Safekipedia

Superpower

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

A stunning view of Earth from space, captured by astronauts during the Apollo 17 mission.

A superpower is a sovereign state or supranational union that holds a leading position in the world. It can shape global events through its strong economy, military, technology, politics, and culture. Superpowers also use diplomacy and influence to affect decisions worldwide.

The United States and China are the two countries most commonly described as superpowers.

In 1944, during World War II, the term was first used to describe the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Later, during the Cold War, only the United States and the Soviet Union remained as the main superpowers. After the Soviet Union ended in 1991, the United States stood alone as the world’s main superpower.

Today, the United States and China are seen as the two main superpowers. China grew stronger in the late 2010s and is now widely recognized as a major global power. Even though some people think the United States’ influence is decreasing, it still holds power through its friends, military strength, culture, and economy.

Origin

No single definition of a superpower exists, but all agree it is a nation that has mastered seven key areas of strength: geography, population, economy, resources, military, diplomacy, and national identity.

A world map in 1945. According to William T. R. Fox, the United States (blue), the Soviet Union (red), and the British Empire (teal) were superpowers.

The term "superpower" was first used in 1944 to describe nations with more influence than great powers. It became well-known after World War II, especially for the United States and the Soviet Union. These two countries showed great influence in global politics and military strength. The idea was developed further by scholars who talked about the special role these countries played in keeping peace and order around the world. Over time, the term has also been used to describe powerful ancient empires like Rome and Sasanian Persia.

During the Cold War

Further information: Cold War

See also: Soviet Union–United States relations

The 1956 Suez Crisis showed that Britain, weakened after two world wars, could not pursue its foreign policy goals as strongly as the new superpowers without giving up important economic goals. The United States, which was far from the main fighting of World War II, did not suffer the same damage as countries in Europe or Asia. This helped the United States become the world's largest lender and supplier, with strong industry and technology that boosted its military power.

The two main superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, had very different ideas about how the world should be run. The Soviet Union supported Marxism–Leninism, planned economy, and one-party state ideas, while the United States supported liberal democracy and a free market in a capitalist market economy. This led to military alliances like the Warsaw Pact for the Soviet Union and NATO for the United States, dividing much of Europe. Many conflicts during this time were called "proxy wars," meaning they happened in other places but were influenced by the competition between these two superpowers.

After the Soviet Union broke apart in the early 1990s, some began calling the United States a "hyperpower" because it was the only remaining superpower. However, not everyone agrees with this idea, and some believe that American influence has been changing since then.

After the Cold War

See also: Second Cold War

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, which ended the Cold War, some people thought the world became a place where only one country had the most power: the United States. A writer named Samuel P. Huntington said that the United States was the only country leading in many areas like money, army strength, and culture. But he also said the world was not as simple as having just one top country.

Experts today think it is hard to say there is just one top country anymore. They say the world is more complicated now, with many countries working closely together. Some think the United States will still be very important but not as much as before by the year 2030. Others think the United States might lose its top spot completely someday.

Some writers say that while Russia is not as strong as the United States, it can still cause problems for other countries. They also say China is becoming very strong and will be a big challenge for the United States, especially in parts of Asia. China's growing power in trade and the economy is changing how countries work together.

Potential superpowers

Some people have talked about different countries or groups possibly becoming very powerful in the world.

In the 1980s, some thought Japan might become a top power because its economy was growing fast. But Japan’s economy faced big problems starting in 1991, leading to a long slowdown.

Today, countries like China, the European Union, and India are often talked about as having the chance to become very influential in world affairs. China is sometimes seen as close to being a top power, but there is a lot of discussion about this. Some point to China’s strong military, growing influence in its area, and fast progress in technology. Others say China still faces challenges, like an aging population and questions about how other countries see it.

There have also been questions about whether Russia could become a top power, especially after facing economic and military difficulties.

Superpower collapse

Soviet Union

Big changes happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc in the 1980s and early 1990s. Important events included perestroika and glasnost, the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991. Some people had even predicted these changes years earlier.

British Empire

The Suez Crisis in 1956 is often seen as the start of the end of Britain’s time as a superpower. This event caused a lot of criticism around the world and made Britain and France withdraw from the area. Over time, many parts of the British Empire became independent, and the United Kingdom faced economic troubles. By the late 1990s, when Hong Kong was handed over to China, many felt the British Empire had fully ended. Even so, the United Kingdom still has influence today, especially in its capital city, London.

United States

Some people have wondered if the United States might one day stop being a superpower. Since the 2010s, there have been discussions about political differences inside the country and how other countries see U.S. actions. Some believe this could affect the United States’ influence in the world.

Superpower disengagement

Superpower disengagement is a plan where the strongest countries choose to stay out of certain areas. This can happen between two strong countries or among many of them. It means these countries stop helping groups fight in other places, which can help prevent big fights between the strong countries.

This idea was often talked about during the Cold War to keep peace between the Soviet Union and the United States. One example is when Joseph Stalin stopped helping fighters in Greece, and when Richard Nixon brought US soldiers home from Vietnam. Another example is the Austrian State Treaty, which let Austria stay neutral and not join certain groups during that time.

Proposed early superpowers

These are some early examples of powerful ancient nations. Back then, people didn't know much about places far away, so each area developed mostly on its own.

Archaic globalization (before 1500)

Many nations back then were important in their own regions but were not known worldwide.

Bronze Age

Fertile Crescent in the Early Bronze Age

In the very early days, different cultures didn't meet often. Trade happened, but usually through middlemen.

Fertile Crescent in the Middle Bronze Age

During this time, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia started trading more directly.

Fertile Crescent and Mediterranean Sea in the Late Bronze Age

The Minoans and Mycenaean Greeks knew about these places:

Indian subcontinent

India traded with Mesopotamia, but mostly through middlemen.

East Asia
Mesoamerica
Andes

Classical antiquity

Indian subcontinent
Known world by the ancient Greeks before the Hellenistic period
Known world by the ancient Romans in their republican era

The Drachma was a common money used in many places.

Known world by the ancient Romans in their imperial era

The Roman Denarius and later the Roman Solidus were common money.

East Asia

The West learned about these places mostly through the Silk Road.

Mesoamerica

These cultures were far from Europe and Asia.

Andes

Post-Classical Age

Known world by Medieval Europeans and Middle Easterners

The Roman Solidus and later the Dinar were common money.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Arabs knew about this area. Europeans knew it existed but didn't know much.

Mesoamerica
South America

Proto-globalization (1500–1800)

Main article: Proto-globalization

The Age of Discovery connected parts of the world that had never met before. New big empires formed, like Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and France. The British Empire grew very powerful and led the world for a long time.

Modern globalization (1800–1945)

Main article: Modern globalization

According to studies, until recent times, Europe, China, and India had most of the world's wealth.

Images

Leaders meeting at the Yalta Conference in 1945: Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin discussing strategies after World War II.
A view inside the New York Stock Exchange where people work and make financial trades.

Related articles

Cold War
British Empire
Soviet Union
World War II
United States
China

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Superpower, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.