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By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Define what a superpower country is
Give some examples of countries that are or have been considered to be superpowers.
Discuss why India, despite its fast economic growth, is far away from being considered to be a superpower by some by investigating the urbanisation of India and the problems that it brings.
superpower
/ˈsuːpəpaʊə/
noun
1.
a very powerful and influential nation (used especially with reference to the US and the former Soviet Union when these were perceived as the two most powerful nations in the world).
"the threat to oil supplies brought the two superpowers closer together"2.
(in fiction) an exceptional or extraordinary power or ability.
"he uses his superpowers to combat evil"
What is a Superpower?
The possession of highly superior military capabilities is generally considered to be the most important element in distinguishing a superpower such as the United States from a major power such as France or the United Kingdom. A robust nuclear deterrence and the capacity to project military power anywhere in the world are key components of this.
A superpower also draws its power from a superior economy, as well as the capacity to influence other states and international institutions (soft power). Superpowers conceive of their own interests in global terms and directly shape world events. While the term superpower is most often used to describe a state whose overall power is preeminent, it is sometimes used more restrictively to designate a state whose power is preeminent in one specific area (e.g., a military superpower, an economic superpower, etc.).
Task 1 - Read this twitter post from Subramian Swarmy written in 2012. He was predicting that India would have become a superpower by 2020.
Who is Subramian Swarmy? Use Google to research.
Would we expect his views to be reliable and useful? Explain your answer.
Does India have what it takes to be a superpower? Many experts think not, as it is much more than drastic economic growth which dictates whether or not a country can become a super power. Watch this 25 minute documentary on India - A fantastic contemporary example of rapid urbanisation in a less economically developed country. This programme examines the causes of urban growth, including rural to urban migration. It then explores the impacts of this growth, from the development of slums to the pressure on water supplies, sanitation and health services
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