Superpower - Potential Superpowers

Potential Superpowers

Academics, institutions and other qualified commentators sometimes identify potential superpowers thought to have a strong likelihood of being recognized as superpowers in the 21st century. The record of such predictions has not been perfect. For example in the 1980s some commentators thought Japan would become a superpower, due to its large GDP and high economic growth at the time. Japan's economy would also crash in 1991, creating of a long period of economic slump in the country known the The Lost Years. As of August 2012, Japan has not fully recovered from the 1991 crash.But Japan is still as a potential superpower.

Due to their large markets, growing military strength, and economic potential and influence in international affairs, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the People's Republic of China, the European Union, Republic of India and the Russian Federation, are among the powers which are most often cited as having the ability to influence future world politics and reach the status of superpower in the 21st century.