1
Q
world bank
A
- lend money to developing and emerging economies to promote development
- this is done within a western capitalist model
- the money comes from developed countries
2
Q
world trade organisation
A
- regulated trade and reduced protectionism by removing taxes.
- it has failed to protect developed nations from protecting its own industries. This impacts developing countries as they produce becomes less competitive.
3
Q
how does China use IGOs to influence the world economy?
A
- veto power within the UN security council, influencing aid in times of military conflict
- in 2019 China held 5% of votes in the World bank (highest after Japan and the USA)
4
Q
how does the USA use IGOs to influence the world economy?
A
- NATO was founded in Washington in 1949, giving the USA a large military alliance to control European might.
- 4 European countries including Britain have granted the US access to their military bases. it dominate North Atlantic, Med and Pacific
5
Q
IMF
A
- promotes global economic stability
- helps economies open up to trade and investment
- helps countries when in difficulty
6
Q
how do superpowers use IGOs to increase their influence?
A
- by plating representatives in these IGOs, they can represent their needs and therefore sway global initiatives
- forms alliance and therefore cooperation. E.g. trade agreements.
7
Q
public TNCs
A
- owned by private shareholders
- they have high cultural capital and can therefore undergo glocalisation.
- common in capitalist, free-market economies
8
Q
state-led TNCs
A
- owned by governments
- common in China and Russia and often within strategic industries and utilities such as banking, oil and manufacturing.
- they have a large backing and lots of funding, allowing them to monopolise markets and force people to buy from them.
- this can’t happen in the USA due to monopoly laws.
- all profits can go into long term developments of their country.
9
Q
why are TNCs important for economic power?
A
- in 2015, 200 largest TNCs produced 25% of global output
- economies of scale as can outsource goods cheaper than national firms.
- apple’s global revenue equates to GDP of Finland
- most come from Western countries, 25% from the USA.
- they can use their profits to lobby governments, exerting political power. This may lead to trade favouring the superpower
10
Q
why are tech TNCs so big?
A
- lots of potential for innovation. With sport there is market saturation.
- social media exploded and provided a platform for technological growth
- easer to set up businesses as you don’t need to fund marketing in the same way (social media instead)
11
Q
how do TNCs influence trade routes?
A
- where TNCs outsource influences supply chains and areas of growth through FDI
- partly responsible for the global shift and the increased dependency between the East and West
12
Q
how do superpowers have a large cultural influence?
A
- TNCs such as McDonalds spread western cuisine and Nike spread fashion.
- they spread American English as a global language
13
Q
patents
A
- the protection of ideas/creations to ensure the rights of the inventors are protected.
- during this time they can make a profit from their discovery as high royalty fees are charged
- patenting is done as TNCs invest huge sums of money into research and therefore this ensures it is economically viable and worth their time.
- they may increase innovation as competitors are forced to come up with new ideas
14
Q
drawbacks of patents
A
- can increase dependency as many developing countries cannot compete with said innovation and are often forced to pay for western ideas.
- e.g. vitamin A deficient and golden rice
- patent laws mean that anyone who develops GM crops also owns every crop produced from these seeds in the future. This coerces farmers into signing contracts which either agree to not plant from these seeds in the future or to use TNC owned fertilizers.
- over one billion of the world’s poorest people rely on saved seeds, many often don’t have the ability to buy new crops each year and therefore are forced to take out loans. Rising interest rates of loans creates economic dependency.
- governments pay large sums of money to have access to pharmaceuticals. Zambia spends 30 times more on paracetamol than the USA . This creates dependency as it means that African populations cannot be healthy without intervention from the patented companies in the developed world, whose primary concern is often to make a profit.
15
Q
benefits to patents (has it changed recently)?
A
- WTO is working to bend the rules for developing countries and allow cheaper imports
- some companies such as GlaxoSmithKline have said they will not file patents in 50 developing countries. This broadens access to medicines
16
Q
NATO -military alliance
A
- 28 countries that Border the North Atlantic Ocean
- promote democratic values. during the Cold War, it united western powers against the USSR, meaning they laced missile bases throughout Europe. This stoped the spread of communism.
