Definitions of Power (DP IB Global Politics: SL): Revision Note

Economic power

• Economic power is seen when states, companies and individuals are able to affect change because of their wealth and access to resources

  • Economic power gives actors the opportunity to either persuade or force other actors to do what they want them to do

• John Mearsheimer, a leading realist political scientist, argues that states are constantly seeking to maximise their power

  • The best way to increase their importance in global politics is to expand economic power

• Economic power in states is often equated with their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 

  • The US has retained the top position in GDP over the past 45 years

  • China, India and Germany have shown significant growth, mirroring their increased influence in global politics

• Some companies, including Amazon, Microsoft and Apple have a greater net wealth than many countries

  • In terms of economic power they exceed many states

  • They have the economic power to influence governments, policies and global markets in ways similar to, or even greater than, some states

Political power

• Political power refers to the ability of actors to shape or change 

  • government laws and policies 

  • social behaviour 

  • norms 

• In single-party states political power is concentrated within the leadership

• In democracies political power is supposed to be shared amongst the people, to varying degrees, and the government in power

• However:

  • Wealthy individuals and companies can manipulate political power by donating money, legally and illegally, to political parties and leaders, thereby encouraging them to act in the interest of those donating

  • Social media has been used by multiple actors to manipulate voters with disinformation, thereby influencing who they vote for and the policies they support

  • Individuals and social activists can bring about positive changes to social norms which can lead to changes in laws and policies

Social and cultural power

• Social and cultural power is the ability of a state or actor to influence others through culture, values, ideas and social norms

  • Social and cultural power is linked to Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power

• Contemporary signs of social and cultural power can often be traced to historical events linked to colonialism between the 15^th century and 20^th century

  • English is widely accepted as the most useful and therefore powerful language because of the British Empire 

  • Many of the world’s systems of formal education are modeled on British or European schools

  • Western food, holidays, art and fashion can be found in almost any state in the world

• Political scientist Edward Said argued that although the empires of colonialism collapsed in the 20^th century, Western cultural domination continues to marginalise and diminish the importance of Non-Western societies

  • This sense of superiority and dominance is often destructive and dangerous

• In the 20th century as colonial empires faded, the USA began to dominate in terms of social and cultural power

  • American films, TV and other forms of entertainment are the biggest moneymakers globally

  • The USA is one of the most popular countries for international tourists

  • American universities, including Harvard and Yale, are very popular with international students

• Cultural and social power should not be underestimated

  • This type of soft power is very influential and significantly impacts how people think and behave