Superpowers cannot have both economic and political power.
Hegemony is power over
What are the criteria for a superpower?
Size (land area = more border countries, more natural resources)
Oil (the more oil = the more influential)
Population (large workforce, growth through markets)- Singapore is an exception
Economy (Top 12 largest economies control 2/3 of world GDP, control investment)
Media (must own a lot of media outlets)
Resources (Middle East powerful due to oil supply, but not always e.g. Nigeria)
Religion (can influence politics e.g. ethics like abortion)
Military (large military = more power, nuclear weapons)
Celebrity status (lots of celebrities from country = more global appeal)
Who are former superpowers?
Spain, Great Britain and France
Japan, USSR and Great Britain
Who is the only current superpower?
USA
Great Britain
Who are the potential superpowers?
Great Britain and China
BRICs, Japan, EU
Imperialism is a relationship of , economic or control between geographical areas e.g. British control of 1824-1948
Colonialism is the rule of a nation by e.g. Introduction of to countries
is the physical settling go people from one colonial power to another country within their colony e.g. English people moving to work in India
In which hemisphere are the majority of Starbucks?
Northern
Southern
There are not many Starbucks in areas where the are farmed as is lower or non-existent and so profits would be .
Mc Donalds have branches in Africa and South America, unlike Starbucks.
Mc Donald's is worth $40 billion which is double the value of which nation?
Qatar
Italy
Afghanistan
Mc Donaldisation is the of fast food restaurants coming to more and more sectors of American society as well as the .
Which is true about Mc Donald's?
There are 50,000 branches in 50 countries.
There are 32,000 branches in over 100 countries.
Every country has at least one branch.
What are the advantages of Mc Donaldisation?
American culture dilutes other cultures.
It emphasises efficiency, calculability, predictability and control.
It offers work to a large number of people.
It is quick and easy, as well as familiar.
Being an American company, the majority of profit returns there.
Hard power is covert, whilst soft power is overt.
Does hard power always work?
No
Yes
Which type of power, hard or soft, is more risky?
Hard power
Soft power
What are examples of using military presence and force?
TV programmes about the military
Military bases in other countries
Diplomatic threats if negotiations fail
Military alliances like NATO
Nuclear weapons
Having an all male army
Large air, naval and land forces
What are examples of aid and trade?
Reducing import tariffs to favour certain trade partners
Trade blocs and alliances
Manufacturing large quantities of cheap goods
Dumping cheap food sources on countries receiving aid
Providing allies with economic and technical assistance
Using aid to influence policy or keep allies happy
What are examples of culture and ideology?
Exporting culture in the for of film and television or globally recognised brand
Having a strong and loyal army which support the nations beliefs
Gradually persuading doubters that a particular action or view is in their interest
Having a dominant fashion brand within a country
Making everyone watch political broadcasts every day
Using the media to promote a particular image and message
Capitalist nations are those which foster led development following The Theory, stressing industry and , free trade and attracting to create jobs and raise incomes. Tends to be that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer e.g.
Marxist countries are those which break free of and profit. State and planning so that existing structures are replaced with a system that manages society for the good of . State control and limited involvement in world and TNCs e.g. Cuba
Populist nations are those which have 'man of the people' leaders to create a ' and ' discourse, promising social and using policies that appeal to the pockets of people. Critics often say that it is and leads to poor economic decision making e.g. Latin America
Grassroots is small-scale, focussed development often aiming to meet needs rather than hugely improve incomes. Often involves locals or international NGOs who provide some and other support. This approach tends to adhere to the principles of e.g. communities
How do superpowers maintain power?
Direct colonies- make their policies and appoint leaders
Commodity prices- e.g. coffee and cocoa- prices are trade but rich countries buy and so control prices
Control of trade- WTO policies, trade blocs, free trade and export processing zones
Buying up property in other countries
Media- portrayal and control of organisations like Facebook
Owning worlds most influential companies e.g. car manufacturers
Neo-colonialism- new colonialism is not just political, involves trade too because they need jobs
Military- bases, personnel, nuclear weapons, humanitarian aid, UN security council, peacemaking division, arms trade
International decision making and politics e.g. UN, DAVOS, WEF
Social control over dissent e.g China
The Modernisation theory was developed by American Economic Historian W.W. Rostow in 1970.
