International Politics Chapter 1-3; POLS 128

What is the primary purpose of explanatory theory in international politics?

To describe how the world works and predict outcomes.

What question does normative theory primarily seek to answer?

What goals should we pursue in political action?

How did the domino theory influence U.S. foreign policy during the Vietnam War?

It predicted that if one state became communist, others would follow.

How should political scientists respond when a single case appears to contradict a theory?

Compare the theory's overall explanatory power to competing theories.

What does the individual level of analysis focus on when explaining international events?

Human nature or the characteristics of specific leaders.

A student notices that gas prices at local stations have increased significantly after tensions rise between major oil-producing countries. This scenario best illustrates which connection between international politics and daily life?

International conflicts can disrupt global supply chains, affecting consumer prices.

An analyst states: “Countries with similar economic systems tend to form closer diplomatic relationships because shared economic interests create incentives for cooperation.” This statement is an example of which type of theory?

Explanatory theory because it proposes a causal relationship between economic systems and diplomatic ties.

A government decides to increase foreign aid to developing countries based on the belief that poverty leads to political instability and terrorism. This policy decision demonstrates which relationship between theory and practice?

Theoretical assumptions about cause and effect relationships guide policy choices.

After World War II, the United States invested heavily in rebuilding Germany and Japan based on the theory that democratic countries are less likely to be aggressive. This historical example illustrates which aspect of the theory-policy relationship?

Theoretical beliefs about democracy and peace influenced major policy investments.

An analyst argues that World War I occurred because of instability due to shifting alliances and the rise of new great powers. This explanation operates at which level of analysis?

System level because it emphasizes the structure of international relations.

A researcher studying terrorism focuses on how frustration and alienation lead specific people to join terrorist organizations. This approach primarily uses which level of analysis?

Individual level because it examines personal psychological factors.

What is the primary purpose of using levels of analysis in international relations theory?

To categorize theories according to where they focus their explanations.

What does the concept of “purpose” refer to in the study of international politics?

 

The goals or aims that political actors are trying to achieve.

What theory was the basis for the Bretton Woods system?

The theory that free trade increases prosperity.

What are the three main purposes of theory identified in the chapter?

Explanation, prediction, and prescription

What does the substate level of analysis examine?What does the substate level of analysis examine?

Bureaucracies, small groups, interest groups, and public opinion.

A university student finds that their study abroad program has been canceled due to increased security concerns following terrorist attacks. This situation demonstrates which aspect of how international politics affect daily life?

International security threats can limit individual opportunities and mobility.

A policy analyst argues: “Historical data show that countries with nuclear weapons have never been invaded by foreign powers, suggesting that nuclear proliferation may actually increase global stability.” This statement primarily represents which type of theory?

Explanatory theory because it proposes a causal relationship based on observed patterns.

A diplomat states: “The international community has a clear obligation to intervene when governments commit genocide against their own people, regardless of sovereignty concerns.” This statement is an example of which type of theory?

Normative theory because it makes a moral argument about what should be done.

A government decides to negotiate a climate agreement with other countries based on the belief that environmental problems require coordinated international responses. This policy approach reflects which theoretical assumption?

Collective action is necessary to address transnational challenges.

A country's decision to increase military spending in response to a neighboring country's arms buildup reflects which theoretical assumption about international relations?

Military strength deters potential aggression and maintains security.

A researcher studying the effectiveness of economic sanctions finds that they succeed in changing target countries' behavior in 30% of cases. How should this finding be interpreted in the context of theory evaluation?

The 30% success rate should be compared to the effectiveness of alternative policy tools.

What type of concerns does normative theory address?

Moral and ethical concerns about what goals should be pursued.

What was the primary theoretical assumption behind the League of Nations after World War I?

The absence of international law was a major cause of war.

What is the first step in the general model of political science research presented in the chapter?

Articulate a clearly defined question.

Explain how international trade policies can affect the prices of goods that consumers purchase in their daily lives.

• International trade policies such as tariffs and trade agreements = additional costs are typically passed on to consumers through higher prices.

• Free trade agreements that reduce barriers = lower prices by increasing competition and reducing import costs.

• Political decisions made at the international level have immediate effects on what people pay for everyday items

Describe the five different types of power discussed in the chapter and provide an example of each.

(1) Coercion—using force or threats, such as military action or economic sanctions; (

2) Institutional power—authority based on organizational rules, like UN Security Council voting procedures;

(3) Soft power—influence through prestige and persuasion, such as having others imitate one's political model;

(4) Structural power—unquestioned arrangements that benefit certain actors, like the belief that large banks are “too big to fail”;

(5) Collaborative power—additional capabilities created when actors work together, such as military alliances or joint scientific research.

Compare and contrast explanatory theory and normative theory in international relations.

