Chapter 2

Question 1

What’s the foundation of realism?

Answer 1

dominance

Question 2

What’s idealism?

Answer 2

emphasizes International Law, Morality, and International Organizations instead of power. They believe human nature is inherently good.

Question 3

What does Realism think of Human Nature?

Answer 3

Selfish (Rational Pursuit of self-interest)

Question 4

What are the causes of state behaviour according to Idealism?

Answer 4

Psychological motives of decision makers.

Question 5

Nature of International System according to Realism and Idealism

Answer 5

Realism: Anarchy
Idealism: Community

Question 6

Most Important Actors according to Idealism and Realism

Answer 6

Idealism: States AND other actors (including individuals)
Realism: States

Question 7

What is relative power?

Answer 7

Relative power is the ratio of the power that two states can bring to bear against each other

Question 8

What is the league of nations?

Answer 8

forerunner of today’s United Nations.

Question 9

What’s power? What’s the best indicator of power?

Answer 9

Power is the ability or potential to influence others. The best single indicator of
a state’s power may be its total gross domestic product (GDP), but not a precise one.

Question 10

What are capabilities?

Answer 10

Capabilities give a state the potential to influence others only to the extent that political leaders can mobilize and deploy these capabilities effectively and strategically.

Question 11

What is soft power?

Answer 11

a state’s own values become widely shared among other states, that state will easily influence others

Question 12

What is relative power?

Answer 12

ratio of the power that two states can bring to bear against each other.

Question 13

Give examples of long-term power bases

Answer 13

• GDP
• Population
• Territory
• Geography
• Natural resources
• Credibility of commitments
• Power of ideas (soft power)

Question 14

Give examples of short term power bases

Answer 14

• Military forces
  
  • Willingness to fight
  • Quality of state’s bureaucracy

Question 15

What are the three ways in which an actor (state) can exert power?

Answer 15

1. Dominance
2. Reciprocity: promise a candy bar at the checkout as a reward for good behavior
3. Identity: Be a big boy/girl” or “You want to help Daddy, don’t you?”

Question 16

Define geopolitics. What are the three most important considerations?

Answer 16

The use of geography as an element of power. The three most important considerations are location, location, location.

Question 17

How can states increase their power with geography?

Answer 17

Enhance their military capabilities, such as by securing allies and bases close to a rival power or by controlling key natural resources

Question 18

What is anarchy?

Answer 18

Lack of a central government that can enforce rules. States rely on self-help & pay attention not to the intentions of other states but rather to their capabilities.

Question 19

What is sovereignty?

Answer 19

A government has the right, in principle, to do whatever it wants in its own territory. States are separate and autonomous, and they answer to no higher authority

Question 20

Explain the security dilemma.

Answer 20

A situation in which actions taken by states to ensure their own security (such as deploying more military forces) threaten the security of other states
The dilemma is a negative consequence of anarchy in the international system

Question 21

What is the balance of power? Give an example.

Answer 21

One or more states’ power being used to balance that of another state or group of states. Ex: states grouping up against the US post-cold war.

Question 22

Who are the great powers (7)? Name two characteristics

Answer 22

Half-dozen or so most powerful states
1. US
2. China
3. Russia
4. Japan
5. Germany
6. France
7. Britain

• share a global outlook based on national interests far from their home territories
• have the world’s strongest military forces and the strongest economies to pay for them

Question 23

Who is the only superpower?

Answer 23

The US

Question 24

What are the middle powers?

Answer 24

Rank somewhat below the great powers in terms of their influence on world affairs

Question 25

Explain neo-realism.

Answer 25

Patterns of international events in terms of the system structure—the international distribution of power—rather than the internal makeup of individual states
More scientific

Question 26

Peace is best preserved by… (Rank them.)

Answer 26

1. Hegemony: single-handedly dominate the rules and arrangements by which international political and economic relations are conducted. complex of ideas that rulers use to gain consent for their legitimacy and keep subjects in line, reducing the need to use force to accomplish the same goal (soft power like capitalism and democracy)
2. Bipolarity
3. Multi polarity

Question 27

Why is the Hegemonic Stability Theory provide peace and order?

Answer 27

Reduces anarchy, deterring aggression, promoting free trade. can help resolve or at least keep in check conflicts among middle powers or small states

Question 28

Define deterrence

Answer 28

Use of a threat to punish another actor if it takes a certain negative action (especially attacking one’s own state or one’s allies). its success is measured in attacks that did not occur.

Question 29

Define compellence.

Answer 29

Sometimes used after deterrence fails, refers to the threat of force to make another actor take some action (rather than refrain from taking an action)

Question 30

Define escalation.

Answer 30

A series of negative sanctions of increasing severity applied in order to induce another actor to take some action.

Question 31

What’s an arms race?

Answer 31

Reciprocal process in which two (or more) states build up military capabilities in response to each other.

Question 32

Explain Game Theory.

Answer 32

Branch of mathematics concerned with predicting bargaining outcomes.

Question 33

What are zero-sum games?

Answer 33

Games in which one player’s gain is by definition equal to the other’s loss. (Win-lose)

Question 34

What are non-zero-sum games?

Answer 34

Games in which it is possible for both players to gain (or lose) (Win-Win/Lose-Lose)

Question 35

What national interest do all states share?

Answer 35

Security, Prosperity, Sovereignty, Self-Interests