What Makes A Country Powerful?

Summary

This lesson delves into geopolitics, examining the dynamic interactions between countries on political, economic, and geographical levels. It explores factors influencing a nation's power, such as population size, resource access, and technological advancements. The script discusses hard and soft power, categorizing countries into superpowers, great powers, emerging powers, middle, and lesser powers, and touches on significant geopolitical issues like North Korea's nuclear program and the rise of non-state actors.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Geopolitics is the study of political, economic, physical, and social interactions between countries, and how they influence governmental decisions and the global landscape.
• 🔍 The field of geopolitics encompasses not only geography and politics but also history, political science, and international relations to analyze a variety of issues.
• 🤝 Geopolitical topics include alliances, migration, borders, territorial disputes, environmental matters, economic systems, trade, and peace and security.
• 💪 Factors contributing to a country's geopolitical power include population size and skill, access to natural resources, industrial and manufacturing capabilities, economic strength, technological advancement, military strength, and intelligence capabilities.
• 🌟 Hard power refers to the use of military and economic means to influence other political bodies, while soft power is the ability to shape preferences through appeal and attraction.
• 🌐 Smart power is the strategic use of both hard and soft power to achieve a country's objectives on the global stage.
• 🏆 Countries are categorized based on their influence as superpowers, great powers, emerging powers, middle powers, or lesser powers.
• 🕊️ Soft power can manifest through cultural influence, diplomacy, foreign aid, and international cooperation, such as the United States' cultural exports like Hollywood movies.
• ⏳ Geopolitical issues have evolved over time, with historical periods marked by different great powers and challenges, such as the Cold War, decolonization, and the rise of non-state actors.
• 🔑 Current significant geopolitical issues include North Korea's nuclear program, the European migrant crisis, Russia's asymmetrical warfare, the role of non-state actors like multinational corporations, and the rise of cyber warfare.
• 🔄 The geopolitical landscape is dynamic, with shifts in power and influence, exemplified by the decline of the United States' role under certain administrations and the rise of China as a world power.

Q & A

What is the main focus of geopolitics?

Geopolitics focuses on the political, economic, physical, and social interactions between countries, as well as national matters, and how these interactions are constantly changing over time.

What are some examples of alliances mentioned in the script?

Examples of alliances include the United Nations, NATO, the Commonwealth of Nations, G7/G8/G20, and the BRICS countries.

How does geopolitics relate to migration?

Geopolitics is concerned with migration, including voluntary migration, refugees, and illegal immigration, and the issues surrounding border control and territorial disputes.

What are some environmental matters that geopolitics addresses?

Geopolitics addresses environmental matters such as international agreements to combat issues like climate change, as exemplified by the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement.

How does geopolitics involve economic systems and trade?

Geopolitics involves economic systems and trade through the actions of international organizations like the WTO, IMF, and World Bank, as well as bilateral and multilateral trade deals like NAFTA and the TPP.

What factors contribute to a country's geopolitical power?

Factors contributing to a country's geopolitical power include a large and/or skilled population, access to natural resources, a strong industrial and manufacturing base, economic strength, technological advances, military strength, robust intelligence, and possession of nuclear weapons.

What is the difference between hard power and soft power?

Hard power is the use of military and economic means to influence other political bodies, often aggressively. Soft power is the ability to shape the preferences of others through appeal and attraction, such as diplomacy, foreign aid, and cultural exchange.

What is meant by 'smart power' in geopolitics?

Smart power refers to the strategic use of both hard and soft power in conjunction to achieve a country's objectives on the global stage.

How are countries categorized in terms of their geopolitical power?

Countries are categorized as superpowers, great powers, emerging powers, middle powers, or lesser powers, based on their influence and ability to exert power on the global stage.

What are some of the major geopolitical issues discussed in the script?

Major geopolitical issues discussed include North Korea's nuclear program, the European migrant crisis, Russia's use of asymmetrical warfare, the declining role of the United States in international community, tensions in the Middle East, and the rise of non-state actors.

How has the geopolitical landscape changed from 1815 to the present?

