N5 Modern Studies - USA World Powers

Military influence, NATO membership:

The US provides a significant proportion of NATO's defence spending, meaning they get to have an influence over NATO's decision making process.

For example, nearly 70% of NATO's defence budget comes from the US. THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE: The US can influence key decisions made by NATO, and if NATO do not agree with the US then the US could threaten to withdraw their support.

Military influence, Nuclear Weapons: The US is investing heavily in their nuclear weapons - although Russia has more nuclear warheads than the USA, the USA's nuclear budget is bigger and their weapons are more advanced.

For example, in 2023 the US spent $51.5 billion on nuclear weapons alone.THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE: other countries may want to ally with the US for their own protection or may be too intimidated to start conflict with the US for fear of them using their nuclear weapons.

Military influence, Spends the most on the military

• The USA spends as much on its armed forces as the remaining G7 powers combined (the G7 are the world's 7 biggest economies).

• For example, the USA spent $916 billion on the military in 2023.• In 2023, the US made up 40% of military spending in the whole world. THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE: They are a military threat to other countries so other countries want to be their ally - only the USA can afford to spend this much on their military.

Economic influence, Largest economy in the world:

• The US economy is the largest economy in the world

The USA GDP was $27.4 trillion in 2023.

THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE:If the USA economy isn't doing well then this could hurt Scotland as the US might buy less from Scotland or fewer tourists will come over both of which could cost Scottish jobs. E.g. 115,000 jobs in Scotland are in American companies.

Economic influence, resources.

The USA is an economic superpower that is highly advanced in terms of technology and infrastructure and has lots of natural resources.

For example, the USA is the world’s biggest supplier of the crop corn.

• Influence: This means other countries rely on them for trade giving the USA influence as they need their produce.

Economic influence, trade and business

America has generated a number of powerful businesses which benefit other countries through employment and money generated from consumerism.

Large businesses such as Walmart and Apple originated from America and have contributed to economies all over the world. THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE..around 88% of the world's transactions are in USD

Political influence, Permanent Member of the UN Security Council

• There are only 5 permanent members of the Security Council, so this is a very influential position.

• Permanent members can impose economic sanctions and take military action on other states

• Also, permanent members have the power of veto.

the US pays almost 27% of the budget for peacekeeping; they contribute more than any other country. THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE:The US can use this to penalise their enemies, help their allies and exert their influence.

Political influence, Member of NATO

NATO gives the US political influence as they are one of the biggest contributors to the NATO budget, therefore they have an important role in making political decisions.

the US spent 3.4% of GDP on NATO defence. THIS INFLUENCES OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE the US knows how important they are the organisation and can use that to push their political agenda.

Political influence, Relationships with other countries

The US has a huge amount of influence on political relations with other countries. USA is one of the most powerful countries, so it wants to keep good relations with other countries to keep that power.

In June 2018, President Trump met with Kim Jong Un. North Korea agreed to stop its nuclear programme and release US prisoners of war.

Influence - Other countries want to work with the USA, and the USA are able to influence other countries to benefit them.

economic influence, impact on other countries

In 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, the US placed sanctions on Russia.

This had a huge financial impact as Russian savings were stored in US currency, preventing them from accessing the money.

This shows the USA is very influential because it impacted other countries, and encouraged countries like the UK to also implement financial sanctions.

Social inequality: poor health because healthcare in the USA is not free - many Americans, particularly ethnic minorities and those on a low income, do not have regular access to healthcare and suffer from poorer health as a result of not being able to access treatment..

6.5% of White Americans don't have health

insurance but 8% of Hispanics don't

Social inequality: Ethnic groups are more likely to have a lower life expectancy due to having low incense and not being able to afford healthcare

AA men live 7 years less than ethnic groups - Latino adults are 45% more likely to die from diabetes

Economic Inequality: Health insurance is too expensive and Americans cannot afford it

In 2023, the average cost of health insurance in the us was around $560 per month. Around 26 million Americans had no healthcare

Economic Inequality: insufficient wages to cover the basic cost of living.

