What is going on here?

http://theconversation.com/british-empires-forgotten-propaganda-tool-for-primitive-peoples-mobile-cinema-64275

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Is this hard or soft power?

How did it help to

'maintain' power?

Patterns of power change over time –2. Cold War era and the emergence of China (Bi-

Polar Power)Learning objectives:

To understand that since the end of the British Empire, indirect control has become a more important way of maintaining and extending power

To understand the differences between Capitalist USA and Communist USSR

To understand how as the capitalist USA and communist USSR sought to extend their influence globally, this led to geopolitical instability and uncertainty

End of Empire and Beginning of Cold War

• 1945 – Europeans began decolonisation (1947 India gained Independence from Britain and there was partition between India and Pakistan)

• Since then, power has been based on international relations rather than how much land a country owns. Shift from direct control to indirect control (links to MacKinder's theory)

• The decisions made by the Allies (USSR, UK, France, USA and China) in years around WW2 have shaped international relationships and the world order seen today, for example……

• World Bank, World Trade Organisation (formerly ITO) and the International Monetary Fund – international organisations set up after WW2 to aid development and promote peace but argued to give an unfair advantage to the superpowers through their policies and voting rights

• United Nations and UN Security Council

• NB Despite economic growth since 1945, Germany and Japan have never regained significant military power (nuclear or navies) because of agreements set up by the Allies after the war; this has limited their superpower status

However, the peace between the Allies did not last….

• 1945-1950 the geography of Europe was reshaped as two conflicting superpower visions of the world clashed -

• Capitalism – in the shape of the USA

• Communism – in the shape of the USSR

• Both fought for 'sphere of influence' and 'hegemony' in Europe

• Clashed as so opposed – Bi-polar power resulted along with a nuclear arms race and a period of world instability and uncertainty with proxy wars which lasted until 1990 eg Vietnam and Korea

• Cold War 1945-1990– so-called as it never led to a ‘hot war’ ie no direct conflict between the USA and USSR. It was a 45 year stand-off between what were the most powerful countries at that time.

1945 – 1990 ‘The Cold War’

After the second world war, two global superpowers emerged. The USA followed a

policy to globalise its sphere of influence and become a stronger player in the world

system. However the beliefs and politics of the USSR did not agree with the USA.

In order to become more powerful the USSR took advantage of collapsed countries

in Europe and enforced a communist regime.

Bi-polar World

What criteria would have supported these countries rise to superpower?

Opposing Ideals of Power

CAPITALISM COMMUNISM

WORKERS ARE EMPLOYED BY

THE STATE

BUSINESSES BELONG TO THE

STATE

SOCIAL OBJECTIVE IS

FREEDOM

SOCIAL OBJECTIVE IS

EQUALITY

WORKERS ARE EMPLOYED BY

PROFIT MAKING INDIVIDUALS

BUSINESSES ARE PRIVATELY

OWNED

GOVERNMENT PLANNED

ECONOMY

DICTATORSHIP

NO FREE ELECTIONS

THE UNION OF SOVIET

SOCIALIST REPUBLICS

THE UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA

FREE MARKET ECONOMY

DEMOCRACY WITH ELECTED

LEADERS

USA v USSR

• Using the reference below, compare the two superpowers of the bi-polar era and the way that they maintained their power militarily, economically, culturally and politically.

• Compare their spheres of influence (the geographical area over which a powerful country can assert its authority)– you may like to 'map' these egUSA military presence across the world, spread of MacDonald's restaurants, communist v capitalist countries, countries who are in NATO and so aligned with the USA or were USSR and Warsaw Pact countries, the flash points around the world where 'proxy wars' took place (page 138)

• Edexcel text book – pages 136-138

Neo-colonialism• A key issue that emerged in the Cold War – how developing countries could be influenced and

controlled after they gained independence.

• Neo-colonialism as a term was coined to refer to indirect form of control which continued to give unfair advantage to the most developed countries of the world and so retain their power and sphere of influence.

• Neo-colonial mechanisms used to indirectly control decision-making and policy in another country include:

1. Strategic Alliances

2. Aid

3. TNC investment

4. Terms of trade

5. Debt

Page 138 for detail

Collapse of the Soviet Union – Return to a Uni-polar World

• 1985

Newly elected President Gorbachev introduced:

GLASNOST

“freedom of Speech”

PERESTROIKA

“private ownership of small businesses”

These started to weaken Communism in the country

• Late 1980’s

Economic failure and food shortages

1989 – 1991

With their new found freedom states within the USSR rebelled and

claimed sovereignty (independence) announcing collapse of the

USSR 1991

• This led to a return to a Uni-Polar World with the USA at the top

"Different patterns of power have brought about varying degrees of geopolitical stability and risk"

• Using pages 138-139 and your own research evaluate the degree of stability in the world in the three patterns of power; a table might help to gather your ideas and make your decision:

Unipolar Bipolar Multipolar

• Today with USA as superpower/hegemon

• British Empire

• Cold War 1945-1990• Future? USA and China

perhaps?

1910- 1945- uncertainty between warsFuture? USA, China, Russia, India, Brazil etc perhaps

Dominant superpower has little interest in stability. Strenuous efforts to be dominant everywhere using direct and indirect measures eg military.....

Does exerting soft power always exert less risk?