1) The document discusses geopolitics and the analysis of geography, history, and social science with reference to spatial politics and patterns at various scales. It also looks to the past to inform the future.
2) It describes the expansion of the EU which has stabilized populations and increased labor pools, becoming a successful empire through incentives rather than domination.
3) Turkey is discussed as a gateway between Europe and regions like Syria, Iraq, and Iran, and as the most powerful secular Muslim state, though its large size and poorer economy may prevent full EU membership.
Assignment #3 Part 2: Analysis of Geopolitics, EU Expansion, Turkey, Brazil, and Iran
1. Assignment #3 Part 2by: Sarah GilchristThe Second WorldAuthor: Parag Khanna Parag Khanna
2. What is Geopolitics? Is the art and practice of using political power over a given territory The study of geopolitics involves the analysis of geography, history and social science with reference to spatial politics and patterns at various scales. Khanna describes geopolitics as a discipline that looks backward explicitly for the purpose of looking forward. “If international relations is the meteorology of current events, then geopolitics is the climatology, the deep science of world evolution…” P. Khanna
3. EU Expansion EU expansion has become a virtuous circle of tapping new markets to decrease reliance on exports to the United States. The EU is easily the most popular and successful empire in history, for it does not dominate, it disciplines. The incentives of Europeanization – subsidies from Brussels, unfetters mobility, and the adoption of the Euro currency – are too great not to want. Brussels today rivals Washington with its swarms of lobbyists, including dozens of public relations outfits hired by Balkan and post-Soviet countries actively vying for EU admission. Europe needs to expand, or Europe will die. Expansion stabilizes population decline, while increasing the labor pool. “European” has become an identity as strong (or as weak) as “American” or “Chinese”.
4. Turkey: Marching East and West Turkey is one of Europe’s two main prongs to the East, and the gateway to the world’s principal danger zone of Syria, Iraq, and Iran. It’s important not only for where it is but also for what it is: the most powerful, democratic, and secular state in the Muslim world. Turkey’s relations with the EU have become far more civil since the Ottoman siege of Vienna, although the size of Turkey (75 million) and significantly poorer than Europeans may keep it from ever becoming s full member of the EU. Turkey trades with all countries and therefore have a neutral stance as far as having no bad blood. The Ottoman Empire envy’s there market status with Europe. Russian gas fuels the economy while Turkish construction companies are rebuilding Russia. Istanbul, Turkey
5. Brazil: The Southern Pole Brazil has no pretensions to being a competitive military power, it’s role is based purely on its environmental resources and its massive economy. Over 80 percent of the continent’s top five hundred companies are Brazilian. Sao Paulo is the world’s most important center of airplane design and production. It has taken three revolutions for Brazil to become Latin America’s great power. Brazil’s demands in free trade negotiations for compensation is an example of second-world states standing up to the first world in ways the third world cannot. Brazil has even imposed reciprocal visa requirements on Americans (the only Latin American country to do so) while Europeans enter at will. Almost half of Brazil’s exports now go to developing countries, and it hosts large summits to boost trade with China and Arab nations.
6. Iran In the 1970s Iran had the same GDP as Spain. However, since Turkey’s economic absorption by the European Union has brought it far closer to the economic achievement, military muscle, and political stability to which Iran aspires. Millions of Iranians live hand to mouth, getting by with multiple jobs on the black market. Iran still receives World Bank loans, for sewage, health care, emergency earthquake relief, and water supply. During the Cold War, the US managed special relations with Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Iran. In 1977, President Carter flew to Tehran and toasted the shah as the leader of an “island of stability”. In 1979 the shah fled the revolution and US dealings with Iran can best be described as hostage politics.