The geopolitical landscape has seen shifts in world powers, such as the decline of British, German, French, Russian, and Japanese powers in the 20th century, the rise of the United States as a superpower, the emergence of China, and the formation of new geopolitical organizations like the European Union.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Introduction to Geopolitics and Global Power Dynamics

The video script begins with an introduction to geopolitics, which is the study of how political, economic, physical, and social interactions between countries shape the world's power structures. It highlights the constant change in geopolitical landscapes, with the rise and fall of world powers such as the United States, China, and the European Union. The lesson aims to answer three main questions: the definition of geopolitics, what makes a country powerful, and the major geopolitical issues. The script emphasizes that geopolitics is an interplay of various factors, including history, political science, and international relations, and covers topics like alliances, migration, borders, environmental issues, and global trade.

05:02

💪 Factors Contributing to a Country's Geopolitical Power

This paragraph delves into the elements that contribute to a nation's geopolitical strength. It discusses the significance of population size and skill, natural resource access, industrial and manufacturing capabilities, economic strength, technological advancement, military power, intelligence communities, and the possession of advanced weaponry like nuclear arms. The paragraph also introduces the concepts of 'hard power' and 'soft power,' explaining how countries use these to exert influence on the global stage. Hard power involves military and economic coercion, while soft power relies on attraction and appeal, such as cultural influence.

10:03

🌐 Categorization of Countries Based on Geopolitical Power

The script categorizes countries into different levels of geopolitical power, starting with 'superpowers' that have a dominant global influence, exemplified by the United States. 'Great powers' like China and Russia follow, with the ability to exert influence worldwide. 'Emerging powers' such as Brazil, India, Iran, and South Africa are economies on the rise with potential for future greatness. 'Middle powers' have moderate influence and often rely on soft power, with examples like Australia and Canada. Lastly, 'lesser powers' have minimal international influence due to factors like small population, weak economy, or military. The paragraph also touches on the geopolitical issues faced by countries at different power levels.

15:06

🕰 Historical Overview of Geopolitical Issues and Powers

This section provides a historical perspective on geopolitical issues and the classification of powers from 1815 to the present. It outlines major world events and the great powers during those times, such as the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, the First World War, the interwar period, the Second World War, the Cold War, and the post-Cold War era. Each period is characterized by specific geopolitical challenges and shifts in power dynamics, illustrating the evolution of global politics and the emergence of new issues like decolonization, the rise of non-state actors, and the war on terror.

20:08

🔍 Current Geopolitical Issues and Their Global Impact

The final paragraph of the script focuses on the most pressing geopolitical issues of today, including North Korea's nuclear program, the European migrant crisis, Russia's use of asymmetrical warfare, the declining role of the United States in international affairs, tensions in the Middle East, and the rise of non-state actors like terrorist groups and multinational corporations. It emphasizes the complexity of modern geopolitics, where traditional state powers are increasingly interacting with non-state entities that wield significant influence on the global stage.

25:10

📝 Conclusion and Summary of Key Geopolitical Concepts

The script concludes with a summary of the key concepts discussed in the lesson. It reiterates the definition of geopolitics, the factors influencing a country's power, the categorization of countries based on their influence, and the major geopolitical issues of the day. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics to make sense of world events and the shifting balance of power on the global stage.

Keywords

💡Geopolitics

Geopolitics is the study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations. It is central to the video's theme as it deals with how political, economic, physical, and social interactions between countries shape the world's power dynamics. The script discusses geopolitics in the context of historical world powers, alliances, and current global issues.

💡World Powers

World powers are nations with significant economic, political, military, and cultural influence globally. The video script uses this term to describe countries like the United States, China, and historical powers such as the British Empire, highlighting their roles in shaping geopolitical landscapes.

💡Alliances

Alliances refer to formal agreements or bonds between countries for mutual benefit, often for military, economic, or cultural purposes. In the script, examples such as NATO and the United Nations are given to illustrate how alliances impact geopolitics by fostering cooperation or creating balances of power.

💡Migration

Migration is the movement of people from one country to another, which is a significant aspect of geopolitics due to its impact on culture, economy, and social dynamics. The script discusses migration in terms of voluntary moves, refugees, and illegal immigration, relating it to border control and territorial disputes.

