Geopolitics

Geopolitics is interplay among geogrpahy, power, politics, and IR. It helps us understand arragnements/forces that transform the world map.

Classical Geopolitics §

Classical geopoliticians fit into two schools, the German School and the British/American School.

German School §

• why certain states are powerful
• how to become powerful

First one was Friedrich Ratzel.

• inspired by Darwin
  • state = organism
  • food = acquisition of territory (lebensraum)
• based on 19th century
• led to Nazi expansionism

British/American School §

• strategic advaice fro states
• why countries interact at global scale the way they do
• majority of today’s classical geopoliticians

Heartland Theory §

• Key scholar was Mackinder
• land-based power would dominate the world
• heart of Eurasia was a impregnable, resource-rich “pivot area”
  • Eastern Europe to Eastern Siberia
  • influential -> great empire.
  • basically USSR
• predicted containment + NATO

Influence on Politics §

• Ratzel -> Nazis -> bad rep for geopolitics
• Mackinder -> USSR -> NATO

Critical Geopolitics §

Modern geopoliticians try to reveal/explain underlying spatial assumptions and territorial persepctives of politicians.

• Gearoid O’Tuathail + John Agnew: core state politicians = intellectuals of statecreaft

Main point of geopolitics: intellectuals of statecraft -> ideas -> influence + reinforce political behaviors and policies -> people process places and politics

America §

• “us vs them” spatialization
  • pro-democracy, independent, self-sufficient, free
• Ronald Reagan
  • USSR = evil empire
• Clinton + Bush
  • terrorists = evil
  • Afghanistan + Sudan = reaction to Osama bin Laden
• Example of one geopolitical perspective of multiple political camps across globe

Geopolitical World Order §

geopolitical word order: temporary periods of stability in the way international politics is conducted

Cold War §

• bipolar world order
• USSR vs US
• order ends -> world has transition
  • 5 possible alliances after WW2
    • US vs UK vs USSR
    • US + UK + USSR
    • US + USSR vs UK
    • US + UK vs USSR
    • US vs UK + USSR

USSR Collapse §

No more superpowers with nuclear warfare controlling everyone’s destiny. Supranational unions would govern with peace. Example was US led UN in stopping Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. Even Russia helped.

But national interest still strong -> nations -> states

• 159 UN members in 1990
• 184 in 1993
• 192 in 2006

Supranational orgnizations like Al-Qaeda was threat to world order.

unilateralism: new world order w/ US as dominant power and UN following

US invasion of Iraq -> rift between US and some European countries -> some Asia countries turn away -> China and India become powerful + globalization + EU economically strong -> US power is undermined.