The Role of Superpowers

1. The Role of Superpowers How do superpowers maintain power and influence international decision making? L/O: To understand the ways in which superpowers sustain their power and their roles in international decision making.

2. The maintenance of power • The challenge for superpowers is maintaining their status. • How this happens has changed over time. • Up to 1945 – large areas under colonial rule (European) • Colonial rule has distinct phases: • Exploration – discovery of new lands. • Initial settlement – usually coastal. • Trade in raw materials begin. • Gradual extension or territories using military action. • Development of political, economic and social systems to rule and exploit colony. • Kept indigenous people in poverty with little freedoms.

3. Maintaining power after colonialism • Decolonialisation and independence led to conflict and division on many regions. • Colonial borders did not reflect religious/ethnic boundaries – territory conflict. • Lack of governmental experience as local people were often banned from working in colonial institutions. • Colonial powers left – power vacuum/struggle – led to violence. This led to: • Neo-Colonialism • Indirect control over developing countries (mainly former colonies). • Use of MNCs/TNCs, and IGOs to control and maintain power. • Mainly linked with Africa – used to explain the lack of development on the continent. • Argued that it has prevented real development progress in 40 years. • A theory which cannot be proved. • Developed world maintains power over parts of developing world. • An extension of dependency theory?

4. Colonial India – Case study research task • Create a timeline of British rule in India. • Explain why the railway system was vital to India. • Create a map of the partition of India. • Include the following countries and regions: • India • West Pakistan • East Pakistan • Bengal • Pujab • Kashmir • Burma • Ceylon • Annotate the map with information about what happened because of the partition. • Use these key events: • War between India and Pakistan • How many people moved across the border and why? • War in East Pakistan • Creation of Bangladesh • Key Dates to include: • 1947 • 1971

5. Maintaining power through international decision making • Superpower leaders often on the world stage – key decisions about world economy, conflicts and environment. • Economic/political power is at the hands of IGOs, run by a handful of people. • Critics say they were set up by superpowers for superpowers. Task: Research the following: Founding year, Headquarters, Function/Role and members. Put this information into a table for these IGOs: • IMF • World Bank • UN • WTO • NATO • OECD • G8 Complete a matrix on membership of IGOs like the one shown.

6. Homework: How far do you agree with this statement? “IGOs have been setup by superpowers for superpowers. Explain and justify your choices.”