7.1) Explain how ‘soft power’ can be used to maintain superpower status [4]
One way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through the spread of culture. This can promote the
beliefs,messages and ideologies of superpower status which can increase global influence and therefore power. This is seen
through America, which uses strategies such as Mcdonalisation to maintain its western influence.
A second way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through trade alliances. This helps the spread of economic
and military power by increasing the free movement of materials, commodities and materials.
7.1 Assess the view that hard power is essential in achieving superpower status [12]
Hard power: Soft power:
● Using military and economic influence to force a ● More subtle persuasion of countries to act in a
country to act in a particular way. particular way.
● Hard power can get results but is expensive and risky ● Some may argue that military action is unnecessary
● China is building military bases on artificial islands. or illegal - loss of moral authority
● Case studies - USA ○ Russia in Crimea.
○ 1991 - organised and led the coalition to expel ● Soft power is low cost and is about creating alliances
Iraqi forces and friendly relations, and may spread to other
○ 2003 - invaded Iraq in the Second Gulf war countries.
when economic sanctions did not work. ● Case studies - UK soft power
○ Trump imposed sanctions on imports from ○ 5th largest economy
China to reduce Chinese influence on the ○ Largest network of diplomats and
domestic manufacturing industry. embassies.
○ BBC world service = neutral and reliable
○ Lots of films and television
7.2 Assess the extent to which emerging powers threaten the economic and political global
dominance of the USA. [12]
● China threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● On the other hand, emerging powers can be seen to
China has industrialised. For example, China not threaten hegemony.
established the Asian infrastructure Investment Bank ● The US still has the world's largest naval fleet.
[AIIB] with 87 member states. ● Easy global power.
● India threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● Mass amounts of nuclear resources.
it industrialises. American Express offshores in India. ● Westernisation
● Russia threatens the political dominance of the US ● Free market capitalism and the expansion of
through military deployments abroad. McDonalds.
● China is threatening political dominance through trade ● English is a dominant global language
routes in the South China sea. ● America is a democracy - China is a dictatorship.
● China has less of a global impact.
7.2 Assess the ways in which Britain exerted its control over the world in the 19th and 20th
century. [12]
The British empire underwent 2 distinct phases, the mercantile Within this Britain exerted control over the exploitation of
phase and the imperial phase. In the imperial phase, Britain natural resources alongside control over trade routes.
exerted its control through the exploitation of natural resources. ● Trade routes
● Previously colonised countries such as South Africa ● Through this time period, trade routes with the
were rich in resources that Britain could use to fuel Spanish were integral for building up the economy of
their industrialisation. britain.
● Fleet of merchant ships which could transport ● The British had large and advanced armed forces.
materials back. ● Could easily conquer and control strategic territories.
● Led to the exploitation of less developed countries. ● Britain’s peak - 1920 - controlled 24% of land globally.
● Government owned businesses exerted mining and
plantation farming.
One way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through the spread of culture. This can promote the
beliefs,messages and ideologies of superpower status which can increase global influence and therefore power. This is seen
through America, which uses strategies such as Mcdonalisation to maintain its western influence.
A second way soft power can be used to maintain superpower status is through trade alliances. This helps the spread of economic
and military power by increasing the free movement of materials, commodities and materials.
7.1 Assess the view that hard power is essential in achieving superpower status [12]
Hard power: Soft power:
● Using military and economic influence to force a ● More subtle persuasion of countries to act in a
country to act in a particular way. particular way.
● Hard power can get results but is expensive and risky ● Some may argue that military action is unnecessary
● China is building military bases on artificial islands. or illegal - loss of moral authority
● Case studies - USA ○ Russia in Crimea.
○ 1991 - organised and led the coalition to expel ● Soft power is low cost and is about creating alliances
Iraqi forces and friendly relations, and may spread to other
○ 2003 - invaded Iraq in the Second Gulf war countries.
when economic sanctions did not work. ● Case studies - UK soft power
○ Trump imposed sanctions on imports from ○ 5th largest economy
China to reduce Chinese influence on the ○ Largest network of diplomats and
domestic manufacturing industry. embassies.
○ BBC world service = neutral and reliable
○ Lots of films and television
7.2 Assess the extent to which emerging powers threaten the economic and political global
dominance of the USA. [12]
● China threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● On the other hand, emerging powers can be seen to
China has industrialised. For example, China not threaten hegemony.
established the Asian infrastructure Investment Bank ● The US still has the world's largest naval fleet.
[AIIB] with 87 member states. ● Easy global power.
● India threatens the economic dominance of the US as ● Mass amounts of nuclear resources.
it industrialises. American Express offshores in India. ● Westernisation
● Russia threatens the political dominance of the US ● Free market capitalism and the expansion of
through military deployments abroad. McDonalds.
● China is threatening political dominance through trade ● English is a dominant global language
routes in the South China sea. ● America is a democracy - China is a dictatorship.
● China has less of a global impact.
7.2 Assess the ways in which Britain exerted its control over the world in the 19th and 20th
century. [12]
The British empire underwent 2 distinct phases, the mercantile Within this Britain exerted control over the exploitation of
phase and the imperial phase. In the imperial phase, Britain natural resources alongside control over trade routes.
exerted its control through the exploitation of natural resources. ● Trade routes
● Previously colonised countries such as South Africa ● Through this time period, trade routes with the
were rich in resources that Britain could use to fuel Spanish were integral for building up the economy of
their industrialisation. britain.
● Fleet of merchant ships which could transport ● The British had large and advanced armed forces.
materials back. ● Could easily conquer and control strategic territories.
● Led to the exploitation of less developed countries. ● Britain’s peak - 1920 - controlled 24% of land globally.
● Government owned businesses exerted mining and
plantation farming.
