Edexcel A2 Geography Super power countries

SUPERPOWER COUNTRIES

·         1989 fall of Berlin wall capitalist west and communist east. Demonstrations and protests.  Free elections scheduled, free market economies replaced state control.

·         USSR = communist bloc worlds second super power after USA (Ussr = soviet union)

·         Russia largest component of USSR.

How the balance of superpowers changes over time through:

 A) Cultural influence e.g. Americanisation spread of apple and western culture influence over nations.

B) Economic influence e.g. high GDP high economic growth, self sufficient growing economy

 C) Geographical influence lots of land and sea. Enough natural resources. Large population

 D) Military influence power large army influence globally large navy nuclear power

Superpower = countries or groupings with global influence or power.

BRIC Countries = Brazil, Russia, India, China. All upcoming superpowers

Imperialist system- e.g. British empire dominated by subordinate colonies, democracy limited.

Capitalist system = E.g. USA democratic system division between people who make profit and who work for them.

Communist system = EG USSR private ownership of means of production is not allowed. Marx theory = private ownership meant that world would seek to maximise profit wanting to create equal society.

British Empire, Soviet Union, Roman Empire = all giant empires with land and control = all declined

China, India, EU, USA = all emerging superpowers developing fast

Dominant belief systems can be very influential on big decisions such as abortion, birth control etc.

4 highest spending nations = USA, Germany, UK, Japan

IS THE EU A SUPERPOWER?  USA has 26% of worlds GDP and I would argue that is the only real superpower. EU is too fragmented to be a superpower, making decisions takes too long and its armies are all separate and lead by different people with different views.

WHY IS THERE TENSIONS BETWEEN SUPERPOWERS? Firstly because of development and economy over taking one another on league tables e.g. China and Japan. Geopolitical tensions with countries in Asia constitutional governments VS communist governments. Ww1 =cold war tensions. Military presence could also cause tensions as China has expansionist policies. USA has tested nuclear power which could cause huge disputes. Cultural differences in society such as religion could also cause tensions.

Cold war and Super power rivalries

 USA=Capitalism…USSR = communist

1917 USSR Revolution economy devastated industrial and farm productions decimated

Stalin soviet leader 1922-1953 USSR only hope of survival was military and industrial strength:

·         Industrial production multiplied coal and steel industries

·         State took control of farm production to provide food to cities

·         Armaments industry expanded largely

After 1945 USSR competed with USA matching its research into technology testing and producing nuclear weapons.

Cold war was a conflict without fighting. Set up on international rivalries after WW2. Soviet policy towards Eastern Europe after 1945 USSR occupied Eastern Europe e.g. Poland.

1962 CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS NEARLY BOUGHT WORLD TO NUCLEAR WAR CLASH OF IDEOLOGY COMM VS CAPITALIST.

EXAM Q = Compare USA and USSR in terms of how they became a superpower and how they maintained their influence.

Uni polar world = a world where a single superpower is dominating e.g. USA

Regional power= a state that has power within a region e.g. Australia

Emerging power= rising economic influence of a nation or union e.g. BRIC, USSR

Emerging superpower= state that is speculated or is in the process of becoming a superpower in 21^st century e.g. China

Main problem of EU becoming superpower = different countries, different currencies, fragmented place. Difficult to make decisions, different armies not in one sovereign state 27 countries EU not united enough to become a superpower.

Neo-colonialism = A policy whereby a major power uses economic and political means to perpetuate or extend its influence over underdeveloped nations or areas

Geographical Theories:

1.       J.Wallerstein – World Systems Theory (core)

Looks at the world from a super power perspective (USA) Core = Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand. Periphery = Middle East, Africa. Semi periphery = Russia, China, India, South America. Analysis of geographical patterns allows for change. Conflicting explanations of rise of China and India – tries to overcome problem of tier 2 cores + periphery. What remains unexplained is why global centre of gravity should swing from Asia to Europe and back.