💡Borders and Territorial Disputes

Borders are the defined limits of a country's territory, and territorial disputes arise when there are disagreements over these boundaries. The video script touches on the geopolitical significance of borders in issues like the US-Mexico border wall and how borders can be a source of conflict or cooperation between nations.

💡Environmental Matters

Environmental matters pertain to the management and protection of the natural environment, which is a critical aspect of geopolitics given its global impact. The script cites international agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement to demonstrate how countries must collaborate on environmental issues that transcend national borders.

💡Economic Systems and Trade

Economic systems and trade involve the structures and practices by which countries conduct commerce and manage their economies. The video script explains the role of international organizations like the World Trade Organization and the impact of trade agreements on geopolitical relations.

💡Peace and Security

Peace and security are states of stability and safety within and between countries, which are essential for geopolitical stability. The script discusses war, conflict, peace treaties, diplomacy, and the threat of terrorism as elements of peace and security that influence global politics.

💡Hard Power

Hard power is the ability to coerce others through military force or economic means. The video script contrasts hard power with soft power, using examples like military interventions and economic sanctions to illustrate how countries use aggressive tactics to assert their influence.

💡Soft Power

Soft power is the ability to influence others through appeal and attraction, often through cultural, ideological, or political means. The script provides the example of Hollywood's global influence as a form of soft power that shapes preferences and extends the United States' reach without coercion.

💡Smart Power

Smart power is a strategy that combines both hard and soft power to achieve diplomatic goals. The video script briefly mentions this concept as an effective way for countries to leverage their influence by using a balanced approach of coercion and attraction.

💡Non-State Actors

Non-state actors are entities that operate independently of any government and can exert significant influence on world events. The script discusses the rise of non-state actors such as multinational corporations and terrorist groups, which can impact geopolitics as much as traditional nation-states.

Highlights

Introduction to geopolitics and its focus on the interactions between countries.

The constant change in the geopolitical world with the rise and fall of world powers.

The decline of British, German, French, Russian, and Japanese powers in the 20th century.

The rise of the United States as a superpower and the recent emergence of China.

The formation of the European Union as a new economic and geopolitical organization.

Definition of geopolitics as the interplay of political, economic, and geographical factors.

Geopolitics as a multidisciplinary field involving history, political science, and international relations.

Discussion on alliances and their functions in geopolitics, including military, economic, and cultural alliances.

Importance of migration in geopolitics, including voluntary migration, refugees, and illegal immigration.

Geopolitical significance of borders and territorial disputes.

Environmental matters in geopolitics and international agreements to combat climate change.

Economic systems, trade, and the role of international organizations in geopolitics.

Geopolitical concerns with peace and security, including war, conflict, and diplomacy.

Factors contributing to a country's geopolitical power, such as population size and natural resources.

The concept of hard power versus soft power in exerting a country's influence.

Categorization of countries based on their level of power, from superpowers to lesser powers.

Geopolitical issues from the past two centuries, including world wars, the Cold War, and contemporary challenges.

Current significant geopolitical issues such as North Korea's nuclear program and the rise of non-state actors.

