Heartland Theory
INTRODUCTION
The word “geo-politics” expresses the geography of
political relations, particularly those of
international politics. It is the off shoot of both
geography and political science.
Geography provides a solid foundation
for shaping of military policy. It dwells on the
issue of absolute and relative location of
prospective opponents, together with the physical
constitution of their [Link] geographical
situations influence military situations, which in
turn influence national policy.
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LIFE SKETCH
One of the best known of such interpretation of geopolitics was that
of the British geographer Halford John Mackinder, who in 1904
formulated the “Heartland” concept of world politics. Mackinder
was an eminent academic geographer and a practising politician
born in 1861. After studying Physical science and Modern History
at Oxford, he served the university’s pioneer extension system for
adult education. In his effort to impart he knowledge, what he
called the “new geography”, he travelled throughout the country
between 1885 and 1893. In January 1887 , as a resource person, he
put forward his views on the scope and methods of geography
“as the science of distribution, the science which traces the
arrangement of things in general on the earth’s surface. He urged
that physical and political geography be combined.
In 1902, Mackinder wrote a book on “ Britain and the British seas”
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THE THEORY OF
HEARTLAND
In the first decade of the 20 century, attempts were made
th
by geographers to show the relationships between the
larger geographical and the larger generalisations and ,
then, to work on a formula of geographical causation in
universal history. Mackinder was one of the first
geographers to systematically show how historical
developments had been guided by geographical factors.
His study of the physical map of the world let Mackinder
to believe that the world was conceived of one landmass.
He called it the World Island and suggested that it
consisted of Europe , Asia and Africa. He regarded the
British and Japanese islands as off shore islands and the
North and South Americas and Australia as outlying
islands.
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He noted that 3/4th of the earth’s surface was
water and only 1/4th was land. Of this 1/4th ,
2/3rd was accounted for by the World Island
and only a third was covered by the
remaining continents. Mackinder divided
the world into three main areas:
1. PIVOT AREA HEARTLAND
2. INNER OR MARGINAL CRESCENT
3. OUTER OR INSULAR CRESCENT
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PIVOT AREA HEARTLAND
Mackinder defined the Heartland as a vast area of interior
and Arctic drainage located in inner Eurasia. It is
surrounded by mountains on three sides and by the ice
bound arctic on the fourth.
It stretches from Volga river in the West to Eastern Siberia
in the East and from Himalayas and related mountains in
the south to Arctic in the North.
Strategically, the area as conceived by Mackinder is like a
fortress. However, the Heartland is vulnerable to land
forces in the South west through Eastern Europe, between
the Ural mountains and the Caspian Sea, where a narrow
corridor, covered by Steppe grasslands offered easy entry.
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INNER OR MARGINAL CRESCENT
The inner or marginal land of Eurasia surrounds
the pivot area on its West, South and East.
Mackinder called it the inner or MARGINAL
CRESCENT. It forms a circular arch of
coastland of Eurasia from Scandinavia to
Manchuria and is characterised by drainage
into the navigable seas.
The Marginal crescent consists of the whole of
Europe except its Russian part, North Africa
and most of the middle east and the monsoon
lands of India, South East Asia and the far East.
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OUTER OR INSULAR CRESCENT
In Mackinder’s geopolitical considerations of the world, the
Outer or insular Crescent includes North America, South
America, and Australia. He also regarded the islands of
Great Britain and Japan as a part of this area because of
their complete insularity from the mainland of Eurasia.
Mackinder argued that Europe’s historical development has
resulted from Asia, and modern Europe was the product of
resistance and reaction to pressure from Asia. The pressure
from Asia culminated in invasions, ever since the days of
nomads. It reached its peak with Mongol invasion of the
13th century. These raids have generally carried out from
central landmass of eastern Eurasia, a region which
constitutes almost half of the total area of the globe.
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Mackinder attempted to show that the power
controls the region of Eurasia and would also
enjoy the most favourable conditions for
controlling the rest of the world.
Prior to Columbian era of overland transport and
communication, the pivot region of Steppe
grasslands with the exceptions of Sub arctic
forests was suitable for movement of horsemen
and camels borne men. Strategically, the region
was superior to lands of river crescent. Mackinder
noted that mobility upon ocean effectively
challenged the mobility of horse and camel in the
heart of the continent.
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This development neutralised the strategical
advantage of the Steppe nomads. The political
impact of the Sea revolution was to reverse the
relations of Europe and Asia.
Mackinder stated that , “ Whereas in the middle
ages Europe was caged between an impassible
desert to the South, an unknown ocean to the
East and ice waters to the north. In the East
and South East was the constant threat of
superior nobility of horsemen.
He believed that the time was not far when
whole of Asia would relish the benefit of
railways. 11
Mackinder emphasised that the new mobility
of these landlocked people would permit
them to expand to and incorporate marginal
lands of Eurasia and that with these vast
continental resources for fleet construction,
a world empire was in sight. It should also
be noted that Mackinder never depreciated
sea power, but exemplified his theory in a
world map by stressing on the concepts of
Eurasian Heartland.
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MODIFIED CONCEPT OF
STRATEGIC HEARTLAND
In 1919, Mackinder re-examined his ideas in “Democratic ideals
and Reality”. It is known as the modified concept of Strategic
Heartland.
He firmed his belief in the key significance of the Heartland and its
vulnerability to sea power. The purpose of the book was to warn
and instruct the statesmen of allied powers. With the defeat of
Germany a different political and military situation had emerged.
The main problem at that time was how to conclude a peace treaty
with the new communist leaders of Germany and Axis powers.
The collapse of Russian empire in 1917, a peace accord between
new communist leaders and Germany and the failure of British
navy to maintain its supremacy proved that sea power was
incapable of controlling a vast area of the World islands.
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MIDLAND BASIN
In 1943, Mackinder again revisited his theory and came up with
the concept of the “MIDLAND BASIN”. He recognised Western
Europe and the United States as physical complements to each
other as they want balancing of each community.
The Midland Basin comprised of the North Atlantic ocean. Eastern
United States and Western Europe. He also divided the original
heartland into:
Heartland Russia to the west of Yenzei river
Supporting area of large natural resources to the east which he
called “Lenaland”
He thought that Midland basin could act as an effective
check for growing political potential in Eurasian Heartland
especially considering how second world was had drastically
changed geographical picture.
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Thanks
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