Geopolitics is a field of study of geography that seeks to interpret current facts and the development of countries, through the relations and strategies between political power and geographic spaces of these nations.
Geopolitics is important to understand to what extent the strategies adopted by the States can interfere (or not) in the geographic situation of the place. It also guides the actions of governments on the world stage.
As a multidisciplinary area of knowledge, in addition to Geography, Geopolitics uses practices and theories from the areas of History, Geology, Human Sciences and Political Theory, for example.
She usually addresses important issues such as Globalization, world conflicts motivated by religious issues, the New World Order and the use of energy resources in the world.
Origin of geopolitics
This term was created by the Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellén at the beginning of the 20th century, inspired by the work “Politische Geographie” (Political Geography, 1897) by the German geographer and ethnologist Friedrich Ratzel (1844 - 1904).
Kjellén explained this new concept, based on the idea of Political Geography, in the article "The Great Powers", published in 1905. Later, in 1916, the author would reinforce the principles of Geopolitics in the book "The State as a Way of Life".
The concept and practice of Geopolitics is "forgotten" during World War II, only returning in the mid-1980s, with the emergence of the New World Order from the end of the bipolarity that represented the Cold War (United States x Union Soviet).
Learn more about Cold War.
Geopolitics and Political Geography
These are concepts that are to some extent related, but that represent different study approaches.
Political Geography is a science that relates the power of the State and its political institutions in proportion to its territorial space, covering aspects of relief, natural resources, characteristics of borders, etc.
On the other hand, Geopolitics consists of political strategy actions relationship developed between States or international economic blocs.
That is, while Political Geography is concerned with studying its territory and the relationships developed therein, Geopolitics focuses on actions that can guarantee the gain of power from the relationship with others territories.
While Political Geography is configured as a merely scientific study, Geopolitics can be understood as a military tool, as it is centered on strategies that serve for the acquisition of power, dominance and expansion territorial.
This "domination", in turn, can be understood as physical (aggregating new territories), as well as expanding its economic market to other borders.
know more about economic blocks.
World Geopolitics
On a global scale, the period comprising the Cold War years triggered many studies on Geopolitics, as it was a territorial and ideological dispute between the two greatest world powers at the time: the United States and the Union Soviet.
These studies sought to emphasize above all the importance of the role of the State in strategic decisions and in the definition of social values and norms.
World Orders and Geopolitics Development
World Orders are formed on the basis of power and sovereignty relations among nations. These, in turn, are configured according to a specific historical and temporal context.
The World Order determines which country is dominant in the international economic market, which are peripheral and which are central.
Old World Order
The first great World Order emerged from the Industrial Revolutions, with technological growth, increased production and multiplication of goods. This all provided the ideal conditions for the development of the bourgeoisie and the capitalist system.
In this Old World Order, England was considered the economic center of the world, especially between the 18th and mid-19th century. However, industry and technology are beginning to spread to other European countries.
Thus, nations such as France, Germany, Holland and, later, the United States and Japan began to have a great influence on the world stage.
With the territorial and market saturation in the mid-19th century, the dispute for new territories grew, a period that was marked as the neocolonialism (exploitation of African and Asian countries by the powers of the time).
The growing tension between the powers gave rise to the World Wars that marked the first half of the 20th century. After the wars, however, a new World Order began to take shape, with the United States being the main economic center in the world.
But at the same time, the extinct Soviet Union also began to rise, becoming the second largest power at the time. Thus, the dualism that protagonized the Cold War for many years is formed: United States x U.R.S.S.
Learn more about neocolonialism.
New world order
With the end of the Cold War (the fall of the Soviet Union and socialism), a expansion of globalization and expansion of the capitalist logic.
The New World Order becomes multipolar, with power centered in the hands of several multinationals spread across the planet, with emphasis on the United States, Japan and the European Union.
This new scenario is also conducive to the growth of economic blocs and the formation of other groups of developing nations, such as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Learn more about globalization and the characteristics of globalization.
Examples of topics related to World Geopolitics in the New Order
With the end of the Cold War and the establishment of the New World Order, the main geopolitical discussions focus on:
- combating global terrorism;
- redefining borders between countries;
- the migration of refugees to different nations, motivated by the constant climate of war;
- the nuclear issues;
- the socio-environmental problems.
See also about the meaning of Neocolonialism and Imperialism.
Petroleum Geopolitics
Oil is considered a very important natural resource for the activity of industries and energy generation and, therefore, it attracts the attention of great world powers. Petroleum geopolitics addresses the scenarios and global dynamics to achieve this natural resource.
With the growing scarcity of oil, it is common to witness a great dispute between the main world economic powers. In this scenario, the main conflict involves the United States, considered the biggest consumer of oil in the world, and the Arab countries, which are the biggest generators of this mineral resource.
Brazilian Geopolitics
In Brazilian territory, the objectives of geopolitics are related to the national integration of states, taking into account socioeconomic characteristics of the regions, sustainable development and growth urban planning. These factors help to include the country in the international economy, as it is the main South American power.
Issues involving the agrarian space and the main biomes are also considered important in studies in Brazilian Geopolitics. There are three large areas that determine a certain regional influence, which are the South Atlantic, the Platinum Basin and the Amazon Region.
Learn more about the meaning of Geographic space.
