Definition of Superpowers
- A superpower is a nation which is able to project its influence and be dominant on a global scale
- The patterns of power across the world change over time
- Uni-polar world means there is only one superpower
- Bi-polar world exists when there are two superpowers
- Multi-polar world means there are multiple superpowers
- The USA and USSR became superpowers after World War II. Before this, the superpowers were the British Empire and the USA
- Currently the USA is the only superpower therefore the world is uni-polar
- The USA is also referred to as a hyperpower or hegemon meaning that it is dominant in all aspects of power
Emerging superpowers
- The EU is a group of nations which qualifies as an emerging superpower
- There are a number of nations which are regarded as emerging superpowers including the BRIC nations:
- Brazil
- Russia
- India
- China
Exam Tip
Remember the BRIC group of countries are not a trading bloc, they are simply countries which have been identified as emerging powers and economies. Each one has separate strengths and weaknesses. Recent years have also seen the emergence of the MINT group of countries - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey.
Regional powers
- These are nations which exert power and influence over other countries in the region including:
- South Africa in Africa
- France, Germany and the UK in Europe
Factors affecting superpower status
- There are a number of factors which affect whether a nation has superpower status
- Several of the factors are listed below but there are many characteristics within these and they are all linked
Factors affecting superpower status
Resources
- Access to resources such as minerals and metals
- Control of resources
- These can be sold and exported which supports economic growth
- Discovery of oil and gas in the Middle East has given OPEC countries economic power
Size and geographical position
- This links to resources, the larger a country the more resources it may have
- Russia has significant reserves of coal, oil and gas
- The geographical position of a country impacts its links and influence over other countries
Economic factors
- The economic status of a country is what many of the other factors are based on as it influences areas such as
- Military strength
- Ability to exploit resources
- Cultural influence
- Political strength
- Economic strength is measured in terms of
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
- US GDP per capita in 2022 is US$68,615 compared to China US$21,804
- High levels of international trade
- The currency is used as a reserve currency and is regarded as 'safe' for investment
- Over 60% of international trade transactions are in US$
- Influence on global economics through membership of International Governmental Organisations (IGOs) and trading blocs such as European Union (EU)
- High levels of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
- The USA has the highest global inflow of FDI at US$86 billion
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Demographic factors
- The size and structure of the population
- Large populations provide a large workforce which can support economic growth
- China and India's large populations have been key to their economic growth
- Large diaspora and more workers in large companies increases the country's influence around the world
- Populations with a large working age population supports economic growth
- A large dependent population (e.g. ageing population of Japan) may have a negative impact on economic growth
- Population size also impacts on the military strength of a country
Political power
- A country's ability to affect the decisions of other countries, this could be:
- As part of international organisations
- Through negotiations between different country's politicians and heads of state
- This can be the result of economic (e.g OPEC countries) or military power which gives countries more influence over other countries
- Superpowers and emerging superpowers have key roles in international organisations such as NATO, UN, The World Bank and IMF
- Some organisations have weighted votes so some countries have more votes than others
Military strength
- The reach of a country's military is key to the level of power they have:
- A global reach means that the military can be used to achieve geopolitical goals
- The size and power of the military is dependent on a number of factors:
- The size and age of the population to maintain the size of the military
- Defence spending on the military - personnel, technology and weapons
- Superpowers and emerging powers have:
- Large military forces
- Nuclear weapons
- Export arms
- Influential roles in international military organisations such as NATO
Cultural influence
- The ability of a country to influence the beliefs, values, customs, lifestyle and ideologies of other countries
- Influence can be achieved through:
- The media - films, tv, music, radio, internet, art
- Transnational companies introducing foods
- Migrant populations who bring food, dress, religious beliefs, music