What is a superpower?
A Superpower is a large country with a large population, strong economy, great military power, and great political and cultural influence.
Superpowers are nations or groupings of nations (EU), that have a large amount of power compared to other nations. Their power is global in nature, as they have to control their economy at home and overseas. They also have a shared set of core beliefs and values, which they believe to be better than other countries beliefs.
The videos below are part of a series of four films, which look at the elements that define and make-up a global superpower. The first episode looks at the importance of economic strength. It contains a lot of new & difficult language, but it is worth watching just to see the map/graph at the end.
Superpowers are nations or groupings of nations (EU), that have a large amount of power compared to other nations. Their power is global in nature, as they have to control their economy at home and overseas. They also have a shared set of core beliefs and values, which they believe to be better than other countries beliefs.
The videos below are part of a series of four films, which look at the elements that define and make-up a global superpower. The first episode looks at the importance of economic strength. It contains a lot of new & difficult language, but it is worth watching just to see the map/graph at the end.
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The usa: a superpower?
Is the USA a superpower? And what challenges does it face?
The term superpower is used to describe a country that has:
1) A large population - the USA has the third largest population in the world (304 million).
2) A large strong economy - the USA is the world's largest economy. It produces more wealth each year than any other country ( GDP (PPP) $14.6 trillion).
3) Great military strength - The world spends around $1200 billion a year on its armies, warships... and the USA spends by far the most - almost half the world total.
4) Great political influence - The USA is big, strong, wealthy, and a military power. So it has plenty of influence on other countries, such as giving aid to poorer countries or using military force.
5) Great cultural influence - American culture travels the world, influencing what people wear and eat.
The term superpower is used to describe a country that has:
1) A large population - the USA has the third largest population in the world (304 million).
2) A large strong economy - the USA is the world's largest economy. It produces more wealth each year than any other country ( GDP (PPP) $14.6 trillion).
3) Great military strength - The world spends around $1200 billion a year on its armies, warships... and the USA spends by far the most - almost half the world total.
4) Great political influence - The USA is big, strong, wealthy, and a military power. So it has plenty of influence on other countries, such as giving aid to poorer countries or using military force.
5) Great cultural influence - American culture travels the world, influencing what people wear and eat.
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the Emerging powers & china
It is not possible to know what the world will be like in 2030 or in 50 years time, but it seems fairly certain that it will be very different from the world today. Today a unipolar world exists, dominated by one superpower, the USA.
It is predicted by investment bank Goldman Sachs that the BRIC economies will grow dramatically by 2050. BRIC is a term that refers to Brazil, Russia, India & China.
It is predicted by investment bank Goldman Sachs that the BRIC economies will grow dramatically by 2050. BRIC is a term that refers to Brazil, Russia, India & China.
China's One child policy
About a fifth of all humans live in China! It has the world's largest population: over 1.3 billion people. (That's 1300 million).
For years China's leaders were alarmed at how fast the population was growing. They said it was holding back development. So in 1979 they came up with the one-child policy. What did the policy entail?
For years China's leaders were alarmed at how fast the population was growing. They said it was holding back development. So in 1979 they came up with the one-child policy. What did the policy entail?
- Couples in towns & cities could only have one child.
- In rural areas you could get permission to have two children, if both parents are only children, or if the first child is a girl.
- If you have more children than your quota, you would be fined and loose certain benefits.
- Ethnic minorities could have more than two children per family since their numbers were low.
In December 2013, 34 years after the Chinese introduced the One Child Policy the government announced it would be relaxed due to the gender imbalance the county is facing and also the increasing ageing population they will face in the future. Check out the two videos below, which highlight some of the problems and also question without the policy would the population results have been better.
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Changing china
China is the fastest growing economy in the world currently growing at 7.4% (2015) and is nicknamed the 'worlds factory'.
But what did this country do to achieve such an impressive growth rate?
But what did this country do to achieve such an impressive growth rate?
- Deng Xioaping introduced economic reforms in 1979.
- He turned farms into businesses in order to gain profits.
