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Superpowers (What are superpowers/How have they changed over time?…

- - - - using the military to protect themselves and to project power over other places/Maintaining control
      - Many superpowers are nuclear nations
    - - Linked to resources in the country = Russia has huge gas/oil reserves/USA has huge oil reserves. This means that the price is low in the country and that the country is not dependent upon other nations for energy
    - - Essential base of a superpower - ability to form a military or invest in new technology
      - The world's largest 10 economies
        
        Earn 65% Global GDP
        
        Control Investment
        
        Have powerful currencies
        
        Use strength to dominate global financial organisations e.g. WB/IMF
        
        Provide and therefore control global aid budget
    - - Population size and structure influences economic growth e.g. availability of a young workforce in China/India, the need for immigration in the UK
    - - Having membership of IGOs such as...
        
        OECD - the largest 35 economies meet annually
        
        G8 and G20 - both significant in making changes across the globe
        
        The World Economic Forum - meets in Davos each year to decide global economic policies
        
        The UN security council - Especially permanent states (UK,FRA,USA,CHN,RUS)
    - - the appeal of a country's way of life/ideologies. Spread through: Music, Fashion, Art, Media, Democracy
  - - - Advantages
        
        Some modern accuracy with the UK
      - Disadvantages
        
        Seems to ignore the growth of the US
        
        Makese no account for resource rich nations such as the Middle East
      - A theory that whoever controlled europe and asia, controlled the rest of the world. He believed that the heartland could shift as a result of sea power. He acknowledged that Russia should be the world's superpower, but they are disadvantaged by having too many national borders, and a coastline that is predominantly frozen in winter
    - - Show how the centre of economic activity has changed since 1AD
      - The centre is pulled towards the region with the largest GDP = map shows industrial revolution + growth of the US
      - Shift in the latter half of the 20th century reflects the recovery of Europe post WW2
  - - - 2nd largest army w. 1.5million personnel
      - Annual defence budget of $597.9bn (2016)
      - Nuclear nation
      - Leading member of NATO
    - - 4th largest nation on earth
      - Only shares 2 land borders
      - Position makes it very difficult to attack
      - Significant resources incl. oil/iron ore/coal
    - - World's Largest GDP of $11 trillion
      - 163/500 largest TNCs
      - Huge domestic market = 30% world's economic consumption
    - - 3rd most populous nation on earth
      - Relatively young population due to relatively high levels of immigration
      - Low Population density
    - - Leading role in most IGOs
      - Permanent Member of UN security council
      - lead member of NAFTA
    - - Dominant in world of fashion, media, tech, film, music
      - Often viewed as global centre of democracy, freedom - American Dream
  - - - Roots of the age of discovery in 1400s
      - Est. trading routes/trading companies to finance voyages for commodities such as tea, sugar, spices
      - raw materials brought back to UK cities
      - Britain a key player in the trans-american slave trade
    - - Technology
        
        Britain had latest military tech with ships, guns, explosives. often were fighting primitive technology
      - Cultural Values
        
        British inventions such as the railway, legal systems, sport, english language were introduced all over the world
      - Domestic Support
        
        Brits believed in their moral and cultural superiority. Were taught the successes of the empire in school
      - Military power
        
        Rebellions were frequent. They were put down with great force
    - - Increasing competition from France, Germany, US
      - Increasing military and economic cooperation from within Europe
      - Economic Cost of financing 2 world wars
      - Loss of support at home. People didn't believe that it was right
      - Lack of military strength = rebellions were frequent
  - - - Rapid US industrialisation following civil war in 1860s. Became world's largest economy in 1908
      - Russian revolution of 1917 = world's first communist state. Rapid industrialisation followed
    - - USSR = Warsaw pact
      - USA = NATO
      - Both organisations promised guaranteed military support if attacked
      - Eastern Europe was politically independent, but controlled from moscow
      - Western Europe had huge financial support following WW2
      - In US, there was a propaganda war against communism
      - both sides never came into contact, but had multiple proxy wars and almost did during the Cuban missile crisis
  - - - Strategic alliances
        
        military alliances between developing nation and superpower = developing nation is dependent upon super power support
      - Aid
        
