power & developments

Question 1

what makes soft power different from hard power?

Answer 1

soft - creates influence via culture (long term)
hard - creates influence via violence or military (short term)

Question 2

why might soft power be less effective in a crisis?

Answer 2

soft power can be slow and have vague outcome

Question 3

why is smart power often seen as more sustainable?

Answer 3

as it combines both soft and hard power, it creates a balance between the two

Question 4

which of today’s examples showed a state adapting a soft power strategy?

Answer 4

japan’s anime industry but weak military

Question 5

how is hard power used?

Answer 5

through military action, economic sanctions

Question 6

when is hard power less effective?

Answer 6

it creates resistance and damages legitimacy

Question 7

when is soft power less effective?

Answer 7

it’s too slow with vague outcomes

Question 8

give a case study demonstrating smart power

Answer 8

turkey- EU refugee agreement
(a key strategic state negotiated aid and diplomatic benefits in exchange for cooperation on controlling cross-border migration flows)

Question 9

list three countries that seem to have a lot of power in the indo-pacific

Answer 9

US
South Korea
Philippines

Question 10

define polarity

Answer 10

refers to how power is distributed in the international system

Question 11

give an example of unipolarity

Answer 11

USA- post cold war (1991)

Question 12

what is bipolarity?

Answer 12

where two major powers dominate eg: cold war- USSR & US

Question 13

give an example of multipolarity

Answer 13

the modern world of china, USA, india and russia

Question 14

which type of polarity is most likely to have a risk of conflict?

Answer 14

multipolarity

Question 15

how does bipolarity affect global governance?

Answer 15

limited cooperation, institutions used by blocs eg: NATO, warsaw pact

Question 16

what is a superpower?

Answer 16

a state with the ability to project influence globally across multiple dimensions of power eg: military, economic, cultural

Question 17

give an example of military power

Answer 17

nuclear weapons, defense spending
eg: US, russia

Question 18

what does it mean to have diplomatic power? give an example

Answer 18

roles in IGOs and negotiations eg UN seat, peace talks (france, EU)

Question 19

state an example of technological power

Answer 19

AI - chatGPT vs deepsik

Question 20

what are the 3 most important types of power for a superpower today?

Answer 20

cultural, economic, military

Question 21

why is the USA considered a superpower, even with internal decline?

Answer 21

massive global influence

Question 22

what makes china an emerging power and why’s it controversial?

Answer 22

• large economy; largest trading partner for over 120 countries
• military investment of $290 billion annually
  struggles with soft power due to:
• concerns over its authoritarian model
• censorship
• human rights abuses eg: xinjiang

Question 23

why might a country like russia be seen as declining?

Answer 23

lack of global reach due to authoritarianism

Question 24

what does ‘western dominance’ mean in global politics?

Answer 24

where western states, especially the USA and the EU, have shaped IGOs with the promotion on liberal democracy and free market capitalism- making it the global norm

Question 25

how are china and russia challenging western dominance?

Answer 25

• china: - economic power eg: BRI - tech innovation eg: deepsik - promotion of authoritarian capitalism • russia: - used military and cyber power to undermine western influence and global norms eg: 2022 invasion of ukraine

Question 26

give economic evidence of BRICS power

Answer 26

BRICS make up of 40% of the world’s population and 25% of global GDP

Question 27

what are the limits or internal divisions of BRICS military power?

Answer 27

india and china have border tensions; not a military alliance

Question 28

give diplomatic evidence of BRICS power

Answer 28

creation of the new development bank and calls for UN reform

Question 29

what are the limits of BRICS ideological power?

Answer 29

- lack a shared ideology democracies (india, brazil) vs autocracies (russia, china)

Question 30

what is the liberal international order?

Answer 30

refers to the post WW1 global system built on liberal values. it has been dominated by US and western influence

Question 31

what are the key features of liberal international order?

Answer 31

- IGOs ; international law eg UN, WTO, IMF - free trade and open markets - liberal democracy and human rights protection - US military and economic hegemony

Question 32

what are the internal challenges within the liberal international order?

Answer 32

- populism and nationalism in the west (eg: brexit, trump) - democratic backsliding (eg: hungary, india) - US retreat from multilateralism (eg: paris agreement withdrawal, NATO)

Question 33

what are the external challenges within the liberal international order?

Answer 33

- chinas model: authoritarian capitalism, belt and road, AIIB - russia: revolutionist, military disruption eg: crimea, ukraine - BRICS and the global south: alternative institutions, resistance to western norms eg: cairo declaration

Question 34

what type of challenge is china to LIO?

Answer 34

ideological; outward abuses on human rights eg: urgyhm muslims

Question 35

what kind of challenge are the BRICS to LIO?

Answer 35

economic eg: chinas new development bank AIIB

Question 36

what is the difference between a great power and emerging power?

Answer 36

great power- plays a major role in diplomacy emerging power- still seeking influence

Question 37

what is a regional power?

Answer 37

regional powers are dominant actors within their geographical area but don’t have the global reach of great powers

Question 38

How do regional powers shape the world order?

Answer 38

They help maintain stability and influence global governance by: - leading regional organisations - acting as mediators in regional conflicts - supporting or opposing great power actions

Question 39

What is meant by US hegemony?

Answer 39

Refers to the dominant position held by the US in global politics since the end of the cold war

Question 40

Give two arguments that US hegemony is in decline

Answer 40

1. Multipolar shift: rise of china, India, and regional powers has created a more complex power structure 2. US retreat: under trump and even biden, America has pulled back from leadership in institutions (eg: WHO exit, trade wars, afghan withdrawal)

Question 41

Give two arguments that US hegemony persists

Answer 41

1. Tech power: dominance in AI, social media, big tech firms like apple, Google, Amazon 2. Soft power resilience: US pop culture, higher education, English language remain globally dominant

Question 43

What is a democratic state?

Answer 43

Where leaders are elected, civil liberties are protected and there are checks and balances on power Eg: France, UK, US

Question 44

What is an autocratic state?

Answer 44

Where power is centralised to one leader where all decisions are made by them Eg: china, Russia, north Korea

Question 45

Which type of state contributes to global order and why?

Answer 45

Democratic states contribute to global order as they usually act as a mediator however can disrupt and get involved in conflict eg: US

Question 46

How do autocratic states approach global governance compared to democratic state?

Answer 46

They prioritise sovereignty and national interest and reject multilateral constraints whereas democracies are supportive of multilateralism

Question 47

Give examples of autocratic states that repress political opposition

Answer 47

- Saudia Arabia - china

Question 49

How do democracies view foreign policy behaviour?

Answer 49

The promote cooperation eg: UK's involvement in Europe

Question 50

What are the global consequences of democracies?

Answer 50

They can support stabilities via allies EG: NATO, EU

Question 51

What are the global consequences for autocracies?

Answer 51

They challenge global norms and offer alternative governance models

Question 52

Explain one impact autocratic states have on world order

Answer 52

They challenge western standards

Question 53

How do realists and liberals see developments in global politics?

Answer 53

Realists explain the return of conflict and great power rivalry Liberals explain ongoing cooperation in areas like climate, trade and public health