- He introduced an ' open door policy' where he invited TNCs to set up in the country and he welcomed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
- He also set up Special Economic Zones, where he offered TNCs tax reductions if they up in China.
- China also joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001 which attracted more businesses.
Click on the image below to check out some cool statistics.
Urbanisation in China
In 2008 44% of Chinese people lived in cities. The urban population in China is swelling by roughly 15 million to 20 million each year, which is possibly the largest migration in peacetime migration history. Migrants move for a chance to exchange their life of subsistence farming for better paid jobs in factories or on construction sites in the cities. Click on the interactive links below and videos to find out more.
energy & the three gorges dam
China has over 1.3 bn people and it is developing fast. More factories and businesses coupled with people earning more and buying more electrical appliances, means China needs more electricity.
80% of China's electricity at the moment comes from the burning of fossil fuels - mainly coal. Most of the rest comes from hydroelectricity, as China has many fast flowing rivers, which it has been able to dam to to generate electricity.
The Three Gorges dam is built across the River Yangtze. it is an amazing engineering feat, with a dam wall being 2309m long, 101m high, and 115m thick at it base.
Is produces clean energy, but is it a good example of sustainable development? It has had a huge impact on the economy, the environment, and on the local people. Overall do the positives out weigh the negatives? Take a look at the videos and images below.
80% of China's electricity at the moment comes from the burning of fossil fuels - mainly coal. Most of the rest comes from hydroelectricity, as China has many fast flowing rivers, which it has been able to dam to to generate electricity.
The Three Gorges dam is built across the River Yangtze. it is an amazing engineering feat, with a dam wall being 2309m long, 101m high, and 115m thick at it base.
Is produces clean energy, but is it a good example of sustainable development? It has had a huge impact on the economy, the environment, and on the local people. Overall do the positives out weigh the negatives? Take a look at the videos and images below.
Development & the environment in china
China is developing more rapidly than any other country in history. It is making the same mistakes, as many western nations did and so now pollution is a massive problem. Coal is the main culprit, as it fuels China's development. And the trouble is: coal is a very dirty fuel. It causes acid rain and it contributes to global warming.
China is now very worried about pollution. It is also under pressure from other countries, beacuse it is the world's top producer of carbon dioxide. So it is trying to clean up. One plan China has in becoming more sustainable, is to develop Eco- cities.
China is now very worried about pollution. It is also under pressure from other countries, beacuse it is the world's top producer of carbon dioxide. So it is trying to clean up. One plan China has in becoming more sustainable, is to develop Eco- cities.
China & the future
By 2050, China's economy is predicted to be by far the largest, with India & the USA broadly equal in second place. This is a result of China's current manufacturing strength and its position as 'the workshop to the world'; China is also a huge consumer market as it population exceeds 1 billion people.
Will China be so heavily involved in Africa? How much will it gain from exploiting Africa's raw materials? Currently, China is Africa's biggest trading partner and around 30% of all the oil used in China comes from Africa.
How will China deal with the pressures it faces?
Will China be so heavily involved in Africa? How much will it gain from exploiting Africa's raw materials? Currently, China is Africa's biggest trading partner and around 30% of all the oil used in China comes from Africa.
How will China deal with the pressures it faces?
- Energy - will they be able to keep pace with energy demand. China had to open 2 coal fired power stations every 10 days between 2005-8.
- Water - Northern China is dry and 60% of China's cities are short of water.
- Ageing - China faces a dramatically ageing future.
- Freedom - Political freedom is limited by the Chinese Communist Party.
India: Bengal tiger or lumbering elephant?
India's claims as an emerging superpower are not as strong as those of China. But it is classified as a BRIC due to the following:
- It has a huge youthful population. It is projected to be be over 1.3bn in 2025.
- It is a nuclear power and it has a large advanced armed forces.
- It has a well developed world class service industry, being described as 'the back office to the world'.
- Wage costs are much lower than Europe.
- Skilled labour - India produces more science & engineering graduates than the USA.
- English - widely spoken by graduates.
- Working practices - workers are prepared to work very long hours and flexible shifts.
- Political stability - India's democracy is stable.