Geopolitics & Trade · Big theories
The Heartland (Mackinder)
Halford Mackinder's 1904 theory that railways would make the land power controlling inner Eurasia the world's pivot. The Heartland, the World-Island, Spykman's Rimland reply, containment, and why these maps still shape debates about Russia, China and NATO.
Step 1 of 5 · Overview30 min read ·
Key idea
Prereqs: Sea Power (Mahan). Next: Demographics & the Zeihan thesis. Sources: Mackinder, 'The Geographical Pivot of History' (*Geographical Journal*, 1904) and *Democratic Ideals and Reality* (1919); Nicholas Spykman's *The Geography of the Peace* (1944); Robert Kaplan's *The Revenge of Geography*.Next: 1. The pivot