Today, more and more people are beginning to be interested not only in the ruble exchange rate, but also in those events that influence it. Delving deeper into the topic, they are faced with the question: "What is geopolitics?" Is it theoretical or applied science? What is behind this concept, and most importantly, how does it affect the life of each individual person? Let's try to figure it out.
What is geopolitics?
This is a scientific discipline that arose in the middle of the century before last. So to speak, it “branched” from economic geography.
She considers the interests of the state separately from universal values. It was introduced by Rudolf Kjellen, a Swedish political scientist. In his work “The State as an Organism”, he made an attempt to analyze how the goals of the country arise and are formed depending on its geographical location. That is, he gathered into a single whole the thoughts of those scientists who tried to understand and formulate the principles andpatterns that affect any power, regardless of its social, religious or other structure. If we talk about the term itself, that is, break it down into its component parts, then it is clear that it is a synthesis of two sciences - geography and politics. Their laws, to one degree or another, became part of the new discipline. For those who have not yet understood what geopolitics is: it is the science of the formation and development of the interests of states, which are predetermined by the distribution of territories on the world map.
Meaning depends on context
Not any member of the expert community can be understood based on the scientific definition of the term they use. Many in their own way understand what geopolitics is. It is a system of knowledge and rules, some say.
No, rather, it is a scheme through which one can better understand the patterns of development of political processes, others argue. All this is true. Just different "angles" of the same rather voluminous "phenomenon". One of the approaches to this discipline was very intelligibly revealed in the book "Geopolitics, How It's Done" by N. Starikov. In simple language, based on known facts, he demonstrates to the attentive reader the patterns of this discipline in a historical retrospective. For example, why, at a time when Europe was considered a prosperous territory, there were no serious disagreements between states in its expanses, the prerequisites for the outbreak of the First World War were created? If we consider the question, as geopolitics analytics teaches, then it becomes possible to reveal hiddendisagreements that lead to armed conflicts.
Spectrum of issues addressed
At the beginning of its creation, this discipline specialized in questions of the political structure of the world, explaining its relationship with their geographical location, as well as historically established methods and mechanisms of control over peoples and territories. Now science is studying global processes, the formation and development of superpowers. The most important question for today is the prospects for creating a multipolar world, one of those that geopolitics is currently studying. How this is done, what needs to be done, what principles to follow, scientists are trying to answer.
The world is quite complex, it includes many factors, each of which affects its overall picture. Therefore, geopolitics analytics should be based on historical materials, economic theories, geographic data, sociological research. To do this subject, you need to have a huge systemic knowledge in many industries.
Methodology
They say that history knows no subjunctive moods. The same applies to geopolitics. It is impossible, as is commonly believed, to apply empirical methods in the study of this subject. Imagine what a careless experimenter can get if he starts an ill-conceived experiment. After all, his actions affect the fate of a huge number of people, if not all of humanity. The study of the subject is carried out by analysis. At the same time, it is broken into parts. Deepunderstanding of historical events, economic and social processes, then a synthesis of the results obtained is required, taking into account the geographical position of countries and individual groups.
Basic Laws
Discipline proposes to consider the state as a living organism. It is created, develops, influencing neighbors and the world around. The country itself is considered based on its position, territory, resources. In the theories of some thinkers, it was customary to contrast the countries of the sea and land. Those whose logistics depended on ships were supposed to develop faster than those who needed roads. These two civilizations are in constant confrontation, which often leads to aggression. For example, US geopolitics (the sea) is aimed at using foreign resources, both natural and human. This superpower interferes in the affairs of other countries, trying to get certain benefits, to “swallow” their peoples and territory. In contrast, the geopolitics of Russia (land) has always been aimed at creating partnerships. That is, goals were set for the mutually beneficial development of territories.
Schools of geopolitics
Due to the fact that all mankind is divided by this science into two conditional honors, it is clear that each of them develops its own views. At the same time, it is worth noting that they justify their opinion with the same doctrine. Nevertheless, two schools are distinguished, which are usually called continental European and Anglo-American (sea and land, conditionally). Differencesthey are rooted in history. They can be defined in relation to the effectiveness of the use of force. Europe (conditionally) treats wars with disgust, as its history is replete with bloody conflicts. Conceptually, this school proposes to rely in relations between the state on norms and rules that are developed jointly. Such is the geopolitics of Russia. It defends the principles of peaceful conflict resolution in the international arena. The Anglo-American school adheres to the opposite point of view. Here it is believed that one cannot rely on agreements that can be violated at any moment. You can base your policy only on the force of arms.
Application
The practical use of this item is extremely difficult to overestimate. This is already becoming clear to ordinary people. The world is said to have become very "small" as a result of globalization. The lives of many people sometimes depend on the actions of individual states. That is, the goals pursued by a superpower are achieved, in the end, at the expense of the well-being, and sometimes life, of an individual person. The geopolitics of the world is becoming one of the most important topics in the media. People need to know why certain things happen that affect them personally. And also to understand how certain forces use them for their own purposes. And for this you need to navigate them. States, on the other hand, use geopolitics to predict events, to build their own line of behavior.
Modern example
Everyone is talking about the current events in Ukraine. About what this country has becomea place of confrontation between two geopolitical forces, only the lazy do not say. Who and why began to influence the events in this territory? It can be simplified as follows. USA (sea) needs expansion of influence. They pursue the goal of strengthening their influence in the European zone (land). Ukraine is located geographically very well, in the center of this territory. In addition, gas transit passes through its territory, linking the economies of Russia and the EU. Having gained control over this country with its “pipeline”, it is possible to effectively influence partners bound by gas contracts. It is clear that states that are losing their economic advantages are "against". First of all, Russia. So two forces clashed, the goals of which are diametrically opposed.
Features of national geopolitics
The world has reached a level where the question of its structure is becoming more and more relevant. The leadership of the Russian Federation focuses the attention of countries on this problem. The President of Russia spoke about this at the Valdai Forum. His speech concerned not only criticism of the modern world order, but also proposals for a fundamentally new formation of relations between states. Russian geopolitics is based on the historically formed confidence in the equality of all countries. Everyone in the world has their own interests, which must be respected and understood by everyone else. Any issue can and should be negotiated without the use of threats or weapons. The multipolar world has just begun to outline its forms and centers. It is important that he can do without unnecessaryunreasonable victims.