Transcripts

so in today's lesson we'll be

introducing the idea of geopolitics and

looking at what makes countries powerful

now when you consider what kinds of news

stories usually get the most coverage

you'll see that issues such as war

conflicts within and among countries

international confrontations and

terrorism tends to be the ones that get

the most coverage what you perhaps do

not know is that these topics fall under

the umbrella of geopolitics geopolitics

focuses on the political economic

physical and social interactions between

countries

it also looks at national matters now

what we must recognize is that our

geopolitical world is constantly

changing over time many world powers

have come and gone new nations and

states are imposing their will on their

own people and other people around the

world and in the 20th century we saw the

decline of the British German French

Russian and Japanese powers while at the

same time the United States rose to

become the world's pre-eminent

superpower

however in recent years we have

witnessed the rise of China is a world

power as well and we've also observed

the creation of a new economic and

geopolitical organization in the

European Union and this lesson we're

going to be looking at some of these

issues and how we can apply them to our

study of world issues and we'll be

trying to answer the following three

questions in doing so first what are

geopolitics second what makes a country

powerful and third what are some major

geopolitical issues now to begin let's

answer this very basic question of what

geopolitics is geopolitics is the

interplay of political economic and

geographical factors at a national or

international level this interplay

affects governmental decisions and the

landscape now deal politics is often

regarded as a science which only deals

with geography and politics however it

also includes the areas of history

political science and international

relations along with it so it draws on

these different areas to analyze

a variety of issues there are many

political topics that relate to

geography that we'd be concerned with in

geopolitics that would include these

following that we're going to look at

right now might be concerned with

alliances so different alliances between

countries around the world and alliances

have a variety of functions they might

be military economic or cultural in

nature so some examples of alliances we

have around the world today the United

Nations of which almost all countries

around the world are a part of NATO the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization which