2.       Modernisation – WW.Rostow (take up)

Was a philosophy of ideas from 19^th century about modern society.  Modernists thought the world could be improved by human intervention and that Europe could improve the world by colonising. Early modernists believed British people were naturally intelligent. 5 STEPS INTO HOW COUNTRIES BECOME DEVELOPED 1) traditional society 2) preconditions to take off 3) take off 4) drive to maturity 5) age of high mass consumption. Not all countries develop in such linear fashion some skip steps or take different paths. Rostow assumes all countries have desire to develop in the same way.  EG. SINGAPORE economically prosperous.  Rostow discards principle of site and stimulation assumes all countries have equal chances to develop.  

3.       Dependency Theory - Andre Frank

Argues that cause of poverty in developing countries is their reliance on developed economies. Traditional trade and primary products keep developing countries poor because they don’t get opportunities to add value and get secondary products = trapped in vicious cycle of development.

* SEE DIAGRAM AT BOTTOM OF POST

4.       Development Theory – Andre Frank

Frank was specific about the poverty trap – arguing that colonialism alone was responsible for its persistence. Colonists he claimed exploited their countries for raw materials and kept them poor by preventing investment in manufacturing. They used trade tariffs to prevent cheap imports from the colonies under cutting their own workers. EG GHANA coco exporting country unable to develop its own processing industry EQ import tariffs much higher for processed coca than for raw coca. This is called TARIFF ESCALATION.  

FACTS AND FIGURES:

Population of china = 1.3 Billion people.

·         Since 1980s China’s economy has doubled in size every 8 years.

·         1949 Communist government – no private wealth

·         1986 open door policy adopted. Open to overseas investment

·         By 2050 China will consume annually more oil and paper than the world currently produces

·         30% of China suffers from acid rain caused by emissions from coal power stations

·         70% of Chinas lakes and rivers are polluted Yangtze river

·         China manufactures 33% of worlds steel 4x more than USA

·         China filter their media, news, papers and internet.

·         China has 16 of the top 20 most air polluted cities in the world

·         20% of China’s population live on less than 1 US dollar a day

Amnesty international argue that China has a lack of democracy and a lack of consideration for human rights. In 2000 Amnesty knew of 213 people still in prison for protesting against lack of democracy in 1989.

HOW CHINA AFFECTS OTHER REGIONS = Karratha in Western Australia they have a labour shortage and high demand for housing. It has the world’s largest Iron Ore reserves. Most of it has been sold to China, China are fuelling its economic expansion.

Impact of China’s mining on Australia is enormous. World’s 3 largest mining companies control 80% of iron ore market.

China tried to guarantee supplies by buying up companies with supply metals such as iron ore, copper and aluminium.  China’s cheap labour rates drive for economic growth – free of any environmental 

restrictions e.g. planning permission.

EXAM Q = ASSES THE VIEW THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT ENVRONMENTAL DEGRATION (15)

CHINAS MILITARY

China has a limited military influence. China has no aircraft carries and its planes cannot be re-filled while in flight; but China does have nuclear weapons.

From 2000 to 2012 China’s global presence has increased. They now own 14% of the USA’s debt. They also own a large percentage of Africa’s banks. In China they face the problem of shadow banking. They borrow money from outside sources, increasing their interest and

share prices. Globally China is so invested that if they were to go down, then many other countries would go down with them.

China is experiencing huge economic success though unethical ways E.G Child labour. 300,000 people were evicted from their homes to make space for Olympic facilities and many of the goods for the Olympics were made though child labour.

CHINAS STRENGTHS = large exports, economic power, industry, developed technology.

CHINAS WEAKNESSES= pollution, lack of human rights, debt, lack of housing, no democracy.

1991 December USSR collapsed, 15 states had declared independent. Command style government – little personal freedoms, state also declared production targets.

1987 new changes Peresmokia = relaxed economic controls allowing businesses to sell products privately. Russian farmers allowed to sell surplus crops. By 1992 economy had moved to free market capitalism.