        Foreign aid is often met with conditionality = often to open up markets or agree to policies set by the donor
      - TNC investment
        
        investment creates jobs/wealth, however, this is dependent upon friendly relationships
      - Terms of trade
        
        Low export prices vs high import prices (Frank's developement theory)
      - Debt
        
        Developing countries which owe debt become reliant upon the donor
  - - - +ives
        
        Produces 1/2 South america's GDP
        
        Huge natural resources = 1/3 world's iron ore/second largest producer of biofuel
        
        Self-sufficient in food and energy
        
        A democratic government following 30 years of military dictatorship post WW2
        
        spends over 60% south america's military budget
        
        Huge biodiversity and supporter of climate change restrictions
      - -ives
        
        Over reliant upon primary products for export
        
        less politically stable in the most recent years
        
        Military less significant with lower global reach than most BRICs
        
        Major environmental issues incl. deforestation and farming issues
    - - +ives
        
        9th largest global economy with largest GDP/capita of the BRICs
        
        Highest HDI score of 0.798
        
        71% population have internet access
        
        Permanent member of UN security council
        
        Large military - often shows power such as Vostok Games in 2018
        
        40% global gas supply
      - -ives
        
        over dependent upon oil and gas exports
        
        issue of alcoholism
        
        unbalanced economy with the superrich and the superpoor
        
        ageing military is lacking new tech
    - - +ives
        
        2nd largest GDP
        
        GDP/capita and average wage has tripled in last 10 years
        
        Rapidly improving infrastructure
        
        Worlds largest army w. 2.2million personnel
        
        Nuclear
        
        Permanent member of UN security council
      - -ives
        
        GDP/capita is still low
        
        Lack of democracy and poor human rights record
        
        Only 2% population uni graduates
        
        Set to have and ageing population with the one child policy
        
        Huge environmental problems
    - - +ives
        
        Annual economic growth is 7% since 1997 and 2015
        
        Widespread use of english
        
        Large call centre/IT industry which attracts $90bn of FDI annually
        
        World's 4th largest army
        
        World's largest democracy
      - -ives
        
        lowest GDP/capita of all BRICs of $6000
        
        Low internet access at 34%
        
        Over reliant upon agriculture = 18% GDP
        
        Poor infrastructure with frequent power cuts and water shortages
  - - - Rostov's 5 stages of development
      - This explains the dominance of the British Empire and the USA
      - Post WWII, the US believed that investing in LIDCs in the form of loans would enable then to reach the preconditions for take off = reduces the chance of them adopting communism as an economic solution
    - - Frank believed that superpowers maintain their strength by exploiting LIDCs through TNCs (exploitation of cheap labour and resources)
      - Some believed that the US dominance in WTO/IMF creates continuing dependency
      - Theory States that the LIDCs need to break their dependency by: - creating their own investment bank or - resigning from current international institutions and agreements
    - - Suggests that the core and periphery are dependent upon each other
      - Wallerstein argues that the core needs the semi-periphery as it prevents the rest of the world from turning against them
      - The theory reflects a capitalist, free trade model
      - The core may turn to other states to provide supports during recessions. E.G. China investing in ACs after the 2008 financial crisis
- - - - The EU
        
        Has an economy second in size to the US
        
        Euro is the second most traded currency globally
        
        The EU represents 400 million consumers = strong position during international negotiations
        
        All agreements are made on a bloc basis
        
        All members must follow EU legislation
        
        Some members favour a United Nations of Europe and a European Army
      - UN Security Council
        
        This is the global mechanism to maintain peace and security
        
        5 permanent seats (UK, US, RUS, CHN, FRA)
        
        The council can apply sanctions/authorise the use of military force/Authorise a UN peacekeeping force to be sent over to try to regain peace
        
        Criticisms
        
        Any of the 5 permanent member states can veto a decision
        
        The UK, US, FRA tend to vote as one and so do CHN, RUS = deadlock
        
        Have been accused of failing to act
      - International court of Justice
        
        This is at The Hague, Netherlands
        
        Settles disputes between international members
        
        there are 15 judges with all world regions represented
        
        5 permanent security council members are allocated 1 judge each
        
        Often send war leaders to international prison for war crimes
      - NATO
        
        has 28 members
        
        'An attack on one is an attack on all'
        