is primarily a military alliance between

the United States Canada and Western

European powers it's been around since

the end of World War two the

Commonwealth of Nations which is more of

a cultural organization the countries

that used to be part of the British

Empire including Great Britain Canada

Australia India and many other countries

are a part of the British Empire

the g7 g8 g20 which is more of an

economic alliance and then the BRICS

countries Brazil Russia India China and

South Africa which is an alliance of

emerging world economies geopolitics is

also concerned with issues of migration

now migration takes a variety of forms

there is voluntary migration where

people are voluntarily moving to a new

country we might have refugees people

who are forced to leave their own

country and we have issues of illegal

immigration so the idea is surrounding

patrolling borders and deciding to get

in and out of your country some of the

issues surrounding things like the

border wall in the US which is a hot

topic in the United States and speaking

of which this idea of borders and

territorial disputes is also of

importance to geopolitics so how do we

decide where the border between one

country and another is going to be and

what happens when that comes into

dispute geopolitics can also be

concerned with environmental matters so

because the environment doesn't care

where countries decided their borders

were going to be that means that

countries have to cooperate with each

other to deal with a lot

of environmental issues so in the past

we've seen many international agreements

concerning the environment we could look

back to the 1980s with the Montreal

Protocol which banned the use of CFCs in

many applications we could looked at the

Kyoto Protocol which is one of the first

sort of key agreements between countries

to try to combat climate change back in

1992 however the United States never

joined onboard and slowly many countries

plotted pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol

so then in 2015 we had the Paris climate

agreement which was a our latest attempt

to have a comprehensive international

agreement to combat climate change

geopolitics also concerned with economic

systems and trade so we might look at

the actions of international

organizations such as the World Trade

Organization the International Monetary

Fund and the World Bank and how they

deal with economic issues between

countries we could look at bilateral and

multilateral trade deals such as the

such as NAFTA the North American Free

Trade Agreement or the TPP the

trans-pacific partnership we can also

talk about economic use such as the

European Union and finally geopolitics

is quite concerned with issues of peace

and security so looking at war and

conflict both international and civil

conflicts peace treaties and other forms

of diplomacy between countries the

threat posed by terrorism and other

international criminal groups cyber

warfare espionage and nuclear weapons

proliferation so now that you know what

geopolitics is we want to ask ourselves

this question what makes a country

powerful anyways now there are many

factors that contribute to a country's

geopolitical power these might include

any of the following having a large

and/or skilled

population the larger your population

bases the more people you have to do

things the more people you have to work

for you the more people you have that

you could potentially in

in your military the more people you

have the innovate new things for you the

more people think yours for you the more

people who can work in your government

so if you have a large population that

gives you a big head start it's not

necessarily the only thing that's going

to make you powerful but it definitely

gives you an advantage and a skilled

population that has the skills necessary

to empower your country does your

country have access to natural resources

if your country is relying on others for

energy and for water and for other

materials that's going to put you at a

disadvantage whereas if your country

controls those things your country has a

lot of oil if it has lots of energy that

has lots of resources that gives your

country a huge leg up does your country

have a strong industrial and/or

manufacturing base or can you build lots

of things for yourself can you build

into your countries to go to war because

you potentially leverage that to benefit

your country military does your country

have lots of economic strengths so

countries with higher GDP per capita

tend to be more powerful does your

country have access to lots of

technology and are you on top of lots of

technological advances are you making

good use of new technologies so in the

contemporary times we would look at how

countries are dealing with the rise of

things like automation and how in

digital technologies does your country

have lots of military strength again if

you have a large military and a powerful

military it's going to be easier for you

to exert your influence on other

countries does your country have a

robust intelligence community if you

have spies working in other countries

keeping tabs on them again that's going

to help you understand your adversaries

and what their thinking is like and sort

of be able to predict how they're going

to react to you it's kind of like a game

of chess being able to try to plan

several moves ahead as opposed to just

reacting to what's happening in front of

you having a really robust intelligence

community can give you that advantage

does your country have new killer

weapons the end of the day there's only

8 countries in the world that have

nuclear weapons or have acknowledged

that they have we feel their weapons the

United States Russia

China France Great Britain Pakistan

India in North Korea and we could

probably add Israel to that list as well

but for the most part the countries on

this list are varying degrees of

powerful around the world some of them

the United States an extremely powerful

country widely regarded is the most

powerful country in the world and then

even some of those countries that on

that list that weren't quite as powerful

North Korea or Pakistan India for

example they still have quite a lot of

influence because having these weapons

gives them a lot of leverage on in the

international community and then finally

what is your involvement in the

international community countries that

have lots of connections to other

countries that gives you a lot of

potential to be more powerful so are you

widely involved in the United Nations

and then different initiatives around

the world and that brings us to our next

idea here the idea of hard power versus

soft power so geopolitical scholars

often categorize the ways in which

countries exert their influence into two

broad categories we have hard power

which is the use of military and

economic means to influence the behavior

or interests of other political bodies

this form of political power is often

aggressive it is most effective when

imposed by one political body on a

lesser military and/or economic power so

some examples of hard power would be the

use of or threat of military

intervention economic sanctions or trade

wars between countries so it's again a

very aggressive form of power and you're

exerting your influence on another

through these means you're threatening

to invade another country if they don't

do what they tell you you're threatening

to not trade with another country or put

sanctions on another country they put an

embargo on another country to prevent

them from having goods brought into

their country these are very aggressive

course of forms of power this is in

contrast what we would call soft power

which is the ability to shape the

preferences of other political bodies

through appeal and attraction so some

examples of this would include diplomacy

foreign aid and cultural exchange so to

sort of elaborate on this last point

soft power um one very prominent example

of soft power from the United States is

their cultural influence around the

world think of the fact of how Hollywood

movies are seen all around the world so

that actually gives the United States

quite a bit of power although the u.s.