Explanatory theory focuses on understanding reality, normative theory focuses on moral and ethical judgments about what ought to happen.

Describe Kenneth Waltz's three levels of analysis for explaining the causes of war.

(1) Individual-level theories locate the cause of war in individuals, either in human nature generally or in the characteristics of specific leaders

(2) State-level theories locate the cause of war in the nature of states, such as certain types of governments being more prone to war or states having grievances that lead them to seek redress through war;

(3) System-level theories, which Waltz preferred, locate the causes of war in characteristics of the international system that extend beyond any single state, such as the distribution of power among states and the number of great powers in the system.

Why might it be difficult for theorists using different levels of analysis to debate each other effectively?

They ask fundamentally different questions. They also look at different kinds of data and evidence to support their arguments. This makes direct comparison and debate challenging because they are essentially studying different aspects of the same phenomenon. It's

Explain what it means that theories “deliberately abstract from reality” and why this is useful.

• When theories abstract from reality, they deliberately leave aside much detail to focus on the most important factors and relationships. This simplification helps us address complex phenomena by identifying which parts warrant immediate attention.

• They provide a framework for understanding patterns and making decisions.

Explain how theories about the causes of terrorism lead to different counter-terrorism policies. How should this affect the policy-making process?

Each theoretical assumption about causation leads to different resource allocation and policy priorities.

What was the primary cause of the Peloponnesian War according to Thucydides?

The changing distribution of power between Athens and Sparta.

Which principle established by the Treaty of Westphalia means that no one outside a territory has the right to interfere in what happens within that territory?

External sovereignty.

What military innovation did Napoleon use that allowed him to enlist the entire French nation behind his war effort?

The levée en masse (draft).

What does the concept of anarchy mean in the context of the Westphalian system?

A situation where there is no central ruler or government above separate actors.

What was the primary goal of the collective security doctrine adopted after World War I?

To ensure that all states would unite against any aggressor state.

How did European colonialism transform the international system?

It spread the European sovereign state system globally.

What was the primary purpose of the Bretton Woods system established after World War II?

To manage international economic collaboration and stability.

What distinguishes the feudal system that existed in Europe after the Roman Empire from the modern state system?

Political authority in feudalism was defined personally and religiously rather than territorially.

A leader facing a rising power that challenges the existing international order would most likely reference which historical parallel when deciding whether to take preemptive action?

Thucydides' explanation of the Peloponnesian War.

An international organization working to address border disputes in Africa would most likely encounter problems that originated from which historical process?

Colonial territorial divisions becoming state borders during decolonization efforts

What war ended with the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648?

The Thirty Years' War.

A scholar studying the breakdown of international cooperation would find the most relevant historical parallel in which period?

The failure of collective security in the 1930s.

What was the Non-Aligned Movement's primary goal during the Cold War?

To avoid taking sides in the Cold War and focus on economic development.

A modern state experiencing internal ethnic conflicts that threaten its territorial integrity would face challenges most similar to which 19th-century empire?

The Russian Empire with its multiple national groups.

What were the “unequal treaties” that China was forced to sign in the 19th century?

Agreements that gave Western states economic advantages in China.

A policy analyst studying the European Union's development would see it as evidence of which major change in the international system?

The willingness of sovereign states to surrender key aspects of sovereignty.

What does the concept of mutual assured destruction (MAD) mean in the Cold War context?

Each side possessed enough weapons to destroy the other even after suffering a surprise attack.

What was the Concert of Europe established at the Congress of Vienna in 1815?

An agreement among major powers to cooperate to maintain peace and stability.

An international lawyer arguing that a state has the right to govern its internal affairs without outside interference would most likely cite which Westphalian principle?

External sovereignty.

An alliance facing an aggressive neighbor would most likely avoid which strategy, based on the lessons of the Munich Crisis of 1938?

Appeasing the aggressor with territorial concessions.

What was the primary impact of decolonization on the global political system?

It integrated former colonies into the sovereign state system.

A trade negotiator working to prevent a global economic crisis would most likely reference which post–World War II institution as a successful model?

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

What event symbolically marked the end of the Cold War in 1989?

The opening and destruction of the Berlin Wall.

A diplomat trying to mediate a country’s ongoing civil conflict would invoke which Westphalian principle to argue against foreign intervention?

Noninterference in internal affairs.

What was fascism as it developed in Italy and Germany during the interwar period?

A doctrine of extreme nationalism where individual rights are subservient to the nation.

A military strategist studying nuclear deterrence would find the most relevant historical example in which Cold War concept?

Mutual assured destruction (MAD)

A modern international development agency would most likely model its approach on which successful post–World War II program?

The Marshall Plan for European reconstruction.

A political scientist studying the resilience of the state system would point to which contemporary challenge as evidence of the system's adaptability?