Which group of countries have followed the Modernisation Theory and have succeeded?
Asian Tigers
BRICs
Latin America
What are the 5 stages of the Modernisation Theory?
Traditional society, transitional stage, urbanisation, counter urbanisation, drive to maturity, industrialisation
Traditional society, transitional stage, industrialisation, drive to maturity, high mass consumption
Traditional society, farming, industrialisation, modernisation, urbanisation
The Dependency Theory was developed by A.G. Frank and is based on the Marxist view of the rich vs the poor.
Aid given from the core to the periphery is known as the 'development of '.
Why do countries in Africa export raw materials at a low price to richer countries?
Technological support
Political support
Debt repayment
Better media coverage
Purchase payment
By periphery countries selling their raw materials to core countries at a low price, they do not miss out on the value added but rather make a greater profit.
The World Systems theory was developed by Wallerstein to counter the dependency theory.
Wallerstein's World Systems theory is far more , as it is possible for countries to move between the periphery, and core.
The rise of which two countries does Wallerstein argue to be another stage in the growth and spread of the global economy?
Russia and China
India and Russia
India and China
Friedmann's Core Periphery model shows that as general prosperity grows worldwide, the majority of growth is enjoyed by the core wealthy countries despite being outnumbered in population by the periphery.
The poverty cycle includes: economic political environmental( economic, political, environmental ) decline, low personal income, less access to medicine clothes food and water( medicine, clothes, food and water ), hunger, disease/malnutrition/death, depleted schools workforce water resources( schools, workforce, water resources )
Why were IGOs created by superpowers?
To reduce conflict post war
To maintain contact with each other
To maintain hegemony of western capitalism and free markets at the expense of poor countries
There are usually a large number of key players in IGOs.
The United Nations was set up in 1945 following to promote cooperation and reduce the need for .
What does the UN promote?
Environmental sustainability
Human rights
Humanitarian Aid
Political supremacy
Social and Economic development
How many members does the UN have?
157
193
88
The headquarters are in London as well as other historic superpower countries and HICs
Meisler (historian) said that 'it never fulfilled the hopes of its , but a great deal' including decolonisation and efforts.
What is the UN's annual budget?
$50 billon
$1.8 billion
$1.2 billion
The UN Council deals with the maintenance of peace and security and aims to cooperate in international problems and promoting for human rights.
Does the Security Council have the authority to impose sanctions and/or authorise the use of force to restore peace and security?
How many members does the Security Council have?
15
30
45
The Security Council's role is to make recommendations whilst the General Assembly follow it through.
How many countries are represented by an ambassador in the UN General Assembly?
All
80
The General Assembly is said to be 'for show' as it is decided by a majority and is not legally binding e.g. UK and USA went against its recommendations when entering into war with Iraq.
NATO member states agree to defence in response to an attack by an party. All members have rights to express their views on which are based.
NATO's policies are decided on voting and so the majority wins.
How many members does NATO have?
17
105
28
The G8 (G7) formed in 1975 due to the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent recession.
Why did Russia join the G8 in 1997?
Its importance and strength as an emerging power
Its political instability
Its exports of natural gas and oil
Its strong alliance with Europe
What other countries did the G8 + 5 consist of?
All asian countries
BRICs and Mexico
Ex-Soviet countries
The G8 is a political forum with 8 of the world's most countries which meet and aim to tackle problems by discussing big issues and planning actions e.g. .
The G8 have been successful. For example, it set up the Global Fund to fights AIDs, TB and Malaria and launched the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) initiative to cancel certain debts to allow further development.