definitely has used hard power over the

past century to become a superpower it's

not just because they are threatening to

invade other countries are threatening

to put economic sanctions on other

countries that gives them so much

influence think of the fact that their

values have been exported around the

world through movies and TV shows and

music that gives a country a lot of

power as well now the leveraging of

these two powers together is sometimes

referred to as smart power so being able

to use these two things in conjunction

with one another to accomplish your

means that's to accomplish those ends

that your country is looking to get out

now with that in mind we can categorize

powers in a variety of ways from the

most powerful to the less powerful now

this is again these categories are very

broad and it's not to say that there's

not overlap between these but this is a

you know pretty good way of trying to

categorize where countries are in

relation to each other so at the top of

our ranking we have what are called

superpowers so this is a state with a

dominant position which is characterized

by its extensive ability to exert

influence and project power on a global

stage so these are countries which are

able to essentially get their way

internationally they want something done

they have a lot of power to get it done

because they have the ability to use

both hard power and soft power together

so in contemporary times really the

United States is the only example of a

true superpower although again these are

not terms that which are static the

United States was not always a

superpower was not always the only

superpower we go back to the Cold War we

could include the Soviet Union as sort

of their rival superpower and many would

argue that the United States is position

in the world is in decline today and

there are other powers which are

emerging to overtake them below a

superpower we have what are

called great powers so this is a state

that has the ability and expertise to

exert its influence on a global scale so

while it might not be the most powerful

of countries they're also able to exert

their influence on a global level so

today this would include countries such

as China and Russia as well as the

European unit below that we have what we

would call emerging powers so this is a

state which is usually also an emerging

economy that has a rising influence on

the global scale so while they don't

quite have the same power that a great

power would we can maybe predict that

you know 50 years down the line they

look like they're on pace to get there

so today this would be countries like

Brazil India Iran and South Africa

they're not quite at the level of a

great power but they have emerging

economies growing economies and we could

predict that 50 years down the line they

have the potential to be a great power

below that we have what are called

middle powers this is a skate that has a

moderate influence on international

relations middle powers tend to have to

use soft power more to accomplish their

goals in international relations because

they don't have as big of an economy or

as big of a population or a strong of a

military so some contemporary examples

of this would include Australia Canada

Mexico and South Korea and finally at

the bottom of our list we have what

we're going to call lesser powers so

this is a state that has little

influence over international relations

they might have very weak militaries

very small populations very poor

economies they're not able to influence

other countries in quite the same way

that these other countries were so there

are a variety of reasons why a country

might be we might categorize them as a

lesser power a country like in Dora is a

very small country in Europe with a very

small population they aren't able to

influence other countries all that much

country like Burundi which is an African

countries a very poor country they're

also not a very large country they're

the population of a few million and then

to Loulou which is a small Pacific

island faces many challenges because as

a Pacific island it's one of the

countries which with rising sea-levels

is physically threatened by climate

change if the sea levels rise too much

the country could literally disappear

they can only do so much though to get

other nations around the world to you

know do something about that protect

them so because there are lesser power

and because they have a very small

population they don't have a huge

military they have to rely on the soft

power they really have to rely on soft

power and they have to rely on the

goodwill of other countries to look out

for their interests and finally we want

to look at what some geopolitical issues

are that have a major impact on the

world so in this chart here what I've

done is I've looked at a few time

periods over the past two centuries

we've broken it up sort of by major

world events and what I've done is

looked at who are the great powers at

that time and what were some of the

major geopolitical issues that they were

faced with so if we go back to our first

time period here from 1815 to 1988 I'm

periods we've tried to break them up

based on major geopolitical events but

there are lots of other ways that we

could try to break this up this is just

a general overview here so our first

time period here is a pretty large one

from 1815 to 1900

the great powers of the world would have

been Great Britain the British Empire

France Prussia and then later what

became Germany Austria Russia and then a

sort of maybe a middle power maybe we

could include them as a great power the

Ottoman Empire now the major

geopolitical issues that they would have

faced this time were the fallout of the

Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of

Vienna colonialism and the race for

Africa national unification movements in

Italy in Germany and the great game

moving on to 1902 1919 we see some

movement in terms of who are the great

powers around the world we have Great

Britain France Germany Russia and

austria-hungary and sort of the main

geopolitical issues that would have

faced these countries this time were the

First World War and then the Treaty of

Versailles coming out of the First World

War how were they going to recover

this and try to prevent another great

war from happening and in the fall of

the Ottoman Empire which had controlled

a large portion of what's now you now

considered the Middle East with the fall

of the Ottoman Empire many new countries

were created out of that for our empires

carved up our next time period here we

have 1919 to 1945 this point we have

