Reinterpreting Mackinder's Heartland Theory in the 21st-Century Multipolar World

Abstract Mackinder’s “heartland” theory was initially introduced by Halford Mackinder in 1904; he argued that whoever controlled the heartland of Eurasia (i.e., a vast area of land that included all of Europe, most of Asia and a large portion of Africa) would have control of the world, which was to emphasize land based power over sea-based power in the context of strategic geopolitical thought. This paper will provide a review of the various reinterpretations of this theory within the context of today’s twenty-first century multipolar world – where countries like China and India are becoming more powerful and challenging the Western world’s previous dominance. As well as providing an overview of the ways in which this theory can be applied to current events (such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine), as well as current initiatives (for example, China’s Belt and Road initiative), it will also address criticisms of the theory with regards to technology and globalization. The study finds that while Mackinder’s ideas continue to have influence, they need to be modified to consider multipolarity, dispersed sources of power and the nature of non-traditional threats to maintain their relevance. Overall, this is important because it illustrates the relationship between geography and geopolitics, and how both contribute to the way nations interact with each other.