Which is the next Super Power Country ?

[Hades]

There is no way the USA or any other nation in the world could stand up to china. While the chinese government builds the worlds largest bomb shelters, the USA can not even keep their roads and bridges repaired.

I don't see why people seem to think that only an economic growth and a big sized army makes a country qualify to be a super power. They do have a huge economic growth, their poverty rate dropped from 60% to 10%. And yeah they have a huge army, But is that enough to call them a super power?

Why don't we look at the other numbers? infant mortality rate? education? employment rates, life quality?

Well lets see.

I'll compare China (probably the most mentioned country in this thread) and Belgium (which nobody mentioned). Using indexmundi which looks like a reliable source for country statistics.

Infant mortality rate
in China: 21.16
in Belgium: 4.5
Sources:
http://indexmundi.com/china/infant_mortality_rate.html
http://indexmundi.com/belgium/infant...lity_rate.html

Unemployment Rates
China: 4%
Belgium: 7.5%

And how is the labor force in both countries?
China:
agriculture: 43%
industry: 25%
services: 32%

Belgium:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 25%
services: 73%

Is it better to have a 3% less unemployment rate but have 43% of the workers in low paid agriculture jobs?

Sources:
http://indexmundi.com/china/unemployment_rate.html
http://indexmundi.com/belgium/unemployment_rate.html
http://indexmundi.com/china/labor_fo...ccupation.html
http://indexmundi.com/belgium/labor_...ccupation.html

Education
-School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
China: 11 years of education
Belgium: 16 years of education.

Sources:
http://indexmundi.com/china/school_l...ducation).html
http://indexmundi.com/belgium/school...ducation).html


Education Expenditures:
China: 1.9% (ranks #170 in world chart)
Belgium: 6% (ranks #40 in world chart)

Sources:
http://indexmundi.com/china/education_expenditures.html
http://indexmundi.com/belgium/educat...enditures.html

I could go on with an array of other topics (how do they treat the elders? how's pollution? how healthy people eat? how's their medical system?), but I think with what I said I'm more than satisfied to say that Belgium is far more qualified to be a super power than China.

The point I'm trying to make here, is lets read between the lines, there is something to be said about economic and military growth, but that's not all that matters.

[Bernard]

Originally Posted by Atom

As far as superpowers go, militarily is all that counts, the economy is a different subject.

Think a moment about what actually constitutes a superpower, logically. The US is certainly not the worlds only superpower.

An economy defines the upper bound of what a nation can support militarily. The USA's military budget is just about equal to the rest of the world's military budgets combined. Of course, economic realities may soon change that equation. The only question is, IMO, will the USA emerge from the worldwide economic downturn in sufficient shape to continue it's military funding advantage?

[Atom]

Originally Posted by Bernard

An economy defines the upper bound of what a nation can support militarily. The USA's military budget is just about equal to the rest of the world's military budgets combined. Of course, economic realities may soon change that equation. The only question is, IMO, will the USA emerge from the worldwide economic downturn in sufficient shape to continue it's military funding advantage?

In several countries, nuke capabilities already exist. How good of an economy would one of these countries need to hire a few people to turn a few keys? I'm exaggerating somewhat of course, but, do you see my point?

[Atom]

My questions; how many superpowers are there now, and the one I haven't asked yet, how many do we need? We, as in, humanity.

[StrongInTheArm]

Atom if all it takes to be a superpower is having nuclear weapons, then your answer is nine. There is an interesting chart that lists the number of warheads each of these nine are believed to posses in the article.

I still think this is a simplistic way to gage a superpower.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by StrongInTheArm

I still think this is a simplistic way to gage a superpower.

I would have to agree with this as well. Yes, nuclear weapons tend to be in the hands of "superpowers" - U.S., U.K., China, Russia, and France. But, I don't think having nuclear weapons automatically makes you a "superpower." I think this is the case with Pakistan. It certainly gives Pakistan a lot more power, but "super" ? IDK I have trouble seeing Pakistan equally as powerful internationally as France or China or the U.K., blah blah.