This means that many people in the USA are living below the poverty line, working in poorly paid jobs therefore not giving them access to the same resources as other groups in society. This impacts EMs in particular, as they are more likely to be in low skilled, low paid work.

17.9% of Black Americans are in poverty,

compared to 7.7% of White Americans.

Economic inequality: Unemployment-This is because ethnic minorities have higher rates of unemployment than white Americans, due to discrimination and lacking the skills or qualifications needed for jobs

3.3% of White American are unemployed, compared to 5.5% of Black Americans.

Social inequality: lack of education.

This is because local taxes fund schools in the USA and those in poorer areas therefore have poorer funded and poorer performing schools. Since EMs are more likely to live in poorer areas, this disproportionately impacts them.

In 2022, the Education Trust in the USA revealed that districts with the most EM students receive substantially less state and local revenue — as much as $2,700 per student — less than districts with the fewest students of colour.

Obamacare - effectiveness

In 2010 over 50 million Americans didn't have insurance - in 2021 was 27.5 million.

• It has positively impacted millions of non-elderly Americans.

• Children can stay on their parent's health care plan until age 26

• In 2023, 16.3 million Americans signed up for Obamacare - a new record.

• Companies can no longer charge women more than men

Obamacare - ineffectiveness

Under President Biden's administration, Congress has expanded Obamacare up to 2025, but this means insurers can increase their prices for people.•Republicans call it a "job killer".

When Trump came back to power in 2025, he signed an Executive Order to repeal Biden’s policy that expanded healthcare access, affecting the healthcare of 20 million people.

Social Government Response:

Every student succeeds act (2015) effectiveness,

Reading and maths scores amongst ethnic minorities have improved since the introduction of this law.

• In 2019, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee said it has meant less time focusing on test scores and more focus on giving support to low performing schools.

• It gives funding for programmes like music or art courses and after school/summer school programmes

Every student succeeds act (2015) ineffectiveness

As it gives a lot more power to states, it can be argued there has not been any great national change.

• In 2022, it was found that despite ESSA, results for 4th grade pupils dropped after the pandemic - impacting ethnic

minority students the most.

• States must test 95% of children - so schools can tactically avoid testing children from disadvantaged backgrounds

who may not perform as well, making the results unreliable.

minimum wage effectiveness

In 2021, Biden signed an EO on increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour for federal contractors. Federal employees now earn more per hour and therefore more are being lifted out of poverty. In addition, some states and cities have passed legislation to increase the minimum wage (Columbia).

minimum wage ineffectiveness

• If you are in a job that makes tips, the wage can be significantly less. If they receive more than $30 a month in tips, they can pay them $2.13 per hour.

• Minimum wage jobs are primarily found in food preparation and serving occupations, often jobs that EMs are employed in. Because the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, nor has it been increased since 2009, it is becoming harder and harder live off of a minimum wage job, and for those workers to afford essential things like rent

The Federal Government has powers such as...

-Provide for the nation's defence

- Collect taxes

- Control trade between the USA and

other countries

- Control foreign policy

- Control postal service

State Government has powers within state boundaries such as...

- Keeping law and order

- Education

- Local Taxes

- Death penalty

- Control living and working conditions

- Roads and Speed Limits

Legislative Branch

Voted for by the US people. Helps to pass new laws! Congress - The Senate and the House of Representatives

Executive Branch

Leader of the USA's Government. Can bring in new laws and VETO laws. President and Vice President

Judicial Branch

Is in charge of maintaining the law and making sure new laws are in line with constitution. 9 Supreme Court Judges

The President is head of the Executive Branch. Their powers include:

• Commander-in-chief of the armed forces • Head of foreign relations

• Veto laws

• Sign Executive orders

• Appoint Supreme Court judges

President Biden put forward the American Rescue Plan in 2021, to help recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Executive Branch contains the President, Vice President and Cabinet.

Their powers include:

• All the powers of the President

• Daily enforcement of federal laws

• Departments individual missions and responsibilities • Cabinet members are advisors to the President.

The Executive Branch, led by President Trump, declared a state of emergency during Covid-19 in March 2020.

