• Topic 7 is inextricably linked with Topic 3: Globalisation, building on the ideas studied in this previous topic.
• Geopolitics is the study of the influence of geographical factors on politics or international relations. The power to influence international relations geographically (geopolitical power) stems from a range of human and physical characteristics of superpowers.
• A superpower is a state or organisation that is able to extend a dominant influence globally.
• An emerging power is a state or organisation that is growing significantly in power and beginning to extend a more global influence. The state or organisation does not yet qualify as a superpower.
• A regional power is a state or organisation with a sphere of influence that tends to be continental rather than global. A regional power does not have the global influence of a superpower or an emerging power, it is much smaller. Spheres of influence is the global extent of a country or organisation's power. Power refers to the level of global influence an individual country has, affecting the behaviours of a country to get what it wants.
• A solitary superpower dominating all other countries (bigger than a superpower) can be referred to as a hyperpower.
• Superpowers play a key role in the global economy, global politics and the environment, and contradicting ideas can lead to tensions and geopolitical implications. The global nature of superpowers is therefore essential, this defines that everyone is aware of a superpower's influence and potential to affect world affairs. Certain countries and organisations extend more influence globally than others.

• Superpowers, emerging and regional powers can be defined using contrasting characteristics (economic, political, military, cultural, demographic and access to natural resources).
• The relative power of different countries can be considered in terms of their economic power, political power, military power and cultural power - four of the six characteristics. These four pillars of power can be used to determine the relative superpower status of different countries (they are not clear-cut). A country (nation) such as the USA has all of the four pillars of power whilst other nations may have strength in some pillars of power and weakness in others.
• In July 2018, the Independent newspaper published a ranking of the most powerful countries. The USA has been ranked as the most powerful country, followed by Russia then China. Economic, political and military power have been considered in this particular ranking, with three characteristics unaccounted for.
• Data on superpower characteristics can be used to quantify their power and influence. Power indexes can be used involving complex data sets, including ranking and scaling, to quantify power and influence.

• As the pattern of dominance changes over time, countries have a number of tools at their disposal in terms of extending their global influence and maintaining their power. Mechanisms of maintaining power sit on a spectrum from 'hard' to 'soft' power, which vary in their effectiveness.
• 'Soft' power is power through favour or persuasion. Countries use 'soft' power to get others to follow their lead by making policies attractive and appealing. There are three categories: cultural, institutional and ideological. Examples of soft power is the global dominance of the USA through TNCs such as Coca Cola and McDonald's and media, TV, films, etc. This coincides with the 'Westernisation' process discussed in Topic 3 (and later in this topic), allowing the USA to extend it's global influence and maintain power, arguably creating a Westernised global culture. A country may obtain the outcomes it want's because other countries admire it's value, one country shapes the preference of other countries - or acquiescence.
• 'Hard' power is power through force or coercion. Countries may use this in contrast to 'soft' power. Mechanisms include military action and conquest or the threat of it, and economic sanctions. An example would be the sanctions taken against Iran to try to prevent it from developing its military nuclear capability.
• Political scientist, Joseph Nye, coined the term 'soft' power in the 1980s as power without force. Nye has argued that the most powerful countries or true superpowers utilise 'smart' power. 'Smart' power is a combination of hard and soft power mechanisms.
• Over time, 'soft' power has become more important in comparison to 'hard' power. From 1600 to 1950, powerful countries conquered and controlled territories by military force. Nowadays, 'hard' power has been held by only a few nations, including Russia and the USA. One of the reasons for the decline in 'hard' power is the expense of military action and the immediate short-term effect of mechanisms of 'hard' power.
• 'Soft' power, however, has disadvantages. One is that the benefits take a while to materialise. This means its effects are more difficult to see. However, this does not mean it is any less effective than 'hard' power. The additional time for the benefits to materialise may produce a more effective response in the long-term than the short-term effect from 'hard' power. This explains why we need 'smart' power - the best of both powers.

Additional resources:

Read the 'Preview' tab of Get Smart: Combining Hard and Soft Power by Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Click here to access the article.

Read the article about soft power and the United States. Click here to access the article. To what extent do you agree with the following statement: "It is only hard, military power that counts on the international stage."