        Dominated by the US, but all member states pledge to spend a % of GDP on military
        
        Trump has claimed that countries need to spend more, if they are to be protected by the US
        
        regular joint military exercises
        
        Claimed increasing irrelevancy after the Cold War
        
        Member states can act individually
      - CASE STUDY: Iraq
        
        Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 for the oil fields
        
        there was a global concern that Saddam Hussain (who controlled 40% of global oil supplies) would attack saudi arabia for oil
        
        President Bush and PM thatcher urged a military solution
        
        a coalition of 35 nations joined the military force (commanded by the US who provided 500,000 troops
        
        Saudi Arabia allowed the US to have bases on the soil.
        
        Bin Laden (previously trained by the US to fight against the USSR in Afghanistan) didn't like this. Set up the 9/11 attacks
        
        The war in Saudi Arabia was largely live broadcasted by CNN
        
        A 5 week aerial and naval bombardment started in Jan 1991 - followed by a 4 day ground war in Feb
        
        Coalition losses = 300. Iraqi losses = 30,000
        
        UN had not authorised the occupation of Iraq. So once the liberation of Kuwait was achieved, coalition forces withdrew.
        
        Saddam Hussain remained in power
        
        Invasion of Iraq after 9/11 (War on Terror)
        
        The UN did not authorise the war in Iraq
        
        However, 6 countries (led by the US and UK) still invaded Iraq
        
        UK claimed that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction, that imposed a threat on the UK
        
        there were 1.5 million anti-war protesters in London
        
        Air/Ground war lasted 1 week w. Iraqi forces comprehensively defeated
        
        297 UK losses, 500,000 Iraqi losses
        
        No WoMD were ever found - plunged Iraq into chaos and ISIS was formed
  - - - This has lead to cultural backlash
        
        Jose Bove bulldozed a McDonalds as a protest against the growth hormones used in the burgers
        
        Alternatives to barbie dolls in the middle east - they wear national dress
        
        China only allows 20 Hollywood based films to be released every year
      - The US cultural Global reach
        
        Media - CNN and news corp are two very powerful multimedia organisations. Tend to have agendas. News corps papers supported Brexit
        
        Food and Drink - driving force behind fast food and soft drink culture
        
        Language - global spread of english w. 600million speakers. Second language in most countires
        
        Fashion - particularly youth fashion. 'Invented' Jeans, tshirts, sportswear as leisure wear
        
        Music - source of most modern music (Rock, rap, r and b, house). 50% of recording and streaming was in English
        
        Cinema - 18/20 highest grossing movies were made in Hollywood
    - - since the end of the cold war, the world has been dominated by the free-market capitalist system
      - Free Market Capitalism Features
        
        Buying and selling of goods in a free market with limited restrictions
        
        The right to make a profit/accumulate any quantity of wealth
        
        Wages based upon supply and demand
        
        Private ownership of business
        
        Private ownership of business and property
    - - Patents
        
        GM Crops
        
        Farmers are prosecuted if they use these seeds
        
        Farmers buy GM seeds but are not allowed to use the new seeds created naturally from the planted GM crop as the new seeds are still owned by the producer
        
        Most GM crops are patented by TNCs
        
        Pharmaceuticals
        
        However, the poor can be out marketed which means that they can't access the healthcare that they need (e.g. HIV in africa)
        
        Therefore High sales prices are needed to make up for this
        
        The drug itself is cheap to produce. The research isn't
        
        As drugs cost millions to research and develop they are useful
        
        These types of patents tend to last 20 years
        
        Technology
        
        In 1995, the WTO introduced the modern patent system - a system where all WTO members had to apply for patents of their goods to protect from fakes
        
        There is an argument that patents protect TNCs and therefore superpowers
        
        some property rights are awarded to individual inventors such as James Dyson with the bagless hoover
        
        They guarantee a financial return for the original producer of the product
        
        Patents are designed to protect intellectual property rights
      - There is increasing importance of state owned TNCs in BRIC countries
        
        The annual turn over of a company like walmart is the same as the economy of sweden (the world's 22nd largest economy)
        