- used after 9/11 aftermath
- they can intervene during international crisis, creating a no fly zone and an arms embargo in Libya to protect civilians during Gadhafi’s civil war
17
Q
drawbacks of NATO
A
- fosters dependency
- expensive as has to maintain bases around the world.
- loss of sovereignty as raises questions about whether IGOs should involve themselves in foreign affairs they aren’t part of
18
Q
Economic alliance - NAFTA
A
- North America, Canada and Mexico
- world’s largest free trade area
- eliminates tariffs, removes investment restrictions and protects patents and working standards. this creates stability as people are no dependent and so much cooperate
- investment into Mexico and Canada increased by factor 7
- also helps to spread information effectively. This helps to stop illegal activity, controlling the drug cartels and leading to less gang violence
19
Q
drawbacks of NAFTA
A
- criticised for taking US jobs.
- many industries moves to Mexico due to cheaper land and labour prices whilst others threatened relocating to suppress unions
20
Q
environmental alliances - IPCC
A
- raise awareness about climate change as pioneers environmental research. This creates more public awareness and therefore support for issues like refugees.
- for example, they said that CC was 95% human
- attends international conferences (e.g. Marrakesh agreement). Here, it can outline guideline and pioneer initiatives.
- this reduces tension as different countries have the same approach.
- created in 1988 and has 195 members
- However, it is weakened by a lack of accountability/consequences meaning it is not legally binding and there is no real incentive to comply (Revealed Preference Theory).
21
Q
IPCC drawbacks
A
- criticised for making incorrect statements.
- their 4th report said that the Himalayan glacier would disappear by 2035, based on poorly substantiated estimates for rate of recession
22
Q
UN Security Council
A
- four permanent members (USA, UK, Russia and China) responsible for maintaining peace
- encourages cooperation to solve problems
- maintain human rights
23
Q
what steps do the UN take when conflicts occur?
A
- step one is a fact finding mission
- step two they issue a ceasefire and deploy peacekeeping troops
- step three economic sanctions, military blockades etc
24
Q
issues with the UN Security Council?
A
- it is so big that there is not enough time to consult everyone.
- everyone has a different political ideology (half of the permeant members are form the west and half the east). This makes it harder to agree on a workable solution
- expensive to run
- being voted in is reliant on diplomacy rathe than who is most appropriate.
- the issues they are facing have become more complex due to globalisation
25
UN international courts of justice
- deter crime by raising the stakes of illegal activity. it means dictators know that they aren't above the law and so can be held accountable. this makes them less inclined to do bad things
- ensures that international law is fair as there cannot be two statement from the same country ensuring equal representation. this means law isn't tailored towards one nation.
26
UN World Health Organisation
- aid during epidemics as they set up isolation zones during Ebola. This prevented the movement of people, containing the disease
- publish guidelines on health (e.g. air and water quality). This ensures countries make public health a priority rather than bypassing it to consolidate control. This means countries work towards common standards.
27
UN World Trade Organisation
- creates global trade rules. E.g. removing tariffs like at the 1986 Uruguay Round Negotiations which created 30 shared agreements
- they settle disputes to resolve conflict. Judgements are made by specially appointed experts. (500 cases have been resolved)
28
facts about emissions
- China is the largest CO2 emitter at over 7 million tonnes
- US's largest export is agriculture so requires lots of water
- China is the largest meat consumer
- Brazil has the largest cattle farming establishment
- South America has the largest forest loss
29
reasons why you CAN become a superpower without damaging the environment
- China is becoming a global power and has invested extensively into renewable energy
- most global powers are wealthy and therefore are the ones who can afford to ethically consume
- to become a superpower you need to have a well educated population. This may mean that people are more aware about environmental damage
- soft power doesn't rely on the natural environment and therefore developing power via culture may be less damaging
30
reasons why you CAN'T become a superpower without damaging the environment
- to become a global superpower you must have an extensive influence around the world (e.g. in trade). This requires advanced transport networks which emit CO2 and damage the environment.
- to become a global power you have to go through the industrialisation stage which emits lots of toxins
- need natural resources and therefore will exploit nature
- they need good infrastructure so may need to deforest
- rise in middle classes live more of a consumerist lifestyle and therefore creates more demand for goods and more waste.
