1. Geopolitical Theories
AP Human Geography

2. GEOPOLITICS The study of power relationships past, present, and future
Branch of political geography that considers the strategic value of land and sea area in the context of national economic and military power and ambitions

3. Alfred Thayer Mahan: 1890
Sea power necessary to facilitate trade and peaceful commerce
The country that possessed power would be one that could control the sea
Development of a strong navy was essential ingredient to a powerful state as was the country’s location
Most powerful country would have accessible and large coastline and good harbors

4. Mahan

5. Friedrich Ratzel
Organic Theory of States
“lebensraum”

6. ORGANIC STATE THEORY: 1897 * Founded by Friedrich Ratzel
The state is an organism conforming to natural laws and forced to grow & expand into new territories in order to secure resources needed for survival.
State requires lebensraum
Translates to “living space”
Adolf Hitler used this theory to invade surrounding countries and build German nationalism
Must devour other territories to achieve this goal

8. HEARTLAND THEORY Founded by Sir Halford Mackinder
World power is based on the assumption that the land based state controlling the EURASIAN heartland has the key to world domination.
Advent of railroads released countries from dependence on navy to move to army
Warfare would move from the water to land
Railroads would make heartland easy to defend and hard to conquer

9. Heartland Theory Contd.
Summary:
Believed the physical geographical quantities (land) are the most important aspect of state
Criticized for oversimplifying the complexity of factors that shape global geopolitics

10. DOMINO THEORY Cold War and Eastern Europe
Destabilization from any cause in 1 country can result in the collapse of order in a neighboring country leading to a chain of events that affect adjoining states in turn.
Korea (1950)
Vietnam (1964)
Afghanistan (1980)

11. Domino Theory Contd. President Eisenhower Speaks Out Against Communism
Domino Theory – Presidents’ Perspective

12. Bush Doctrine Two main pillars are identified for the doctrine:
1. preemptive strikes against potential enemies, and
2. promoting democratic regime change.

14. Bush Doctrine preventive war,
depose foreign regimes that represented a potential or perceived threat
a policy of spreading democracy around the world, especially in the Middle East

15. Close Read and Annotate
Independently, close read and annotate “Hitler and Lebensraum”