polisci long answer review

explain which of the three main bodies of the UN you believe is most important and why

Tasked with maintaining international security, the Security Council (SC) is the most important of the three main bodies of the UN. The Primary 5 (P5), consisting of the US, UK, France, China, and Russia, are the five members that are permanent and never rotate. These five states have the most power out of the other 10 rotating UN member states, and they can veto a SC resolution if one abstains. The SC is the only UN body with the power to issues binding resolutions on member states, such as implementing sanctions and authorizing military force.

explain how balance of power theory explains how wars begin

Wars begin due to a disappearing bargaining range — states feel like they’re under immediate threat, so they act in order to preserve the balance of power. This disappearing bargaining range occurs when the strongest military power, a hegemon, emerges. Some states become more powerful naturally, economically, or politically. As one state rises in power, transitions among the strength of global powers, known as polarity, happens. As a balancing mechanism, nations grow their domestic military and increase alliance activity or through the development of blocking coalitions against emerging hegemons. These balancing mechanisms signal to emerging threats a willingness to fight, and an increasing security dilemma. Thus, states feel the need to act immediately in order to maximize their chance of “victory”

explain how hegemonic stability theory explains how wars begin

Hegemonic stability theory argues that having a single hegemon is the key to peace and that a balance of power is what causes conflicts to begin. If one country is a hegemon, all other countries are relatively weak and are less likely to instigate a conflict against the hegemon because they “know” they will lose. Wars begin because of a miscalculation, and the potential replacement of a hegemon.

explain how economic interdependence explains peace

Economic interdependence boosts trade. The higher the trade, the more peace. The lower the trade, war is more likely to occur. This system creates a positive sum environment, and war hurts that

explain how liberal institutionalism explains peace

Liberal institutionalism is the development of an international set of rules. It argues that we see war because the general idea that war is bad fades under certain circumstances