Communism bought benefits to Russia E.G Rapid industrialisation. Leader Glasnost allowed greater political freedom. Changes introduced by Gorbachev lead to collapse of USSR In 1991. This economic reform allowed trade, private investment and personal wealth. New political systems also exposed state corruption E.G Pollution, alcoholism.

No money paid into cleaning the environment = polluted rivers so after this Russia had to undergo a massive cleanup.

  State economy collapsed and had large environmental impacts. 80% decline in investment and economic production fell by 50%.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT IN RUSSIA

·         Government protection was removed and Russians were exposed to higher prices – causing inflation and many were unable to afford basic food.

·         People became fixed on incomes. Factories were sold off. Disparities grew between the rich and the poor.

SOCIAL IMPACTS OF CHANGE IN RUSSIA

·         Emigration of young Russians to find employment overseas.

·         Fall in birth rates caused by the emigration.

·         Decline in Government revenue.

·         Fall in Male life expectancy to 59 caused by increase in alcoholism.

·         Rise in diseases such as TB.

·         Rise in injected drug use leading to an increase in AIDS

RE-EMERGENCE AS A GLOBAL POWER

·         Russia has a large amount of known resources E.G Gas. It’s the second largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia

·         Massive loans from IMF helped prevent economic collapse

·         Economic collapse in 1988 lead to devaluation in Russia’s currency

·         Rapid growth in Chinese and Indian economies lead to large demand for energy

MILITARY INFULENCE IN RUSSIA

·         Decline in Russian Military spending due to economic situation

·         National security depends on outdated collar war weapons. Russia still has a large army but weapons are old.

*from theory from above.

Eurovision song contest starting in 1956 represents united feel of the EU. EU consists of 27 countries and has 31% of the worlds GDP. It plays an important role in world organisations such as NATO. (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) NATO was created in 1949 in reaction to the cold war to try and sort tensions between W Europe and N America. Its main role is to defend member states. 

EU set up by treaty of Rome in 1957 to get co-operation after WW2. Its key features include European parliament, a common currency and common laws.

3 factors affect future influence of the EU:

·        Further eu enlargement is likely with more possible members such as Cyprus, morocco, Norway and Iceland

·        Enlargement of level of government. Main obstacle to this is funding and money/ could be a chance to move away from an American dominated NATO.

·        Strong nationalist movements E.G Scotland’s independence party.

Direct Influence = countries gain influence through direct contact with each other

Russia’s direct influence is large over former USSR Countries E.G Ukraine.

·        Russia threatened to cut Ukraine’s gas supplies unless it paid 400% increase and this is tough as Ukraine get cold winters and need heating.

·        USSR members got cheap gas under deals signed. USSR collapsed and Russia felt no obligation to continue with the cheap price.

·        Ukraine felt it deserved discount as they helped to build the pipe lines in the Soviet gas infrastructure.

·        November 2004 Ukraine elected pro European, anti Russian government. This also made Russia not want to discount their gas.

·        Russia were worried about the expansion of NATO don’t want Ukraine to join. Worried about letting too many communist countries in.

·        EU worried about Ukraine gas dispute as they depend on Russia for 25% of their gas.

South Caucaus

It is a region that lies between the black sea and Caspian sea. Former part of USSR. It is on the boundary of Christian and Muslim countries, boundary of middle east and Eurasia, boundary of nato. 1999 discovered natural gas USA and EU keen to develop relationship with Turkey as it is where the gas will flow. New south caucaus pipe line will reduce Russia’s influence upon gas and who gets it.

CULTRAL SUPERPOWERS

Is the world becoming americanised? Global culture is dominated by American culture such as film, technology, food and clothing brands. E.G CNN TV, Fox, coca cola, Microsoft.

Cultural Imperialism = enforced spread of culture or voluntary adoption of culture.

·        One argument states that the receiving culture absorbs as new culture simply by purchasing its goods. It implies one culture is better than another.

·        The other argument implies that all cultures blend. It states that there is no such thing as pure culture and the addition of something new is enriching.

Electronic colonialism = spread via multimedia EG TNCs EG Disney companies operate a hegemony and dominate global culture.