Understanding Power Is Critical to Understanding World Politics  Understand what is meant by balance of power and identify key types of balance that may exist in the international system.  Understand the concept of collective security and its prospects for securing peace in the international system.

What Is Power, and How Is It Measured?  Define power, focusing on both hard and soft forms; understand the dynamics of power that make defining power a difficult task.

The Nature of Power  Power’s Hard Profile  The Soft Side of Power

Dynamics of Power  Differing Forms of Influence  Power Is Shaped by Perceptions  Power Is Dynamic and Changing  Power Is Relative  Power Is Situational

What Are the Major Elements of Power?  Understand the difference between objective and subjective elements of power.  Be able to describe each of the key objective and subjective power capabilities possessed by states.

Objective (Tangible) Sources of Power  Military Capacity  National Infrastructure and Level of Economic Development  Geography  Natural Resources

Figure 3.1: World Military Spending: 2007

Figure 3.2: Gross National Income Per Capita Map

Figure 3.3: Petroleum Imports by Country: 2005

Figure 3.4: Population: 2007

Figure 3.5: Population Growth Rate

Figure 3.6: Global AIDS Epidemic Impacts Different Regions of the World: 2006

Subjective Power Factors  National Culture  National Morale  Quality of Government and Political Stability  Quality of Foreign Relations  Diplomacy  Intelligence