Geopolitics is the science of control over space, the laws governing the distribution of spheres of influence by states in the world. The main object of the study of geopolitics is the actual and predictable geopolitical models of the world.
The concept and types of geopolitical models
The geopolitical model of the world is a global geopolitical structure, a kind of configuration of the system of international relations. Geopolitics studies both the current correlation of political forces and builds models of the future. Geopoliticians seek to identify the mechanisms of control over the territory and ways of spreading global influence. It is geopolitical modeling that has become the methodological basis for geopolitics.
In the most general form, three geopolitical models can be distinguished:
- unipolar, with one hegemonic state that determines world politics;
- bipolar - this model existed during the Cold War, which was characterized by the presence of two centers of power - the USSR and the USA;
- multipolar, characterized by the presence of many geopolitical centers of influence.
The most significant trend in the modern world is the transition from a bipolar model to a multipolar one. Therefore, modern geopolitics is also interpreted as a policy of multipolarity.
Modern geopolitical models
The main modern geopolitical models today include the six-pole world, civilizational confrontation, the model of concentric circles, confrontation of the Western world.
The author of the model of the six-pole world is the famous American diplomat G. Kissinger. In his opinion, the state of the system of international relations will be determined by six participants - the United States, China, Europe, Japan, Russia and India. In the proposed model, the policy of the three centers of influence (China, Russia, India) will be independent of the West, but nevertheless the United States will play a decisive role in the global world order.
Recently, the civilizational model of Huntington has become more and more relevant. According to the theory of this geopolitician, seven civilizations are distinguished in the world, which are fundamentally different in the dominant value system. These are Western, Islamic, Orthodox, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Latin American. It is the value differences that become the basis of conflicts between them and leave little room for compromise. According to Huntington, in the 21st century, Western civilization will seek to expand its own hegemony. It is the West's idea of the universality and universality of their value system that will lead to a clash with other civilizations, primarily Islamic and Chinese.
The heightened interest in the model of "the formation of civilization" has intensified after the intensification of international terrorism. It is assumed that in the future, the key element of international relations will be intercivilizational contradictions.
According to the model of concentric circles, international relations will be determined by “core democracies” headed by the United States and its partners (EU, Japan).
A similar model is defined as the confrontation model of the Western world. It is based on the thesis about the universality of democratic and liberal values and the expediency of their dissemination (and even imposition) on other states. Naturally, such a desire for US dominance will lead to opposition from other countries.
In the Russian literature recently, one can often find propaganda for the revival of the bipolar model. According to researchers, the Atlantic world led by the United States will act as one pole, the Eurasian world led by Russia will become the other center.