31
Kyoto agreement
- 1997
- first time that countries tried to cut GHG emissions over a 5 year period (EU 8%, USA 7%, Russia 0%)
- the USA pulled out as both it and Russia rely on heavy industries. They are also much bigger so need more transport
- colder and warmer climates and therefore need heating or AC
- the EU is made up of lots of countries and therefore each country has to cut less
32
Paris agreement
- 2015
- policy to keep global temperates below 2 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures
- limit emissions to what can be naturally absorbed
- rich countries to financially support developing countries
- nearly 200 countries agreed
- Trump pulled out once in power as he wanted to nationalise the economy and 'make America great'
33
Marrakesh agreement
- 2016
- they focused on developing countries committing to using renewable energy with funding from the developed countries
- protection of renewable energy
34
China's commitment to the environment
- largest contributor to global emissions
- heavily invested into renewables as China is trying o diversify its economy towards innovation. This means people will respect it more and look to them for help as they are experts in the field
- they want to improve their reputation and be seen as a pioneer of sustainability.
- invested into 1600Km of voltage lines to transfer solar energy, using thermal energy to store it.
- interestingly, they have moved heavy industry to rural areas or outsourced it to Africa so that their emissions appear lower than they acc are (measured in urban areas)
- 48 Chinese cities are in the top most 100 polluted.
35
US commitment to the environment
- Trump remained sceptical about CC and wanted to nationalise the economy, increasing emissions
- reducing emissions could cost companies and therefore harm the economy.
- between 2002-2015, US wind power tripled.
36
Russia's commitment to the environment
- in 1990 agreed to reduce emissions by 30%. it has done so by 35% but mainly due to the economic crash
- invested heavily into energy efficiency laws and nanotech
37
the EU's commitment to the environment
- provides large grants for companies to use in order to convert to renewables
- by 2020 wants to cut emissions by 20%
- CAP protected farmers from imports but led to extensive farming.
38
Latin America and climate change
- interestingly 74% of people agree that climate change is a serious problem
- they aren't the largest contributors however they rely heavily on farming and therefore will be serenely affected by climate change and reducing in rainfall
39
how does a rise in middle classes impact the environment? (rare earths and water)
- more technology requires more rare earths like Coltan
- lots of resources are used in the extraction process and many release cariogenic toxin
- China produce 85% of rare earths and has started resource nationalism, threatening supply.
- industrialising countess are predicted to verse available water. In India, solar power pumps means it is being used three times as fast
- water table is dropping due to overabstraction in California
- wealthier people use more water in production
40
how does a rise in middle classes impact the environment? (oil and food supply)
- more holidays and technology like cars means more oil usage
- oil is used in the creation of plastics. more consumerism
- peak oil production has passed, suggesting we will run out in 2061, putting pressure on more roman areas like the Arctic Ocean
- eutrophication is damaging production of stable foods.
- consumption of rice has increase by 50%. it is now grown n the west due to immigration and an awareness about the importance of a health diet
- demand for meat and dairy had increased as westernisation means more people are eating western diet
41
why is the arctic circle a contested area?
- 13% of oil reserves are in the arctic creating economic opportunities
- politically it helps to exert hard power
- as it melts it cane become an efficient trade route to connect asian and European markets (Cheaper, shorter and yielding less Green house gases)
- Canada, the USA, Russia and Denmark have all claimed EEZ extensions.
- UN convention on the law of the sea states that countries can extend their EEZ by 200 nautical miles giving access to new land and resources
- in 2007 a Russian sub sailed under the North Pole and planted a flag to lay claim
42
how is the arctic managed?
- business as usual meaning there is no meaningful framework in place
- arctic framework which was set up under the 1966 Ottawa deceleration invoking 8 arctic countries to regulate power
- arctic global sanctuary whereby a biosphere reserve is created, leaving the area untouched.
43
sphere of influence
-a region were a country believes they have economic, military, cultural or political rights, often beyond their border
44
why is Ukraine important?
- acts as a buffer zone between Europe and Russia
- Access to Crimea means access to the black sea and trade with western markets
- oil resources are located there as they have a large land mass
- if western troops had control of it they could spread democracy and place troops on Russian borders
- Many of the older generations in Crimea support Putin and so Russia hacked the elections and took Crimea by sending in tanks.
