Superpowers

ItsZippy

Up-and-Coming Sensation
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
354
Reaction score
0
FP$
6
During the Cold War, it was obvious who the superpowers were - the USSR and the USA (and, possibly China). Now it's not so easy. The USSR broke up and Russia is nowhere near the power that the USSR was. Both India and China are emerging as large economies while the USA loses ever more control over World affairs. The European Union has been set up, which, collectively, has a major role in international affairs. So, who are the superpowers? Do we even have any?
 
Darn, I came into this topic expecting something totally different. :cry:

Dunno if I'd use the term superpowers, but we do have core and periphery countries.
 
Ok, what would you define as the core countries?
 
I think this is something that we really need to re-define. The general idea of what a Superpower is has indeed changed with the times. But holding to the classic standards... I would think China & Australia would be two to keep an eye on. Looking toward the new age thoughts on it though... Europe together would indeed hold a strong role on things.
 
ItsZippy said:
Ok, what would you define as the core countries?
It's part of the World-Systems Theory, which was actually a major subject in one of the classes I just took this semester. Don't feel like getting into it, but it states that the world is separated into three types of nations - the core, periphery, and semi-periphery. You can read more one that Wiki page.
 
Ok, I had a look at that. To me, it seems to define quite a few countries as core countries; which I would have issue with. There are only really a few nations that exert any real influence over the world.
 
New Zealand would def be a super power. After dealing with almost 3000 earthquakes. :lol:

But I was too expecting to see something different. All countries are different.
 
Hobbies230 said:
ItsZippy said:
Ok, what would you define as the core countries?
It's part of the World-Systems Theory, which was actually a major subject in one of the classes I just took this semester. Don't feel like getting into it, but it states that the world is separated into three types of nations - the core, periphery, and semi-periphery. You can read more one that Wiki page.
Peter Stearns? lol I remember that stuff from AP World class...

The US still is the most powerful nation in the world no matter how you look at it. However the more money we blow on bullshít wars, and the more we embarrass ourselves by torturing people and illegally monitoring our citizens, the less powerful we will be.
 
With the economic situation you are in, you cannot afford to try and be the world's policeman. With China rapidly catching you up, you'll get to a point where you cannot just exert military force to get your own way. America has built itself an economic empire; history has shown that, when you have to start using force to keep your empire in line, it's end is nigh.
 
ItsZippy said:
With the economic situation you are in, you cannot afford to try and be the world's policeman. With China rapidly catching you up, you'll get to a point where you cannot just exert military force to get your own way. America has built itself an economic empire; history has shown that, when you have to start using force to keep your empire in line, it's end is nigh.
Well force wasn't used to keep the 'empire in line'. It was used to try and kill terrorists which backfired and worked terribly.
 
Explain Iraq...? Completely unrelated to terrorism, but unhelpful to have as it was in terms of your economy. Replacing the regime with an essentially American influenced government certainly looked like keeping the economic empire in line.
 
ItsZippy said:
Explain Iraq...? Completely unrelated to terrorism, but unhelpful to have as it was in terms of your economy. Replacing the regime with an essentially American influenced government certainly looked like keeping the economic empire in line.
"Regime" and "American influenced government" are synonyms.
 
Perhaps, but it still helped support the American economy.
 
I was expecting a debate on which super power would be best and just about to write Teleporting! *I'll crawl back under my rock now*
 
The recession is unrelated to the Iraq war. Having some control over the Middle East will significant advantage the USA; it means they have control over the rich resources and strategically important area.
 
ItsZippy said:
The recession is unrelated to the Iraq war. Having some control over the Middle East will significant advantage the USA; it means they have control over the rich resources and strategically important area.
It didn't seem to give us any advantages. We got nothing. All we got was some oil, which is good, true, but at the cost of thousands of our own soldiers' lives, and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. Trillions of dollars have been spent on that war. I think if you ask any American, they will tell you that we got no advantages from going there.
 
Back
Top Bottom