some new powers emerging

we still have Great Britain France and

Germany considered great powers but we

also have the emergence of Italy Japan

and the United States at this time and

some of the major geopolitical issues

that they were faced with were national

self-determination movements in Europe

the rise of fascism the Great Depression

leading into World War two and then

after World War two the founding of the

United Nations and a new order that came

out of that following World War two from

1945 to 1991 we have the Cold War era

now at this time the two major

superpowers are the United States and

the Soviet Union but we still have Great

Britain France and China who are

emerging China's emerging at this time

as another great power

now what were the major geopolitical

issues they were faced with the

reconstruction of Europe so how were

they going to get your back on its feet

after this war your was supposed

physically and economically in ruin

after World War Two this is a major

issue that needed to be dealt with on

the United States had the Marshall Plan

at this time to send aid to Europe and

get them to rebuild but this was not

just a form of hard power it was also

soft power cultural because one of the

conditions of the Marshall Plan was that

yet roberge's communism so none of the

communist countries got the Marshall

Plan date you have the Cold War the

tension surrounding that and all the

proxy wars which took place you have the

proliferation of nuclear weapons and the

threat of nuclear war

we have decolonization going on so these

former empires with all their colonies

around the world the British Empire the

French Empire these colonies the former

colonies are becoming independent we

have nationalist independence movements

and then there's lots of fallout from

that that has to be dealt and there a

final time period here from 1991 to the

present really students at the end of

the Cold War it starts with the fall of

the Soviet Union so although the Soviet

Union

no longer really a superpower the United

States takes over as sort of the lone

superpower in the world we still have

lots of geopolitical issues for these

countries to deal with so we have the

war on terror the 90s were kind of an

interesting time geopolitically because

the United States for almost 50 years

has sort of defined its foreign policy

around opposition to the Soviet Union

opposition to communism the fall of the

Soviet Union many have argued that the

US was kind of aimless and its pursuits

didn't really have something to focus on

so until 9/11 happens we see sort of

these different threads that are taken

up in American foreign policy it was

really many in the US government and in

u.s. international relations circles

they would not have been able to predict

what this next tribe would have been um

that that terrorism was going to be this

next big thing there were there are

other competing things too so one was

like organized crime many in the US

government thought like that was the

next thing they were gonna have to take

on maybe looking at the rise of China as

a world power but 9/11 kind of changes

this and the u.s. becomes focused on

this war on terror other major

geopolitical issues that are going on to

this day include globalization the

proliferation of nuclear weapons so new

states that are trying to acquire

nuclear weapons the rise of non-state

actors and the potential of cyber

warfare

so in 2018 some of the most significant

geopolitical issues that we are faced

with include North Korea's nuclear

weapons program and the tension

surrounding that the European migrant

crisis Russia's use of asymmetrical

warfare so their involvement in this is

this inclusive wide variety of things

from their involvement in the Syrian

civil war to their use of troll farms to

try to influence people's behavior

online their potential influence in

elections in Western Europe in the

United States to try to destabilize

democracies so Russia taking

these variety of strategies to try to

increase their power around the world by

asymmetrical warfare what that means is

that they're not trying to fight a war

with the military they're trying to

fight from a lesser position they're not

trying to spend as much money but

they're trying to accomplish those same

things the declining role of the United

States in the international community on

dirt under Donald Trump

so in Trump's first year in office we

saw the u.s. pull out of the Paris

climate agreement we saw the u.s. moved

to renegotiate NAFTA so things seem to

be changing under Trump's presidency in

terms of the USS role international

relations we see tensions in the Middle

East and a variety of forms we have the

ongoing Syrian civil war

we have tensions between Iran and Saudi

Arabia and the continuing conflict

between Israel and Palestine and then

finally we have the rise of non-state

actors on the world stage now by

non-state actors all that means is that

these are world powers cut film actors

which have in many ways the same power

as countries but they're not countries

this includes terrorist groups so al

Qaeda or Isis they are able to influence

world events in a variety of ways we saw

that with 9/11 we saw that with the

Syrian civil war we've seen that in the

way that American foreign policy in many

ways has changed to combat terrorism and

we've also seen it with things like

multinational corporations many ways you

can argue that companies like Google and

Apple Facebook Amazon in many ways these

companies are just as powerful as

countries off and then we have sort of

these multilateral coalition's like the

EU and their role as actors on the world

stage and how that's sort of changing

the interplay between countries so in

summary today we learned that

geopolitics is a field of international

relations that deals with the interplay

of political economic and geographical

factors at a national or international

level political topics related to

geography include alliances migration

borders and territorial disputes

environmental resource management global

trade peace and security there are a

variety of social political military and

cultural factors that influence how

powerful country is compared to others

the ways in which countries exert their

influence can be sorted into hard and

soft power countries can be categorized

as superpowers great powers emerging

powers middle powers or lesser powers

depending on how much influence they

have on the world stage and there are

many geopolitical issues today including

tensions in the Middle East North

Korea's nuclear weapons program and the

threat posed by international terror

steps