The continued importance of sovereign states despite globalization and nonstate actors.

An observer of Brexit (Britain leaving the European Union) would see it as evidence of which ongoing tension in the international system?

The conflict between nationalism and international integration.

Why is recognition important in the Westphalian system of sovereign states?

It provides legitimacy and increases chances of survival for states.

What was the immediate trigger that started World War I in 1914?

Serbian nationalists assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

What were the Opium Wars between Britain and China primarily about?

Chinese attempts to limit British trade.

What was the primary goal of the League of Nations established after World War I?

To resolve disputes without force and use military force against aggressors.

What was the internal dimension of sovereignty established by the Treaty of Westphalia?

No one within a state had the right to challenge the ruler's power.

How did the doctrine of national self-determination affect European colonial empires?

It undermined colonial empires by inspiring independence movements.

What was the significance of Thucydides' analysis of the Peloponnesian War for the study of international politics?

It provided the first known attempt to advance a general theory of international politics.

What characterized the feudal system that emerged in Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire?

Political authority fragmented among kings, nobles, and the Roman Catholic church.

An international attorney defending a state's right to control immigration would most likely invoke which Westphalian principle?

Internal sovereignty.

What does the rise of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) represent in terms of changes to the international system?

A challenge to the state-centered model of international politics.

Which of the following is a central assumption of realist theory?

International politics is anarchic because there is no world government.

According to liberal institutionalism, what is the primary difference from realism regarding anarchy?

Liberals contend that states can overcome  anarchy and  cooperation is possible.

What does the realist assumption of states as unitary actors mean?

States are  single, coherent entities in international politics.

How do realists define rational behavior by states?

States have consistent preferences and calculate costs and benefits to maximize utility.

What is the key difference between balance of power theory and hegemonic stability theory?

Balance of power theory finds stability in equality among powers, while hegemonic stability theory finds stability with one dominant power.

What are the three essential traits of complex interdependence according to Keohane and Nye?

Multiple channels connecting societies, no clear hierarchy of issues, and limited utility of military force.

According to hegemonic stability theory, when is war most likely to occur?

When the dominant position of the leader erodes.

What is the realist position on morality in international relations?

Morality plays little role in relations between states, and pursuing national interest is moral.

How do realists critique liberal institutionalism's emphasis on cooperation?

States will abandon agreements when interests change.

What criticism is made of realism's assumption that states are unitary actors?

It ignores  that different governments and leaders can pursue different foreign policies.

When Iran considers developing nuclear weapons due to security threats, which theoretical approach best explains this behavior?

Realism, because it reflects the security dilemma in an anarchic system.

During the Cold War, how did the United States and the Soviet Union apply liberal institutionalist principles despite their rivalry?

They agreed to arms control treaties like SALT-I and SALT-II.

How would realists explain China's military buildup in the South China Sea?

China is pursuing power to enhance its security and influence in an anarchic system.

What is a key strength of realism compared to liberalism in explaining international politics?

Realism provides a consistent explanation for the recurring pattern of wars throughout history.

What does the concept of national interest represent in realist theory?

A foreign policy goal that is objectively valuable for the well-being of the state

How do liberals view human nature compared to realists?

Liberals have faith in human reason and believe anarchy can be overcome.

According to balance of power theory, how can war begin?

When states fail to balance properly or when states initiate war to pursue or prevent power accumulation.

What metaphor do realists use to describe states in international politics?

States are like billiard balls on a table.

What role do institutions play according to liberal institutionalism?

Institutions provide forums for meeting, gather data, and verify compliance with agreements.

How would complex interdependence theory explain the role of multinational corporations in international politics?

Corporations are important actors with economic goals that differ from state security concerns.

What does the security dilemma describe in realist theory?

The  choice between arming and risking provocation or not arming and remaining vulnerable.

How does the prisoner's dilemma model relate to the security dilemma?

Arming is equivalent to defecting, while not arming is equivalent to cooperating.

What causes hegemonic decline according to hegemonic stability theory?

Costs of empire, internal decay, and technological diffusion.

How do realists justify policies that might seem morally questionable?

They contend that pursuing national interest prevents larger evils and is therefore moral.

What limitation do critics identify with realism's predictive capability?

Realism doesn't predict when wars will occur, only that power distribution was the  cause.

How would liberal institutionalists explain the success of the European Union?

The EU demonstrates how states can cooperate through institutions to achieve mutual benefits.

When the Trump administration withdrew from international agreements citing concerns about cheating, which theoretical debate was this reflecting?

The debate between liberal institutionalism and realism about  cooperation

According to Thucydides, what ancient principle laid the foundation for realist thought?

The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

What is the key difference between status quo and revisionist powers in realist theory?

Status quo powers accept the existing order, while revisionist powers seek to overturn it.