The International Monetary Fund works to foster global cooperation, facilitate trade, promote high and sustainable economic growth, reducing around the world.
How many members do the IMF and World Bank have?
150
189
All members of the IMF are equal and have equal powers.
The IMF are quick to respond in times of financial crisis.
Which other organisation does the IMF meet with annually to agree of policies?
World Trade Organisation
The World Bank
G8
The World Bank have implemented several poverty reduction strategies and got 45 countries to pledge how much money in aid for the world's poorest countries?
$25 billion
$100 billion
$90 million
DAVOS is a non-profit foundation with the slogan ' in the global interest'.
What sort of organisation is DAVOS?
NGO
Think Tank
IGO
If the emerging superpowers became superpowers in the future. What sort of world would we live in?
A bipolar world.
A multipolar world.
A unipolar world.
Why is Brazil an emerging superpower?
It is has the most mature economy in the world.
It is a very large democracy with little corruption.
It has vast natural resources eg. coal.
Why is Russia an emerging superpower?
It has a very strong and dominant leader, Putin, who is fundamental to international legislation.
It is a very large consumer, having such a large population and land mass.
It has the world's largest reserve of natural gas and also has a lot of oil.
Why is India an emerging superpower?
It is a very mature economy.
It has a huge potential consumer market, with a large population and a growing middle class.
The class system means that there are lots of rich people to buy products.
Why is China an emerging superpower?
It has great manufacturing strength and position as 'workshop of the world'. It is also a huge consumer as their population exceeds 1 billion.
It is a very large democracy and so everyone's say is heard.
Their strong supply of natural resources mean that other nations heavily rely on them.
Which of these countries are oil rich gulf states?
Bahrain
Oman
Russia
Yemen
Kazakhstan
Oil rich gulf states are very powerful as they are at a crossroads between Europe and Asia with the world's most significant oil and gas reserves.
Why have Middle Eastern airlines become more and more prominent?
Large populations need greater transport.
The tourism industry in Dubai has created a large demand.
Their fuel is heavily subsidised.
GAFTA, set up in , is the Greater Trade Area to make cross border trade easier and eventually free from .
Oil rich gulf states only have influence in their own countries and those that buy oil from them.
Which chain shop does Qatar own 27% of?
Sainsburys
Debenhams
H&M
In 2008, which position in world economy rankings (in terms of size) did Brazil hold in 2008?
10th
5th
17th
What does Brazil produce in vast quantities?
Airplanes- Embraer is the 4th largest aircraft company with $20 billion worth of orders in 2009
Leather- vast cattle herds produce large quantities of leather and leather goods
Cars- Fiat and VW
Food- 15% of world's food, with only 3% of population
Clothing- it is a global workshop for large designer outlets like Gucci
Biofuels- it is now self-sufficient in liquid fuels and 50% of all cars in Brazil run on ethanol
What are some of the arguments against Brazil becoming a superpower?
It is experiencing a health crisis with very few, good quality hospitals and medical centres.
Its inflation and debt has grown- in 1980, their foreign debt exceeded $100 billion.
Large disparity between rich and poor e.g Rio 2016- few people could afford to attend.
The education system is the worst in the world with a 10% literacy rate.
Economic growth is much slower than other BRICs- China and India's growth is 8-12% whereas Brazil's is 3-4%
Widespread corruption
High crime rate- puts of foreign investment- murder rate is 25/100,000 as opposed to 6 in USA
Russia is the 3rd largest country in the world.
What type of superpower is Russia?
Energy
Military
Nuclear
When gas supplies were cut off in 2006 and 2009, how much did supplies in Germany and France drop by approx?
10%
25%
70%
Other than in terms of energy, how else is Russia very powerful?
Large economy, specifically after Putin's election in 2000.
Large military with nuclear weapons, 1000s of warheads, large navy, army and air force
Member of G8 (although suspended) and permanent seat on UN Security Council
Strong and loyal alliances with many countries e.g. USA and Britain
Other natural resources e.g. timber
Best education system in the world
Movement of Ukraine and Georgia towards becoming members of either EU and NATO (or both) could further increase tensions and conflict with Russia.