Anyways, in regards to the question you keep asking, Atom .. "what is a superpower" that is a question that I don't think anyone has a real answer for. Doing a bit of research before I decided to make a reply here I came across a good quote,

"A country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world, and sometimes, in more than one region of the globe at a time, and so may plausibly attain the status of global hegemon."

If you are reeeeally interested in what a superpower is, William T.R. Fox is the guy who helped coin the term in 1944 with the book The Superpowers: The United States, Britain and the Soviet Union – Their Responsibility for Peace. Nicholas Spykman is the first to use the term (in 1943), but I didn't see any reading materials from him.

[Atom]

Originally Posted by StrongInTheArm

Atom if all it takes to be a superpower is having nuclear weapons, then your answer is nine. There is an interesting chart that lists the number of warheads each of these nine are believed to posses in the article.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by StrongInTheArm

I still think this is a simplistic way to gage a superpower.

Oh really? Have a look at this:

"The dominant effects of a nuclear weapon where people are likely to be affected (blast and thermal radiation) are identical physical damage mechanisms to conventional explosives. However the energy produced by a nuclear explosive is millions of times more powerful per gram and the temperatures reached are briefly in the tens of millions of degrees."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects...ear_explosions

Do you realize how much more power we are talking about here, than that unleashed in Japan?


I don't think you do. Follow a few links in these wiki pages and do a little math. Most people just don't get it.

[StrongInTheArm]

Check out the delivery systems and their respective ranges. It doesn't matter how big your's is if you can't get it up and to your desired target.

Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, just do not have the global reach.

[Zap]

I think they've kept enough to blow it up 10 times....



... in case the first nine times don't quite do the job.

[Atom]

Originally Posted by Zap

I think they've kept enough to blow it up 10 times....



... in case the first nine times don't quite do the job.

Are you and I the only people here that understand what it actually is that constitutes a superpower?
There seems to be a lot of deluded people here just dying to mix apples and oranges.

[Atom]

The ultimate weapons need not be used by the countries that possess them, they need only be usable. The countries that possess these ready weapons of ultimate destruction are superpowers.

[Brian]

Are you and I the only people here that understand what it actually is that constitutes a superpower?

Atom, you seem to think there's an actual definition of a superpower when there isn't.

Is Canada a superpower?

[Atom]

Originally Posted by Brian

Atom, you seem to think there's an actual definition of a superpower when there isn't.

Good observation, Brian, and I agree.

Originally Posted by Brian

Is Canada a superpower?

Yes, their superpower status is *shared. I was reading in one of those wiki articles about that.

[backgammonnn123]

We need more diplomacy as a species than pre-emptive strikes. More compassion and less killing and then everyone globally will stop looking at whos the next superpower.

[ranvijay]

India is going to be the next super power country in terms of economic growth,millitary expansion,Nuclear inventions and population as well.India's having the third largest military in the world.India has also got powerful nuclear devices as well.

[Natural Elements]

It's pretty amazing that on earth, all countries are fighting each other, but in space we can set apart our cultures and differences to pursue the same goal.

Why can't we do that on earth?

[Zap]

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

It's pretty amazing that on earth, all countries are fighting each other, but in space we can set apart our cultures and differences to pursue the same goal.

Why can't we do that on earth?

Perhaps because, in space, it's very apparent that we need each other to survive and that keeps us in check.
It's a very vulnerable position to be in.

Down here on Earth, we tend to feel invincible and superior to each other.

[Hades]

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

It's pretty amazing that on earth, all countries are fighting each other, but in space we can set apart our cultures and differences to pursue the same goal.

Why can't we do that on earth?

Because we are all different despite the fact that we are all humans.

This is more evident in Europe, pick any spot in the european map, travel 300kms from it in any direction (the distance between Boston and NY) and you will see something completely different than in the spot you picked, cities or villages built in different periods of history, people from different nations speaking separate languages, different religions and beliefs, architectures, races, life styles...

[Natural Elements]

That's pretty sad to feel invincible and superior to each other, because it gets you nowhere.

[Zap]

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

That's pretty sad to feel invincible and superior to each other, because it gets you nowhere.

Agreed. We're all the same species and we need each other.