45
why did no-one intervene in the Crimea conflict?
- Russia invaded a small annex which already favoured Russia.
- they wanted to prevent war and maintain stability so left it.
46
why does counterfeiting create economic tensions?
- makes people more reluctant to innovate as military technology can give power in defence and inventions could bring riches. Lots of power is provided.
- the American government gets less tax as TNCs like Nike get less profit
- form of organised crime in countries like China meaning they too don't get paid tax.
- costs the G20 $85 million a year
- tech isn't advanced enough in China to meet the mimicked product and therefore it is dangerous.
47
issues with counterfeiting
- TNCs are reluctant to set up or invest in China as their profits are reduced
- the Chinese gov don't act on it as it creates employment and means that they don't need to monitor human rights. this is taken as a sign that they ignore international laws making trade agreements hard to finalise
- Nigerian trade talks have broken down due to faulty electrical goods from China.
- 3.3% of global trade is counterfeited goods and 79% of American IPR seizures are from China.
48
why is china investing into Africa?
- belt and road initiative to achieve hegemony through trade
- Tazara railway created in 1976 is a pan-scale project. intermodal containerisation is quicker than roads and it can also transport people
- however these loans are increasing dependency and some say that the risk of accumulating debt outweighs infrastructure developments.
- djoubuti has become a geo strategic military location
49
why is there conflict in the middle-east?
- it connects the east and the west and divides political ideologies.
- Al-Quieda was created here and isis is a splinter group of that. It they can move through turkey, they can pose terror in Europe as they can get an EU passport.
- Damascus was historically a hub for trading routes and therefore it is a melting pot for different religions and ethnicities. (Palestine conflict after WW2)
- Middle East has resources like oil.
50
what is happening in the Syrian conflict?
- high Kurdish population in the north of syria. However, Turkey sees them as a terrorist group as they are a group deprived of rights in turkey and therefore started bombing. This caused the Turks to launch missile strikes
- Iraq, Iran and Russia who also run authoritarian governments support Assad.
- Saudi Arabia, USA and Qatar support the rebels
- the Rojava (Kurds) have made a deal with Assad whereby they keep ISIS at bay but get to keep their territory and work autonomously/.
51
why did the Syrian conflict start?
- it is the counterpoint of many different religions and therefore inevitable cultural clashes
- UN bureaucracy in 2013 also contributed as both China and Russia vetoed intervention in Syria, meaning nothing could be done. They should have given more weight to the general assembly
- Geneva conventions stated that civilians cannot be harmed yet Assad bombed Aleppo and cut off food supplies into the area
- This has justified US involvement.
52
positives for Africa of Chinese outsourcing
- china has invested heavily into infrastructure problems. This has made it easier to trade and for people to migrate in search of work. Nigerian airport and Kenyan railway
- increased employment and better livelihoods
- bigger status
- China has the military to quell insurrections and a communist government to implement long term plans. this helps with government corruption in Africa
53
negatives for Africa of Chinese outsourcing
- African countries are at risk of debt-distress. Kenya owes 21% of its overall debt to China. Debt equates to 60% of their GDP
- hostility as local markets are put out of business
- natural resources are exploited, damaging the natural environment. for example, coltan mines
54
positives for China of outsourcing to Africa
- have access to a plethora of natural resources. 75% of coltan is found here
- spread of ideology creating political influences as well as a foothold for military bases close to Europe
- alliances to sway political votes in IGOs
- economic benefits through leakages
55
negative for China of outsourcing to Africa
- can increase dependency. previously they were very self sufficient
- exploitation now dominates Chinese public image and this can damage other relations
- can lead to hostility with the west as the USA have already established themselves in Djibouti
56
costs of maintaining superpower status
- expected to intervene one international affairs. this is expensive and timely
- fragile as dependency increases with more interconnections
- migrants and damage to the environment thorough increased air pollution
- preferential treatment of TNCs can increase inequality
- it takes a long time to do and it costs to be part of IGOs.
- stand up for freedom means that you can become a focus for terrorism
57
how have the west become economically weak as a result of being a superpower?