Russia's political system is influenced greatly by - millionaires and billionaires- who brought Russian businesses after the collapse of the , such as oil. This influence the political process.
What percentage of Russia's economy does oil and gas exports account for?
5%
20%
Russia's main social problems are a youthful population and low literacy levels.
Why may Russia appear hostile to visitors and potential investors?
Still need a Visa to enter.
Harsh conditions, especially in mountainous and snowy regions.
Difficult place to do business- in 2006, FDI was just 1/50 of China's.
Language is completely different to most western countries- can be a barrier.
Policies of USSR still intact.
India is the world's largest democracy.
What type of superpower is India?
Demographic
Farming
Technical
Why could India become a superpower?
It is strategically important- could act as a regional broker.
It has nuclear power and is conducting space exploration.
It has world class services, specifically in IT with sophisticated software development e.g. Bangalore
It produces the majority of the world's food.
It is pivotal in renewable energy development.
It is experiencing large, steady economic growth (fastest in the world) with 50% of GDP coming from the service sector.
It has a very large mineral deposit which generates a lot of income.
It outsources other countries in terms of manufacturing and other industries e.g. BA and HSBC
India is the least developed of all the BRICs.
India is no longer reliant on the agricultural sector and has almost completely moved into the service sector.
What are the arguments against India becoming a superpower?
Poverty is still extremely high.
It is not technologically advanced enough.
Large middle class, coupled with largely poor population = more demand for water and electricity.
It relies on imports for its oil and they have to pay for it- not energy secure.
Infrastructure is an issue and still 700 million people do not have access to a toilet connected to a sanitation system.
The government is extremely corrupt.
Environmental problems are severe, with the majority of rivers polluted by human sewage and climate change limiting water supply from the Himalayas.
How many people are there in China's military?
800,000
1.5 million
2.3 million
China's population is 1.3 billion.
China has only been a potential superpower in the past few decades.
The literacy rate is 100%.
High literacy rate of 92%- There are as many undergraduates in China as there are people in Australia.
Poverty has declined from 60-10%.
Good environmental situation with a steady supply of clean, uncontaminated water.
Special economic zones of free trade and export- limited regulations make it attractive for FDI.
Huge investment in infrastructure- 80,000km of motorway to be built in the next 20 years.
Developing its own industries e.g. cars- Chery, word's largest producer of solar panels
China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
What is the main problem with chinese factories?
Poor working conditions
Not enough workers
Too few factories for the amount of products needed
Farmland in China has been lost to companies buying it up for their own purposes e.g. , homes and factories. Often rural landowners are not for land cost.
There is not a brain drain of young people from rural areas as they can easily access means of bettering themselves and securing high paid employment where they live.
Out of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world, how many are in China?
7
8
9
$25 billion is lost annually in terms of productivity and health costs as a consequence of pollution.
What percentage of chinese rivers are polluted?
100%
90%
60%
In 2008, the Milk Scandal occurred, killing 6 children and making 300,000 ill. What was it?
The chemical melamine was added to milk to increase protein however, actually led to a deficiency.
There was not enough milk to go around all the children in China.
The government cut the budget for free milk for children under 5 years of age.
How many new power stations had to be opened everyday in China between 2005-2008?
1
2
3
China's ageing population is becoming an ever greater problem.
What are the advantages of Chinese FDI in Africa?
More housing built by local people with Chinese funding.
Jobs are created in major infrastructure projects.
Profit remains in the country it is generated in.
Provides Africa with aid as part of its investment deals.
Chinese factories bring modern working practices to Africa.
Excellent working conditions.
Modernised resource extraction and increased productivity and exports.
What are the disadvantages of Chinese FDI in Africa?
Skilled and some unskilled jobs are filled by imported Chinese labour.
Aid is tied and is spent on equipment made by Chinese companies.