        TNcs now control over 80% of the global trade, worth $20bn
        
        400 of the 500 largest TNCs come from only 7 countries. However, since 2005, there has been a massive boom in the Asian TNCs as a result of their growth. E.G. china has increased massively
        
        E.g. Walmart in the US had an annual revenue of $486bn. But Sinopec (Chinese owned) had an annual revenue of $456bn
  - - - China overtook the US in energy use in 2009
      - US held the top position for energy usage for 100 years
      - In 2000, China's energy usage was 1/2 of the US. By 2015 it was 30% higher
      - ACs = 2/3 global GDP in 1980, now it is 1/2
      - Global energy use is set to rise by 36% by 2030
      - The demand for oil in EDCs + LIDCs overtook ACs in 2013
      - Russia and Iran hold 65% of natural gas reserves
    - - China's demand for raw materials has accounted for 90% of the global increase in the sea traffic since 2000 - imports 10 million tonnes of iron ore every week
      - Huge investor in overseas supplies (copper mines in Zambia)
      - Largest consumer of coal/wheat/cotton/rice
      - Widespread water shortages in CHN - consumption exceeded supply by 70% in Beijing 2015
      - China is buying fertile farmland in Africa to produce wheat, meat, rice for it's population
      - Over 1bn Chinese owns a mobile phone = huge demand for Li/Cu/Zn
      - 450million extra cars on the roads of china
      - increase of 80% global meat consumption
    - - CHN
        
        Poor historical record
        
        Committed to the paris climate change agreement - has agreed to cut emissions
        
        more wind turbines than any nation
        
        the world's largest investor in renewable technologies
        
        halted construction of new coal fired power stations
        
        any international progress would be meaningless without chinese cooperation
      - USA
        
        Shown global leadership - cut emissions by 10%
        
        tripled wind power between 2005-15 increased solar energy production by 1000%
        
        Obama introduced pollution standards and legally enforceable energy efficiency measures
        
        many see environmental legislation as anti-freemarket and do not favour restriction
        
        Trump indicated that he will repeal legislation- he disputes the scientific evidence behind climate change
      - RUS
        
        Supported Paris agreement
        
        Agreed requirements to cut emissions to 30% below 1990 levels - due to deindustrialisation following collapse of communism, this will easily be achieved = little impact on RUS economy
- - - - 2007, a Russian submarine planted a flag on the seabed underneath N. Pole, indicating its claim for the resources in that section of the Arctic. 7 nations have competing claims in this region
      - US estimates that 30% of global undiscovered oil and gas could being in the Arctic region
      - Russia has granted permits for TNCs to start exploration in disputed regions
      - UN law of sea = countries are allowed to claim minerals and resources within 200miles of their coastline. However, some of these overlap = tensions
      - Russia, canada, US, EU (all with powerful armed forces, members of military alliances or have nuclear weapons) are key players
      - Tensions increase due to technological advances, alternatives supplies running out, arctic becoming more accessible due to sea ice
    - - Increasing violations against patents
      - Faking brands is illegal under WTO rules
      - Industry is concentrated in CHN, TUR, THI, SPN
      - Key areas are: Fashion e.g. Louis Vuitton 70% are fake
      - DVDs/software are a growth market
      - More dangerous include fake cigarettes/alcohol
      - Some seem to ignore, such as the stalls in the grand bazaar in Istanbul
    - - Previous regions of USSR became independent after collapse of USSR in 1991
      - Includes Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine
      - Some still view this as russian territory/embarrassed that the USSR collapsed
      - Tensions increased as Eastern European states became more aligned with the west, e.g. Joining EU/NATO
      - Crimea
        
        Russia tried to gain back Crimea after Ukraine tried to apply to EU/NATO
        
        It organised a disputed referrendum on whether Crimea should be russian or Ukrainian
        
        Before the Referendum, Russia sent in troops which flushed out all the Native Ukrainians
        
        Russia also threatened to cut of gas supplies as a punishment for Ukraine's pro-western stance
        
        NATO have deployed several ground forces on Eastern Border in responce
    - - Numerous territorial disputes e.g. CHN/JPN and Senkaku Islands
      - Islands are important as they provide ownership of minerals/resources