- unemployment as more competitive manufacturing in emerging countries. European TNCs are owned by conglomerates so workers rely on firing decisions
- forced to undergo economic restructuring form secondary to tertiary employment. However, education and skills haven't developed fast enough and so disadvantaged communities haven't benefited.
- the US is poor and therefore when a recession hits we become very reliant on foreign investment, increasing dependency.
58
challenges for the USA of being a superpower
- high population and therefore water supply is becoming an issue in the southwest
- large inequality as you need a large population. Many are usually capitalist however meaning there is inequality. This makes race relations hard.
- The USA is ageing slower than the EU and social costs all on the individual.
- national debt in the USA in 2016 was $19 trillion, but they have lots of TNCs so are still stable.
59
chines little prince syndrome
- boys are overindulged and favoured by parents. they become selfish and behave like tyrants
- this make sit hard to find a wife and they become dangerous member sin society who do not listen.
60
challenges for the EU of being a superpower.
- debt in the EU is 90% of its GDP
- the EU is ageing fast due to good healthcare. This depletes the workforce and places a financial burden on the government
- tensions between countries wanting deeper unions. This has resulted in fair right extremism
- energy security is problematic as it relies on imports. e.g. oil and gas from Russia.
61
what are the costs of maintaining global military power?
- UK's nuclear arsenal consists of 225 nuclear warheads
- These are expensive to replace and the population thinks this money can be spent elsewhere. for example 13% of the USA live in poverty.
- has to invest into foreign aid
- nuclear weapons will probably never be used but acts as a real deterrent.
- air power is very important day-to day. Drones would be cheaper and more agile but the technology needs to be improved first.
- spies are no longer viable. computer networks are now vital for intelligence. it is expensive to keep up with tech developments
- China and Indies have space developments of over £1 billion but rely on aid and have an impoverished population
62
statistics about military spending
- Saudi Arabia invests the most on its defence budget at 12% of its GDP
- the Usa is second andChina is third
- interestingly emerging nations seem to be investing the most. Is hard power still favoured?
63
why is hard to predict the future balance of power?
- technology is crucial but these developments are uncertain.
- disease (e.g. COVID) can create civil unrest. People re losing trust in the government
- population growth is uncertain
- we don't know whether natural disasters will impact the world order (e.g. Yosemite and Northern Europe)
64
what is US hegemony and why might it be a possible outcome for the future?
- US dominance continue in a uni-polar way and China faces a crisis which ceases to grow
- TNCs have lots of soft power in the US
- they have a large influence in iGOs
- partisanship makes it hard to make decisions
- rise of Asia
65
what is regional mosaic power and why might it happen in the future?
- multi-power world with countries have a regional but not global influence
- this might happen as the economic centre is shifting towards Asia
- However, it doesn't work as no one makes decisions on climate change and trade for example
- increased competition and tensions.
66
what is new bi-polar power and why might it happen in the future?
- two dominating ideologies (China and the USA)
- this fits current alliances and political ideologies
- however, china is too confrontational to let that happen, vying for hegemony
- again it also doesn't work as no one is in control
67
what is the Asian century power and why might it happen in the future?
- power shifts to the east exclusively
- if the super volcano erupted
- China's growth rates are the fastest and their sovereign Wealth Fund is larger than Norway's
- China and India have many disputes and are unlikely to work together
- western soft power is too strong.
68
why is Taiwan a conflicted region?
- china do not recognise them as independent putting sanctions on goods
- damning in the Mekong causes tensions with Laos
- North South transfer project is taking water from the Tibetan Plateau
69
why do China and India have tensions?
- ideological competition
- tibet is significant as only 0.2% of China's pop live there but if China didn't now it, India would and therefore there would be no geographical protection. it is also used for water as they are sources of the Yangsi and Yalu
- there is no significant infrastructure in tibet
70
why is the South China Sea important to China?
- defends its coastline
- it has oil and gas reserves
- recently China has occupied the Parcel and Spratley islands as well as building new ones. built an airport on Fiery Cross Reef in 2014.
- This contradicts the UN laws of the sea.
71
what claim does America have in the South China Sea?
- America has military bases in SK, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Guam
- This means that it could cut off Chinese maritime trade
- America has spent years building relations with pacific nations through soft power and preferential trade agreements.
A Level Geography
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