1Definition of Political Geography“Who gets what where when and how?Who– nations, states, neighborhoods, corporations, citiesWhat– resources (territory, humans, tariffs, oil/gas, police powers, media control, etc)Where–location- absolute: latitude/longitude, place, region- relative: distance, virtual (e.g. Internet)When– time – also relative with respect to event (e.g. 9-11)How– use of power or persuasiona) Hard power – military, economic (boycott)b) Soft power – persuasion – voting bloc, coalition, carrots 1) A Single Capitalist World EconomyCapitalist mode of Production: Workers do not consume all they produce. Instead, production is for exchange in a market, which determines the price of a commodity through supply and demand.2) A System of Multiple Statesa) states protect those without powerb) states protect those with powerc) political fragmentation i) prevents price fixingii) prevents challenges to the systemThree Basic Elements of the World System3) A 3-tier hierarchy based on 2 processesPeripheral processes: primary economic activities, low wages, low value addedCore processes:Secondary, tertiary, quaternary processes, high wages, high value addedThree tiers: Core, Periphery and Semi-PeripheryÆ Division of economic activities across the globe (the geography of international capitalism)Three Basic Elements of the World System2Kondratieff waves• 50-60 year cycles– A-phase: 1sthalf of cycle marked by innovation and growth– B-phase: 2ndhalf of cycle marked by stagnation or depressionINNOVATIONI. A. 1780/90---------1810/17 Steam powerB. 1814/17---------1844/51II. A. 1844/51---------1871/75 Railways/steelB. 1870/75---------1890/96III. A. 1890/96---------1914/20 Gas/electric powerB. 1914/20----------1940/45IV. A. 1940/45---------1967/73 Petrochemicals/electronicsB. 1967/73---------1989/92?V. A. 1989/92?--------- ? IT/biotech?The four Kondratieff cyclesKondratieff B-Phase• Four processes:– Production costs reduced by relocation– Mechanization– Rise in economic disparities– Flux period• Anti-systemic movements– Rise in oppression as protests develop– Expectations not met (esp. for middle class)– Faltering power of ruling class3Application of K-Waves to politics with use of three tiered hierarchy can explain world politics.Must examine:Location: core, periphery, semi-periphery (not just in terms of country, but of locality)K-wave: A or B phase? Effects on Global, national and local scales.Relationships: what are the connections between people and place in area you examine with other peoples and places?WST ApplicationScale of Reality -- Global ScaleScale of Ideology -- State ScaleScale of Experience -- Local ScaleThe state acts as a filter between the local and the global.• The state can expose or protect localities to and from the global market.Political economy and geographic scalesWhat?: The shift of secondary economic activities to the developing world. • Primarily light industrial activities, but increasingly heavier industries as wellWhy?: Wage differencesResult?: By 1990 the majority of goods imported to the US from less developed countries were manufactured goods (1955 = 5%)Also by 1990, the majority of the world’s manufacturing labor force lived in developing countries.Globalization & the new international division of labor
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