The Legislative Branch:

The Legislative Branch contains Congress - The Senate (100 people) and the House of Representatives (435 people).

Their powers include:

• Drafting laws

• Confirming Presidential nominations • Declaring war

• Impeaching the President

In 2022, Congress voted to pass The Inflation Reduction Act.

The Judicial Branch includes the Supreme Court and other Federal Courts.

Their powers include:

• Interpreting the meaning of laws

• Applying laws to individual cases

• Deciding if laws violate the constitution

The Supreme Court overturned the Roe V Wade decision in 2022, making abortion accessible for all Americans, as they decided its unconstitutional

effectiveness of TANF

In September 2022, 2.8 million people were receiving

TANF - helping a lot of people.

• Those claiming TANF can also access SNAP (Food

Stamps) which makes it more effective to tackle poverty.

• TANF requires families to participate in qualifying work activities for 20-55 hours per week (depending on number of parents in household) to help people gain skills for work.

Economic Inequality: poverty

Poverty exists as an economic inequality in the USA because of insufficient wages to cover the basic cost of living. This means that many people in the USA are living below the poverty line, working in poorly paid jobs therefore not giving them access to the same resources as other groups in society.

For example, 17.9% of Black Americans are in poverty, compared to 7.7% of White Americans.This impacts EMs especially, as they are more likely to be in low skilled, low paid work, earning little money.

The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) definition

An act to extend health insurance to Americans who cannot afford it by giving those on a low income a government subsidy towards their insurance payment.

Social response

Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) definition

Promotes educational opportunity for children. Pupils are tested in maths and reading to ensure states meet certain educational standards.

social government response

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) definition

TANF provides temporary financial assistance with the aim of encouraging people to get a job. People can be on it for a maximum for 60 months within their lifetime.

economic government response

Minimum Wage definition

economic response

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 Some states have higher levels of minimum wage.

• As of January 1, 2024, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S, at $17 per hour.

Political Rights/Ways to participate

Right to Vote (15th Amendment) - People can vote for who they agree with

For example – Someone who agrees with the Affordable Care act and ‘liberal’ causes may wish to vote Democrat.

Political Rights/Ways to participate

Right to Free Speech (1st Amendment) / Protest - People in the US may choose to show their support/ opposition for things through turning out to protest. Protesting is very public and is designed to attract media attention and put pressure on the Government to take note of their cause.

For example, during lockdown for Covid-19 at the beginning of May 2020, lots of Americans began protesting for lockdown to be lifted.

Political Rights/Ways to participate

Join a Political Party - This means that they agree to financially contribute to the party and show their support – often getting involved in the party’s local politics and campaigning.

For example, in 2021 the Democratic party had a membership of over 48 million!

Political Rights/Ways to participate

Join an Interest Group (Pressure Group) - This means that they can join together with a group of like-minded people to show their support for a cause and push for change.

For example, in the USA you can join the NRA if you feel strongly about protecting your right to own a gun.

Importance of voting: Voting lets you have your say

• For democracy to work, a variety of opinions must be heard and discussed in public. this debate leads to better decisions being made by the government.

Voting allows people to make their opinion known by backing a range of candidates with different policies on the economy, guns, education, etc.

For example, citizens were able to express their preference of the candidates Trump and Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Importance of voting: Voting influences the outcome of elections:

Voting allows individuals to have a small influence over who will make decisions for their country.

If too few people voted, most Americans would end up with a representative they did not want or whose political opinions and decisions they do not agree with.

For example, Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election, taking power from the Democrats with Biden.

Importance of voting: It is a civic responsibility

Some groups were denied civil rights in the past so some Americans feel even more duty to use their rights to help other members of the group make political progress.

Importance of voting: To hold the government to account

In a democracy the government must be held responsible for the decisions they make. Citizens may use their freedom of speech to demand answers from elected politicians or simply vote against the candidates they are unhappy with.

For example, Trump was not re-elected in 2020 because people didn’t want to support him after his performance as President.

Lack of participation: Too Many Elections

This can put people off voting because it does not become a one off event it becomes a chore that must be done on a regular basis and many people do not have the time/interest to participate!