Conditions are terrible with several hundred deaths every year.
Factories undercut local firms on costs, forcing them to close.
Raw material exports still dominate and these are prone to price fluctuation.
Workers often work for 20 hours a day, earning less than a dollar.
Which of these regions are considered disputed territories?
South Kuril Islands- Japan and Russia since 1950
Madagascar- South Africa and Angola since 1981
Papua New Guinea- Australia and NZ since 1902
Taiwan- China and its own government
Kashmir- India and Pakistan since 1940
Mexico could become a because it has a relatively high GDP, reserves and a major exporter, a large middle class and close ties with USA due to (a trade bloc). However, it has high levels of crime and , poor policy and is already quite well developed so it lacks future growth.
Why is the USA a superpower?
Control over natural resources e.g. Silicon Valley
Major allies e.g. Canada and Australia
CIA- instrumental in collecting info about emerging hostile nations
Very water and energy secure
Large military and nuclear weapons
Sufficient in terms of food supply
Economic stability- currency used for most major international transactions
Large political influence and giver of foreign aid- $32.7 billion in financial assistance
What are the main threats to the USA's superpower status?
Unstable government with severe corruption.
Rising security challenges on 4 continents e.g. North Korea testing nuclear missiles and terrorism
India is looking set to exceed USA in terms of the size of its economy.
It deploys a lot of troops to assist overseas which is expensive and uses up a lot of manpower and equipment.
It is short of energy resources and does not have a diverse selection.
It fears losing its technological edge due to Russia, North Korea and China building new strategic nuclear systems.
It has a large debt of $1.1 trillion, only just behind China.
China has started building oil refineries in Iran.
Canada has such a large army that it could easily rival USA's power.
China manufactures more than the USA at 19.9% and 19.4% respectively.
How much did Ghana's GNP increase between 1987 and 2007?
$85-$190
$140-$160
$385-$650
How much did Ghana's literacy rate improve from 1987-2007?
30-58%
10-17%
53-81%
The price of is not decided in Ghana as other countries buy in markets. This means that prices can vary depending on global supply and , as other countries produce it too. This is a problem for workers who receive an irregular and it also affects the government's .
In 2005, Ghana and some other cocoa producing countries destroyed their crops to push prices up.
After joining the World Trade Organisation in 1995, what is now the main problem facing Ghana in terms of trade?
They are restricted by their trade blocs with other African nations.
They suffer from imports of heavily subsidised foreign goods e.g. EU tomatoes are cheaper than home grown tomatoes.
They cannot afford to trade with most nations due to extortionate tariffs.
Processing and packaging of cocoa and cocoa products are done in Europe and the USA have no tariff on unprocessed cocoa beans but do on chocolate imports.
Which nations are serious candidates to get a permanent seat on the UN Security council?
Brazil and China
China and India
India and Brazil
What are the problems surrounding resources in the future?
Rising demand means that they are running out e.g. energy - bidding wars between countries
Impact on the environment e.g. pollution.
The quality of resources are declining e.g iron ore.
They are spread too equally which causes economic issues.
What are the problems surrounding the environment in the future?
There will not be enough clean water in Asia to go around by 2025 due to high pollution levels.
Current resources cannot support US consumption levels so issues over the rise of BRICs.
If we all consumed like Americans, we would need 9 planets to sustain us.
If we all consumed like Americans, we would need 5 planets to sustain us.
Consumption rate could be supported if there is a dramatic shift towards renewable energy resources.
Which of the BRICs is the only one to not be a nuclear power?
Brazil
India
Both India and China have active, well funded, manned space programmes for exploration and it is no longer a field completely dominated by US, USSR and European Space Agency.
Which of the following countries/continents have problems with an ageing population?
Japan
South Africa
China
EU
In a polar world, there could be increased tensions as there would be no superpower and so disagreements would be more . Trade and political agreements may become and less global, leading to some countries feeling and thus increasing tensions further.
