Author: Abhishek Sharma

🧠 1. Classical Geopolitical Theories (Foundation) These foundational theories, developed primarily by European and American strategists, provide a framework for understanding the role of geography in global power dynamics. Academic analysis often categorizes them by their focus on either maritime or land-based power Theory Core Proponent(s) Core Proposition Analysis & Reliability Heartland Theory Halford Mackinder Control of Eastern Europe/Eurasia (“Heartland”) leads to control of the “World Island” (Eurasia & Africa) and thus the world. It emphasizes land power. Mackinder’s theory was highly influential on 20th-century geopolitics, framing the German-Soviet struggle in WWII and the Cold War as a battle for…

The United States built its global dominance on what you might call financial power. The dollar is the world’s reserve currency—it’s what countries use to trade, to save, to measure value. That gives Washington an enormous lever. When the U.S. wants to sanction a country, it can essentially cut that nation off from the global financial system. It’s a form of influence that doesn’t require firing a single shot, and for decades, it’s been the bedrock of American leadership . China, on the other hand, built its influence through manufacturing and supply chains. Over the past thirty years, it…