Mohammad Reza Hafeznia- Full Professor of Political Geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Geopolitical structure is a concept with the two dimensions: spatial and power relations (Hafeznia, 2006: 191-195). With the view of power relations, geopolitical structure explains, power systems, power levels and structures relation with each other. From this view point in the regional and global scales, the various structures exist, such as, uni- power, bi-power, multi- power, multi- level, symmetrical, balanced, imbalanced, and so on. Model No. 1 shows the structures.

With view of the spatial, geopolitical structures explains, the distribution of power on the geographical space, which appear in the form of domination, control, penetration, influence and so on, by the political power players.

Geopolitical structures are not mainly stable and permanent, but they are dynamic, in the both dimensions, spatial and power relations. When the current geopolitical structure comes near to instability and collapse, a new process starts for establishment of another structure. Among the two structures (old and new), there is a period of geopolitical transition (Ibid: 143).

In the period of geopolitical transition, some events appear, such as: chaos, insecurity, lack of management for the control of regional and global processes, military aggression, competition among powers, insatiable coalitions, appearance of new players, international terrorism, local, ethnical and national identification and so on.

During the Cold war era (1945-1990), there was a bi- polar structure of power in the world. After the collapse of this structure at 1990, the world entered to the geopolitical transition period for the two decades, which I named it as” Geopolitical Fluidity Period”. At this long transition period, many issues have been appeared for the world and human beings. After this period, it seems that a new geopolitical structure is appearing and develops for the future of the world. The particulars of this structure are as under:

1. This structure comprises of two section , not only with unique leadership such as the Cold war era, but each of section would have a leadership by a club of unequal powers, which U.S.A and Russia would have the main role in each of the clubs.

2. On the contrary to the Cold war era, the nature of relations is not ideological, but it would be formed according to common motives and collective interests.

3. The emerging structure would be developed in all dimensions: economic, security, political and etc. which would be complementary to each other.

4. From geographical point of view, the main Cores of this structure would be in the northern hemisphere (north-north), with, geographical direction of the east- west.

5. From the spatial dimension, the world will be divided into the alternate and distinct units with the various identity and functions. Each of them would have a core and periphery structure, which the core would be in the north and periphery would be in the south. Each unit would have alternately security/political identity and function or economics.

6. In all sections or units of the structure, there is special international organization according to their geographical space. All of them have been tied systematically with each other, so that global geopolitical structure comes in to existence as a whole.

7. The whole of structure seems to be reconstruction of the Cold war structure. Although it seems such, but it is another one, with different identity, function, motive, leadership and spatial structure.

8. Each section of the geopolitical structure includes some homogeneous units or systems with the same motives, interests’ views and positions. So they are competing with each other. For example: NATO with Shanghai.

As mentioned above, this structure is divided to two sections: West and East, which each of them would have a spatial influence sphere or control geographical space, as well as a leadership club or coalition including unequal powers. The structure comprises six systems or spatial units which are as under (from the west to the east):

1. American system: The core of this system is NAFTA region in the north of the continent with economic nature, and its periphery is South and Central America. Although, the most region of the periphery is opposite to the core now, but by the reason of geographical neighborhood and development of the spatial interactions, probably it will join to the north or NAFTA region in the future.

2. NATO system: This system has political and security nature, and traditionally has integrated the western elements in the both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean. This system tries to develop its spatial domain to the east.

3. European Union system: This system has political and economic nature, and EU region is the core of the system. Its periphery is Mediterranean region and African continent which has special union as African Union. Some states try to establish a union in the Mediterranean region, for example, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey and so on.

4. Shanghai system: This system has political and security nature with Eurasian identity, which potentially is powerful for competition to the west section of the structure. The periphery region of the Shanghai system are South and South- West of Asia.

5. The Yellow race system: This system geographically has conformity with the East and South- East of Asia. The nature of this system is economic, with great players such as: China, Japan, North Korea, and ASEAN. This system tries to establish an integrated region as the region of the “ East Asia Society “, as well as the “Asian Trade Free Zone”. The periphery of this system are Oceania and South Asia regions. This system is confronted with big challenges in the way of integration and unification, such as the Korean peninsula crisis and USA intervention, but if it can reach to such situation, undoubtedly the system would be the only great power of the world, which can challenge the American and European powers or system. So it can transfers the gravity of power of the world to the East of Asia.

6. Pacific Ocean system: This system is the great water- based structure in the world, which comprises the littoral states of the both sides of the Pacific Ocean in the frame work of APEC regional organization. The nature of this system is economic, and the great powers of the world, have presence in this system, such as: USA, Canada, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, ASEAN and so on. So this system can be the ground of convergence, rivalry, contact and peace among the great powers of the world.

Finally as a result, the above mentioned systems can be categorized into two sections: West and East. The system of Shanghai and Yellow race would be situated in the Eastern section of the geopolitical structure, and the systems of America, NATO and European Union would be situated in the Western section of the structure. The nature and the function of all the systems change one by one from economic to political and security. Also the both eastern and western sections and their related systems would have competition with each other on the control, penetration and influence over spheres and geographical spaces of the world.

Reference

• Hafeznia, Mohammad Reza .(2006). Principles and Concepts of Geopolitics, Mashhad: Papoli Publications.