Geopolitical power stems from a range of human and physical characteristics of superpowers (Edexcel A-Level Geography): Revision Notes

Geopolitical power stems from a range of human and physical characteristics of superpowers

Superpower → A nation with the ability to project its influence anywhere in the world & be a dominant global force. Has a leading position in international politics

↳ Used to describe the 3 dominant powers in 1940s: USA, USSR & British Empire

↳ Sometimes referred to as a hyperpower: An unchallenged superpower that is dominant in all aspects of power [Political, Economic, Cultural & Military = Pillars of Power]

Pillars of Power

• Economic → Large & powerful = national wealth - helps to build & maintain military & develop human resources
  • High GDP & levels of trade, home to many TNCs, Hard currency held in reserve by other countries

Pillars of Power

• Military Power → Used in 2 ways: Threat (bargaining chip) & military force (used to achieve geopolitical goals). Ways to reach distant places:
  • Blue Water → One which can deploy into the open ocean. Smaller nations = green water navy design to control littoral waters
  • Drones, missiles and satellite technology
  • High expenditure, could command global military control, unparalleled intelligence networks, exporter of military technology
• Political Power → Ability to influence people through diplomacy
  • Permanent seat on UN security council w/ powerful allies, many multilateral agreements
• Cultural Power → How appealing a nation's values and ideology - often exercised through arts, foods etc
  • Ideology: A set of beliefs, values & opinions held by many people in society. Superpowers often project their ideologies on others
  • Long-standing traditions and large cultural history/way of life voluntarily enjoyed by many worldwide
  • Demographic - Significant % of global population, attracts skilled migrants & other workers
• Resources → Physical & human resources
  • Able to export and control the supply of valuable commodities, multiple resources reduce dependence, occupying a world location that enables it to command influence

Key Concept → Hard vs Soft Power

Power → The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events

• Soft Power - Persuasion (some countries make policies attractive & appealing)
  • Culture, history and diplomacy
• Hard Power → Using force or economy (economic sanctions)
  • Invasions, war, coercion & conflict - don't often go as planned

Hard vs Soft Power

• Examples of hard power that still exists
  • In 1991 and 2003, USA invaded Iraq partly to secure oil supplies
  • Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine/Crimea in 2014, claiming to be protecting ethnic Russians
• Sharp Power → Power of manipulation (common in China and Russia)

Spectrum of Power

The Heartland Theory → Very Influential - Contributes to Policies of Containment

• States that the world island of Europe, Asia and Africa contain most of the world's natural resources
• Heartland - an area of central Asia, bordered by the Himalayas, Russian steppes and Arctic (very hard to invade due to physical barriers). Known as a power base, allowing control of the world island
  • Believed if 1 nation controlled the heartland, it would become globally dominant as it would control 50% of the world's resources
• Influence of the Theory
  • Persuades the USA, UK and other European countries that Russia needed to be contained
  • Reinforced the idea that control of physical resources (land, mineral wealth) was important
  • He believed other countries should work together the balance the heartland power and make sure it did not become too dominant
• Containment
  • Idea that emerging powers after WW1 should be contained
• In the 21st Century, these ideas seemed outdated
  • Modern military technology can hit deep inside country territory - size no longer protects
  • Threat of cyber warfare
  • Physical resources are traded internationally, less need to have them domestically
  • War & conflict seen as abnormal, but previously they were seen as a way to gain power