The BRICS:
- Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa (BRICS vs BRIC)
- They are becoming increasingly important to global economies as well as the politics of the world.
- They have large physical and human resources, large population, strong cultures and growing political influence.
- Strength and weaknesses of countries will determine their future power. The EU is a recently established power but it is outmatched by the USA.
Advantages:
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Disadvantages:
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China: Obvious emerging superpower
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Will soon become the world’s largest economy |
Faces huge ageing population |
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Invested heavily to create world leading education and industry |
Environmental pollution levels are very damaging to human health |
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Military might is expanding |
Relies on imported resources
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Bad water and energy security
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Not huge links with cultural and political influences.
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India: Another contender for China
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Big population (1 billion) and 300 million in the middle class
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Internal affairs
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Space programme, nuclear weapons and unique culture |
600 million citizens in poverty e.g Dharavi
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Neutral stance in world politics.
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Brazil: Regional superpower over South America
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Huge resources for agriculture and biofuels
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Mainly a regional superpower over South America lacking power on
the world political stage e.g UN |
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Large educated workforce |
Major economic slowdown following economic crash |
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Crime rate rising |
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Environmental problems e.g deforestation of the Amazon
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Russia: Former superpower but could retain status as
superpower
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Vast energy and mineral resources |
Soft power is weak compared with the USA |
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Large army, big population
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Far fewer allies |
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Strong desire for expansionist policies to become a world player
and control allies
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Major problems with alcoholism and crime |
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Putin as a major rival to the USA |
Physically switched off in areas in Siberia.
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Development
Theories:
- Modernisation Theory: Countries start off poor, develop and improve over time leading to them becoming richer.
- The country modernises by advancing in technology, trade and globalisation. Happened to the British Empire and USA.
- NICs showing this trend e.g South Korea. Does not account for why LDCs like Chad remain switched off and why some countries get worse e.g North Korea.
- Dependency Theory: The poorest countries stay dependant on the richest countries and do not change.
- USA, UK use aid, trade and debt control of world political and economic systems to suppress and control places such as Sub-Saharan Africa and poorer parts of Asia.
- A strong belief in neo-colonialism. Explains why LDCs remain poor but does not account for countries improving often with the help of MEDC soft power.
- World Systems Theory: Core countries (MEDCs), Semi-periphery (NICs) and periphery (LDCs) exist. A looping pattern that explains the current crop of the world but doesn’t explain why this pattern occurs.