Russia Research paper
Sir Halford Mckindler’s theory proposed that world domination hinged on the geographical command of the Heartland. The theory by Sir Halford was written in 1904 and is known as The Geographical Pivot of History. Mckindler argued that the earth’s surface was divided into the World-Island, the offshore islands and the outlying islands. The World-Island comprised the continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. The Heartland was the center of the World-Island. Controlling the Heartland ensured control of Eastern Europe, the World-Island and ultimately the whole world. This is because the World-Island comprises the largest portion of the entire world.
Historically, Russia has been controlling a large part of Eastern Europe. Before the Bolshevik Revolution, Eastern Europe was primarily under the authority of the Russian aristocracy. Since 1917, however, the formation of the Soviet Union saw a new form of governance. There was independence in the region. There was the formation of new countries and sovereignty was redefined. Currently, Russia is still the dominant force in Eastern Europe. Up to a time last year, Ukraine was under Russian authority. However, political upheavals between the two countries changed the sovereignty of the two nations. Ukrainians fought to dismember themselves from the power of the Russians. This meant that Russian rule was diminishing even more and more, since losing their power at the Bolshevik Revolution. It was only understandable that Russia would retaliate and prevent the annexation of Ukraine. As a result, a fiery assault ensued. Humanitarian intervention through NATO was required to resolve the conflict between the two countries. The issue became full-blown and involved the whole world against Russia. Currently, the relationship between the two countries is still icy, as is evident in the border fracas between the two citizens.
The initial argument advanced by McKinder’s theory proposed that control of the Heartland translated to world domination. Today, this statement is true to various degrees. In the case of Russia, for example, it does not explain to the control of the whole world. Different political developments in the current world mean that the seat of global power is not Europe. Even though there are powerful European countries, the emergence of the United States has changed the entire political arena. Unlike in McKinder’s theory when the United States played a minor role in the world power, now the United States is the world’s superpower. One of the five nuclear-capable countries in the world, the United States dictates a lot that happens in various parts of the world politically.
On the annexation of Ukraine, the United States led the parade against the Russians. Russia is still a major force. The length of the standoff before the resolution of the conflict shows that Russia still holds considerable power in the Eastern European region. However, that power is waning. The former members of the United Soviet Socialist Republics have been dislodging from the arrangement slowly and steadily in the past century. The physical domination once enjoyed by the Russian republic has been propagated into smaller, independent units. There is also considerable invasion by the rest of Europe and other countries not only politically but also socially and technologically. The once constrained political sphere of Russia is slowly changing and becoming part of the world. New influences on the economy by the external factors now mean that the previous isolation is now in the past.
Appendix 1:1: Russian Map Used