For example, turnout in the 2024 presidential election was 65%, but only average about 40% in mid terms.

Lack of participation: Lack of Education

• If people dropped out of school early, their understanding of the US political system may be limited.

• As a result they may find it confusing so choose not to vote.

For example, 7.9% of Hispanic students dropped out of High school in 2023, compared to 4.2% of white Americans, reported by the NCES, and they have a lower voter turnout.

Lack of participation: They Live in a Safe Seat

• Some states always elect a President from the same party e.g. Texas electoral college points always go to the republican candidate. This may put voters off if they know their preferred candidate does not stand a chance in their state.

For example, voter turnout in 2024 was 27% higher in Wisconsin, a swing state, than Hawaii, a safe Democrat state.

Lack of participation: Young People are less likely to be interested

• Young people are less likely to vote in the USA as they are less likely to be interested in politics.

• A lot of the policies the two main US parties campaign for, are focused on older voters.This makes them less likely to vote because they feel politics does not interest them.

For example, only 42% of young people voted in the 2024 Presidential Election.

men are more likely to participate in politics - Have more role models and traditionally politics is seen as a ‘male job’. Because of this there is a lack of female representation

For example, men make up around 3/4 of congress.

white people are more likely to participate in politics - Less likely to drop out of school. High school drop out rates are linked with being less likely to participate. They also have more role models.

For example, Most white americans vote and are more likely to graduate from high school.

older people are more likely to participate in politics - Politicians make policies for older voters as they are the most likely group to vote.They are more likely to be financially secure / in a job that allows them to get involved.

For example, the average age of a Senator is 64.

Under-Representation of Women: Traditional Gender Roles, This means some people believe that a woman’s place is in the home and not in politics, which make parties reluctant to support women candidates.

For example, Utah has been notoriously reluctant to elect women and vote against positive discrimination incentives

Under-Representation of Women: It is easier for those already elected to get re-elected.

This means that as more men are currently in office than women, it can be hard for women to break through and get support from voters – if voters don’t see anything drastically wrong with who is already in power, they may not want to elect someone new.

For example, men currently make up 72% of Congress (2024).

Under-Representation of Women:Media and Voter Bias

This means that the media is more critical of female candidates, commenting on their appearance as opposed to their policies, which reinforces voter’s own bias that politicians should be men.

For example, Kamala Harris’ treatment by the press has largely been viewed as sexist, with too much focus on their appearance, which impacted their chances of success.

Under-representation of ethnic minorities: Socio-Economic Background

Politicians tend to come from backgrounds with money – campaigning is very expensive!

• Lots of ethnic minorities come from deprived backgrounds, which means their chances of being able to afford to campaign and stand for election is very slim as campaigns are very expensive.

For example, between Biden and Trump, over $10 billion was spent on Presidential campaigning adverts in 2024.

Under-representation of ethnic minorities: Lack of Role Models

There are still very few ethnic minority role models in politics. This means that ethnic minorities may be discouraged from standing as a candidate because they have not had anyone to look up to, and they may see more suitable role models for them in careers out-with politics.

For example, there has only been one ethnic minority President, Barack Obama.

Over-representation of men - This is because it is easier for them to be re-elected.

For example, men currently make up 72% of Congress (2025).

Over-representation of Older people - This is because younger people are less interested in politics.

Pew research 2023 – average age of a senator is 65.3

Over-representation of white people - This is because they are more likely to stand as a candidate as this can be expensive.

For example, 73% of law-makers in congress are white (2025).

fixing under-representation for women

There are now more female role models since the 2022 elections in Congress than ever before

‘Emily’s List’ is an organisation that gives support to women running for office

Kamala Harris became the first female VP in 2020.

Hilary Clinton was the first woman to become the Presidential Candidate for a majority party in 2016.

fixing under-representation for ethnic minority

Gerrymandering” – redrawing voter districts so ethnic minority populations are more concentrated to allow more chance of their success.

Biden appointed Kentanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, increasing representation for Black women.

Campaigns by movements such as Black Lives Matter have increased awareness about racial discrimination in politics and encouraged more EMs to stand as candidates.