Geography Case Studies > Superpowers > Flashcards

Superpowers Flashcards

(55 cards)

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1
Q

What are examples of past superpowers

A
  1. British Empire
  2. USSR
  3. China in 10th century via Silk Road
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2
Q

What are some examples of hyperpowers

A
  1. USA (1990-2010)
  2. Britain (1850-1910)
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3
Q

What are some examples of regional superpowers

A
  1. Saudi Arabia
  2. Iran
  3. Brazil
  4. Germany
  5. South Africa
  6. Egypt
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4
Q

What are Brazil’s strengths as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. regional leader in Latin America
  2. strong agricultural economy and exports
  3. growing middle class, and maturing consumer economy
  4. culturally influential (2012 World Cup + 2016 Olympics)
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5
Q

What are Brazil’s weaknesses as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. small military, with only a regional intervention capacity
  2. economy suffers from boom and burst phases
  3. needs to implement greater comntrol over deforestation
  4. education levels lag behind its competitors
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6
Q

What are Russia’s strengths as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. large nuclear reserves
  2. very large military capacity
  3. huge oil and gas resources
  4. permanent seat on the UN security council
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7
Q

What are Russia’s weaknesses as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. its populaiton is unhealthy, ageing, and declining
  2. extreme levels of ineqality
  3. economy overly dependent on oil and gas
  4. difficult diplomatic and geopolitical relations with the USA and EU
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8
Q

What are India’s strengths as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. youthful population with a large economic potential
  2. Eglish is widely spoken
  3. widespread graduate education
  4. nuclear armed
  5. sophisticated space and missile technology
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9
Q

What are India’s weaknesses as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. possible reosurce (water and energ) shortages
  2. poor transport and energy infrastructure
  3. very high levels of poverty
  4. poor political relations with its neighbours (Pakistan)
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10
Q

What are China’s strengths as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. highly educated, and technically innovative populaiton
  2. soon to be the worlds largest economy
  3. leads in the field of renewable energy
  4. growing military technology and reach
  5. challenging the USA in military terms
  6. modern transport infrastructure
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11
Q

What are China’s weaknesses as a member of the BRIC nations

A
  1. will soon have an ageing population
  2. major air and water quality pollution levels
  3. tense relations with neighbours in SE Asia
  4. rising wages causes its economy to become increasingly high for TNC’s
  5. relies on imported raw materials
  6. plays a limited geopolitical role on the global stage
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12
Q

how many military bases does the USA have

A

800

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13
Q

how many American soldiers are in Japan

A

50,000 soldiers

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14
Q

how much do the 800 military bases cost US tax payer money

A

$70-100 billion/year

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15
Q

what are factors of European Imperialism

A
  1. multi-polar world
  2. colonisation accompanied by racism and moral superiority
  3. mainly hard power
  4. populated countries with farmers and merchants
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16
Q

how did America overtake the UK in GDP in 1880

A

rapid industrialisation in late 1800s allowed the utilisation of natural resource

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17
Q

when was the Soviet Union created

A

in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917

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18
Q

when did the Soviet Union overtake the British for GDP

A

1941

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19
Q

when was a bi-polar world seen between USA and USSR

A

1945

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20
Q

what was the iron curtain

A

a group of satelite states that seperated East and West Europe

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21
Q

how did the USSR use soft power over the Eastern European countries

A
  1. held heavy political sway
  2. controlled elections
  3. dealt harshly with any deviation
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22
Q

how was peace maintained during the cold war

A

through NATO and the Warsaw PACT

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23
Q

where did the US use its economic strategies to expand its influence the most

Study These Flashcards
A

Europe and Asia (Tiger economies)

24
Q

what were the consequences of the collapse of the USSR in 1991

Study These Flashcards
A

US became a single hyperpower in a uni-polar world

25
how did the USA try and contain the USSR
built a ring of military bases around the USSR
26
How did Britain use direct control over India after 1858
1. post 1858 saw a policy promoting British culture and language 2. judicial and educational systems set up along British lines 3. key leaders (government and business) were brought from Britain
27
what fraction of the top 16 TNC's are from the USA
12/16
28
how has McDonalds used glocalisation
1. India=Maharaja Mac (Big mac made of lamb or chicken) 2. Japan=Ebi-chilli (shrimp nuggets)
29
how has America failed in having a cultural influence
most popular sports (football and baseball) aren't popular in the rest of the world
30
how many more curry resturants are there in the UK instead of McDonalds
6 times as many
31
how does the World bank benefit Western Powers
loans are a free market model that promote trade, industialisation and privitisation
32
how many votes in the World Bank does the USA control
16.5% (voting rights are proportional to investment into the fund)
33
how does the International monetary fund benefit Western Powers
1. most work reflects US+EU policies in managing international debt 2. reforms a nations economy to make it more accessible for TNCs and promote capitalism
34
what % of the IMF's votes do 8 countries control
47% of the votes
35
how does the World Trade Organisation benefit Western Powers
1. brokered agreements that aimed to promote open trade and reduce protectionism 2. focused on programs of poverty reduction through removing farm subsidies in developing countries to stimulate efficient production (results in cheaper imports which under cut and force out local farmers)
36
what percentage of trade did the UNCTAD estimate that TNCs account for in 2018
80%
37
how have Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, and General Motors helped Mexico
their bases build a comparative advantage in manufacturing and exporting vehicles within NAFTA
38
what percentage of the global Fortune 500 do TNCs from emerging markets account for in 2018
30%
39
what was China National Petroleum's rank in the Fortune 500 index in 2017
4th
40
how many people does Infosys employ worldwide
160,000
41
why is there a widespread barrier to HIV treatment in sub-saharan Africa
there are patents on ARVs that are less damaging, making them more expensive
42
how do TNCs benefit from patenting GM crops
1. make farmers sign contracts to only use their chemicals 2. prevent them saving seeds to plant crops next year 3. engineers can make seeds produce infertile seeds (forced to buy new seeds)
43
what was the Montreal Protocol (1987)
aimed to stop the use of CFCs and halons as they were highly damaging to the ozone layer
44
what was the Kyoto Protocol (held in 1997)
aimed to generally reduce GHG emissions
45
what is the significance of the Paris Agreement (2015)
has the highest number of signiatures/participating states
46
how did Superpowers in IGOs try and disarm Iran's nuclear weapons programme
1. USA sanctions in 1995 2. UN sanctions in 2006 (+arms embargo and asset freezes) 3. EU sanctions in 2007 4. sanctions on oil in 2012
47
why did Iran agree to end its nuclear weapons programme in 2015
economic situation deteriorating as it was denied oil export revenue and importing technical equipment became more difficult
48
when did sanctions on Iran end
2016
49
when was the Bosnian War
1992-95
50
what caused the Bosnian War (92-95)
mix of ethnic, religious and national divisions
51
what did IGOs do to end the Bosnian War (92-95)
1. made NATO enforce a no-fly zone 2. put in place a naval blockade in the Adriatic (NATO led+UN sanctioned) 3. NATO air-strikes against the Bosnian Serbs
52
what was deemed crucial in the signing of the 1995 Dayton Accord (ended the Bosnian War)
NATO campaign
53
what did the US Air Force restore air traffic control to in Haiti (2010)
Port-au-Prince's airport (allowed relief flights in)
54
how many US marines arrived by sea to provide humanitarian aid and technician help to Haiti (2010)
1600 US marines
55
what did the UK commit to Sierra Leone to combat the 2014-16 ebola epidemic
1. £430 million 2. 1500 troops 3. 150 NHS personell
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