Herzlandelmélete

Herzlandelmélete, often translated as "heartland theory," is a geopolitical concept developed by British geographer Sir Halford Mackinder in the early 20th century. Mackinder first presented his ideas in a paper titled "The Geographical Pivot of History" in 1904, and later expanded upon them in his book "Democratic Ideals and Reality" in 1919.

The core of Herzlandelmélete posits that whoever controls Eastern Europe commands the Heartland, and whoever commands the Heartland commands the World-Island. The World-Island, in Mackinder's view, comprised Eurasia and Africa, the largest contiguous landmass on Earth. The Heartland itself was identified as the vast, resource-rich interior of Eurasia, stretching from Eastern Europe eastward to Central Asia, and from the Arctic Ocean southward to the Himalayas.

Mackinder argued that this central, inaccessible region was geographically defensible and possessed significant strategic advantages. He believed that a powerful state established within the Heartland, protected by its vastness and natural barriers, could project power outward and eventually dominate the rest of the World-Island. Conversely, he suggested that maritime powers like Great Britain, while strong, were ultimately vulnerable to a land-based power that could control the Heartland and thus the World-Island. The theory influenced strategic thinking throughout the 20th century, particularly during the Cold War.