What Are The World's Biggest Superpowers? | NowThis World - YouTube

As we move closer and closer to a globalized, singularly powerful world, certain countries

have been more influential than others.

While the term “superpower” is regularly used as an attainable goal for countries like

Brazil or India, the concept itself is not that well understood.

So we wanted to know, what exactly IS a superpower, and which countries fit the description?

Well, overall, a superpower can be considered any state that has preeminent global influence.

Any decisions, whether domestic or foreign, have far reaching consequences even outside

of their immediate borders, allies, or enemies.

This sort of hegemony is best characterized by seven dimensions of power.

Natural ones, such as geography, population, and resources, as well as social factors like

economy, military, diplomacy, and national identity.

These country traits have historically represented wide-reaching, dominant civilizations, such

as Ancient Egypt, the Mongol Empire, and the Roman Empire.

However, the idea of a “superpower” is a 20th century classification, and has farther

reaching implications than just regional dominance.

World War Two was one of the first major displays of global power, and the start of globalization

through communication and economic cooperation, as we know it today.

In the aftermath of the conflict, three major superpowers remained standing, and collectively

divided up the world.

These were the United States, the Soviet Union, and the British Empire.

On every level, these powers were at the top of the rankings, each controlling massive

regions, with the British still wielding power over colonies around the world, and each holding

onto a distinct cultural and national identity.

However, in the mid-20th century, the British began to see their influence wane, while the

US and USSR only grew, especially militarily.

An event known as the 1956 Suez Crisis saw the British, among other nations such as Israel

and France, invade Egypt, in an effort to topple the country’s President.

Not only were they unable, but they drew the ire of the United States and the United Nations,

which demanded the British stop their invasion.

Having been weakened militarily by World War Two just a decade earlier, they withdrew,

in a humiliating move that signaled an inability to maintain dominance on their own.

This left the United States and the Soviet Union as the world’s two remaining superpowers,

and was the beginning of their fight for global hegemony, in what was known as the Cold War.

Over the next 50 years, the two proved their might.

In land size, the USSR was the largest nation on earth, while the US was the fourth largest.

Their populations were comparable at around a quarter billion residents each.

They were the top two economic powers, and while the Soviet Union had one of the largest

military on earth, the United States spent more than any other country by far.

Perhaps most importantly, the two had absolute alliances around the world.

The USSR had direct supportive relationships with of Central and Eastern Europe, and much

of Southeast Asia including China.

The United States was a predominant ally of Western Europe, the former British Empire,

and was aligned with most of the world’s largest economies.

Ideologically, they represented a divide between capitalism and communism, with most of their

allies falling into one group or the other.

But in 1991, the Soviet Union officially collapsed, partially due to their efforts to defeat the

United States, and partially due to internal corruption coupled with dramatic reforms that

crippled its government.

With the dissolution of the USSR, the United States reigned supreme, not just over the

former Soviet Union, but the world at large.

Today, the US dollar is by far the most commonly used reserve currency in the world.

The English language is now considered a global language, and is the most commonly taught

foreign language.

Militarily the United States outspends all countries by an enormous margin, more than

the next 8 biggest spenders combined.

In short, the only remaining superpower on earth is the United States.

But that may be changing.

Emerging economies, known as the BRIC nations, have seen unprecedented economic growth and

population booms.

These are Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and each stands a strong chance of upending

US hegemony.

There countries have seen renewed influence, with China as a manufacturing giant, India

with the second largest population on earth, Russia as a geopolitical manipulator, and

Brazil as a soft power with immense natural resources.

Additionally, the emergence of the European Union as a stable collective has raised the

possibility that they will become the next superpower, similar to the United States,

especially as the US has seen its international standing falter since the 2016 election.

As the rest of the world see breakneck growth, it may only be a matter of years until a new

superpower emerges to rival

the US.