Mackinder‘s Heartland theory is a geopolitical concept of political geography. All these theories are related to geopolitical situations and power pattern analysis in the world. Spykerman‘s Rimland theory was developed as a critical analysis of Mackinder’s Heartland theory.
Mackinder’s Heartland Theory summary is that those who control East Europe and Central Asia (heartland) would control the world. This theory was proposed by Sir Halford Mackinder in 1904 in the book named “The Geographical Pivot of History”. During that period Eastern Europe was holding some of the greatest resources in the world in terms of raw materials and agriculture, which are the basic ingredient that requires controlling large military power.
A large military power makes it easy to gradually take over the rest of the world. Thus, East Europe was known as the pivot area. Mackinder claimed that after gaining control over the heartland and all its resources, one can easily control the world islands by controlling the coast and warm water ports, which are the key areas that make international trade possible all over the world.
World division
Mackinder’s Heratland Theory divided Earth’s land surface into the following:
- The World Island: The largest, most populous, and richest land combination is called the World Island, which includes the interconnected continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe (Afro-Eurasia).
- The Offshore Islands: the British Isles, Hainan, the Japanese Archipelago, Madagascar, the Malay Archipelago, Sri Lanka, and Formosa.
- The Outlying Islands: It encompassed the interconnected continents of North America and South America (the Americas), as well as Oceania.
Heartland: The Heartland is situated at the core of the World Island, extending from the Volga River to the Yangtze River and from the Arctic region to the Himalayas. Mackinder identified the Heartland as the territory that was under the control of the Russian Empire and subsequently the Soviet Union, excluding the Kamchatka Peninsula situated in the far east of Russia, near the Aleutian Islands and the Kuril Islands.
Its Influence on Other Geopolitical Model
The concepts of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory are evident in James Fairgrieve’s “Crush zone,” Nicholas Spykman’s Rimland, Saul Cohen’s “Shutterbelt,” and Dimitri Kitsikis’s Intermediate Region. There is a substantial geographical intersection between Mackinder’s “Inner Crescent,” Crush zone, Rimland, and Shutterbelt, as well as between the Heartland or “Pivot Area” and the Intermediate Region.
Kitsikis did not include north-eastern China and German Prussia in the intermediate region, and Mackinder did not include the Middle East, North America, and Eastern Europe in the heartland because Mackinder’s Model is geostrategic while Kitsikis model is geo civilization. However, the roles of the Intermediate Region and Heartland are the centers for shaping world history.
Max Ostrovsky criticized the existence of a permanent pivot of history because the climate is changeable. However, his definition is ultimately influenced by Mackinder’s Heartland Theory because when he says who rules the large temperate region with the most optimum rainfall, that rules the world.
President Obama had a strategic, diplomatic, and economic focus on the pivot area of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory. After Hillary Clinton wrote “America’s Pacific Century” in Foreign Policy, Mackinder’s Heartland Theory became very popular.
Strength and Weakness of Theory
The strength of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory is that many powerful countries like the United States, Russia, and China have perceived this theory. These countries have maintained, expanded, or adapted foreign policies and geopolitics based on their resolve to affirm, reclaim, or capture global superpower status. They are advancing their geopolitical strategies and positioning for the struggle to control, influence, or constrain power over East Europe.
The main weakness of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory is that The United States of America, a world powerful country was put on the periphery, which is a less important area for world power. Mackinder did not foresee the kind of military technology that is developed and present and would be more advanced in the future like nuclear weapons, high-tech missiles, military aircraft, etc. that complicates any schemes of taking over the world through the heartland theory.
