug trafficking.
2. Russia
  1. Largest supply of natural gas and second largest oil reserves
  2. GDP doubled to $600 trillion since 2000 (Putin's rein)
  3. Huge demand from China and India made resources very valuable, the government's 50% stake in Gazprom resulted in huge profits.
  4. Corruption is a big issue.
  5. Very few allies (removed from G8)
3. The UK
  1. 5th largest economy
  2. Members of NATO, UN, G8 etc. Many alliances.
  3. 53 nations under our Monarch,
    1. Commonwealth
  4. Whilst good in many areas, excellent only in culture. Needs more to set apart and become a superpower.
  5. Known as Global Language
  6. Very small Island
    1. Commonwealth
4. Iran.
  1. 4th largest oil and second largest gas reserves
  2. Development of Iran river - huge increase in water supply for agriculture as well as more trade routes.
  3. Rated top 10 for historical sites
  4. Extremely corrupt dictatorship.
Past Powers
1. British Empire
  1. The largest formal empire in history
    1. Approx 1/3 of the world
    2. 1600-1945
  2. Left behind the commonwealth, arguably a potential superpower.
    1. 53 nations
  3. After WW2 Britain couldn't afford to sustain its colonies.
  4. Peaceful protests such as Ghandi's played huge role in anti-colonial movement.
2. USSR
  1. By 1941, had the industrial strength to defeat Hitler and supersede the British Economy.
  2. Under Stalin's dictatorship, Industrial production multiplied, military spending increased greatly and steel industries moved out of harms way.
  3. In the 1980s there was no economic growth,
    1. Resulted in rationing and drop in health
  4. 15-20% of GNP spent on military (far too much)
  5. 1922-1991
  6. 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.
3. Roman Empire
  1. The most successful superpower in history.
  2. Used all main types of power (economic etc.)
  3. Once controlled huge parts of Europe and the Middle East.
  4. Signs of their presence e.g. roads exist to this day.
  5. Became too comfortable and thus its people were no longer trained in combat resulting in a lack of warriors.
China
1. 200million people moved from poverty between 1990-2005
2. China invested $30billion in Africa
3. Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
  1. Nuclear Fusion reactor produced hydrogen plasma at 49.999 million degrees Celsius for 102 seconds.
4. Ageing Population
  1. Aged 65+ predicted to rise from 110-331million (2010-2050)
5. Football
  1. Large investment for Chinese teams with aim for world cup hosting and victory.
6. Largest military (population) in the world
  1. 2,285,000 people
7. Conflict
  1. China has high political tensions with current and potential superpowers.
  2. East China Sea, conflict with Japan over 200m barrels of oil in reserve.
    1. In 2015, Chinese aircraft approached Japan’s airspace more than 570 times.
  3. Xingjiang region
    1. 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.
8. China has been rapidly piling sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new islets in the region.
  1. Tensions rise
USA
1. World's only current superpower
2. World's largest economy
  1. The United States' GDP was estimated to be $17.914 trillion as of Q2 2015.
3. Strongest Military in the world
  1. $581trillion
4. Huge political influence worldwide.
5. Involvement in IGOs such as UN and 5 eyes.
  1. The Five Eyes are an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
6. Loss of global trust stretching from Vietnam war to recent conflict with ISIS
  1. Media play a monumental role in this
7. Median income of families dropping since 2010
8. $ global currency
9. Top 1% have 38% of US income
10. Ending of sanctions in Iran, loss of political power.
India
1. India's economy is projected to reach the No. 3 spot by 2020
2. 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.
3. No military alliances such as NATO
  1. Likely to join UN by around 2025
4. Minimal political influence abroad.
5. Shackled by conflict with Pakistan
  1. Constant border skirmishes since war ended in 1991
    1. This is the 4th war since 1947
  2. Limits support from India populace
6. Almost half a billion are living in poverty
7. Democracy, reduces likelihood of infighting

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