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And let's be honest, the only reason a country like China is on these lists is because of it's massive population. It's economy is still very poor and it's military capabilities are dubious at best. Countries like Brazil belong nowhere on the list, and a country like Germany can't seriously be called a great power when they are occupied by the US and have only the most basic military capabilities. Countries like the UK and France have the ability to quickly crush armed resistance in remote places like Mali - can we really say with any certainty that a country like Brazil, Germany, or even China can do this?
Mead believes that Germany is the #2 great power in the world, but both the UK and France are not on the list? Hardly credible. It seems more like a list of the most potent economic powers of the G-7 (an economic association) than actual great powers.
China is already BEYOND Great Power and it is universally regarded as an emerging superpower.
Brazil is part of BRICS and is the 2nd largest economy in the Americas after the United States.
I don't think the EU should be in the list, especially if countries which are part of it also make the list.
Agreed. Saudi Arabia has much more influence over the surrounding region culturally and politically, but is economically exclusively dependant, along with the rest of Gulf countries, on the export of oil, even though they're trying to diversify their economy. Even Saudi Arabia's leadership in the Middle East is being put at test with the proxy war in nearby Yemen between the government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Brazil has a large economical influence but it doesn't even seem to be particularly relevant politically in its region
I believe the 4 major categories for classifying whether a country is great power are:
Economic size
Political/Diplomatic influence
Military or firepower
Cultural influence
And let's be honest, the only reason a country like China is on these lists is because of it's massive population. It's economy is still very poor and it's military capabilities are dubious at best. Countries like Brazil belong nowhere on the list, and a country like Germany can't seriously be called a great power when they are occupied by the US and have only the most basic military capabilities. Countries like the UK and France have the ability to quickly crush armed resistance in remote places like Mali - can we really say with any certainty that a country like Brazil, Germany, or even China can do this?
Mead believes that Germany is the #2 great power in the world, but both the UK and France are not on the list? Hardly credible. It seems more like a list of the most potent economic powers of the G-7 (an economic association) than actual great powers.
Brazil
China
France
Germany
India
Japan
Russia
Saudi Arabia
United Kingdom
United States
European Union
I just want my small and insignificant eastern european country to live that one superpower you're mentioning: the EU. I don't care if the turks/russians invade us afterwards. I'd better be fighting them than being part of tha bullsh*t called "European Union and NATO".
By the way...sorry off topic: I agree with small alterations. Remove Japan, Germany and put instead Israel.
Israel have nuclear weapon most likely + they have strong lobby in the US. Japan and Germany can be self-sustained by not necessarily the "super powers".
I wouldn't leave South Korea out of the equation. The ROK is one of the most technologically advanced and highly educated countries in the world. They have the world's 11th largest GDP, the 6th largest standing army, and the 10th largest military expenditure. They also occupy an incredibly important geographically strategic location. Then, of course, there is The Korean Wave!
There is much much more integration for countries in the European Union than NAFTA or the Arab League!
The European Union is now a regular member of G7 and G20:
So? more integration but they still aren't as powerful as NAFTA.
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