June's Author : Tim Marshall

Jan 15, 2018
2 min read

PRISONERS OF GEOGRAPHY: TIM MARSHALL

I picked this book up a few months ago and have finally got around to reading it.

Having studied international relations at university I found this book fascinating as it looks at global politics from an unusual perspective - that of geography (who'd have guessed I know!).

This is a different way of looking at global politics and it shows the physical factors that have influenced the formation of nations and their political goals ever since.

Unlike lots of non-fiction books, this is very easy to read. It is divided into ten geographical sections -

Russia,
China
the US
Western Europe
Africa
the Middle East
India & Pakistan
Korea & Japan
Latin America
the Arctic

- which splits the world up into manageable sections and explains how their geography has shaped their politics.

If your interested in world politics, then this book is well worth a read.

For me, some of the most interesting sections were about Russia, China and the US. Having focused my dissertation on Russia and China, the role their geography has played in their politics was of real interest (although unfortunately I've read it too late to use it as part of my dissertation!).

With Russia, Marshall explains the importance of Ukraine for their security. As Ukraine is a vast, flat plain over which it is easy to march an army, protecting an independent, and pro-Russian Ukraine was vital to Russian security. With Ukraine looking towards the EU and NATO for its security and economics therefore, Russia feared a Western army being able to march easily into Russian territory.

With China, Marshall talks about the importance of Tibet. By occupying Tibet, all of China's borders are protected. Surrounded by seas, deserts and huge mountain ranges, it is next to impossible to march an invading army into China. With an independent Tibet, China fears the establishment of an American base, like in Taiwan, which would allow the Americans easy access into Chinese territory.

The US, which Marshall still regards as a great power, faces new challenges, and huge spending costs. Having spent billions on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US is trapped in costly NATO and defense agreements worldwide. Despite its huge military prowess, the US only engages in wars in 'deserts, not mountains' and it will continue to face new challenges from rising powers like China.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book - I have even bought his most recent one, the power and politics of flags, and I look forward to reading about the power of nationalism and why people identify so strongly with their nation.