Class 14: Hegemonic Stability Theory

Question 1

What is the purpose of intl. institutions when sustained by a hegemon?

Answer 1

Sustain economic system and international political order as well as prevent another depression.

Question 2

Power Transition Theory

Answer 2

The principle hegemonic stability theory of war.

Question 3

When does war occur under power transition theory?

Answer 3

When one state is in relative decline of total power to another.

Question 4

Who are the main actors in power transition theory?

Answer 4

1) status quo states

2) challenger/revisionist states

Question 5

What was Power Transition Theory updated to say in the 1980s?

Answer 5

War starts when a challenger is stronger than the hegemon but loses due to a weaker coalition.

Question 6

What is Long Cycle Theory?

Answer 6

Periodic dominance of the intl. system by a Hegemon and transition occurs through war.

Question 7

What is the hegemonic cycle?

Answer 7

Started with Europe around 1500 AD. Lasts 100 years.

Question 8

What is the pattern of hegemonic wars?

Answer 8

Probing -> adjusting -> hegemonic war

Question 9

What is hegemonic naval power based on?

Answer 9

commercial trade/technological innovation

Question 10

What often causes the fall of hegemons?

Answer 10

They become over-extended in defending interests and fall behind technologically and commercially.

Question 11

What matters more than natural resources?

Answer 11

Trade/financial power

Question 12

What are the two cases of hegemonic transfer of naval power?

Answer 12

1) naval power defeats hegemonic naval power, new naval power becomes the status quo

2). land power defeats naval power, weakening the hegemonic naval power and allowing another naval power to take over as hegemon.

Question 13

What two ways does victory by a hegemon restructure the international system?

Answer 13

1). international institutions

2). structure of trade

Question 14

Periods of peace indicate what from the hegemon?

Answer 14

preponderance

Question 15

periods of war indicate what from the hegemon?

Answer 15

decline

Question 16

What did the Smoot-Hawley Act do/its impact?

Answer 16

Increase tariffs and worsened the great depression.

Question 17

What did the depression cause politically?

Answer 17

Rise of radical parties.

Question 18

What was Kindleberger’s hegemonic stability theory?

Answer 18

Hegemons maintain public good of the international economy.

Question 19

What are the two concepts of Public good?

Answer 19

1). nonrivalness - a gain of one state in free trade does not cause loss of another
2). nonexclusiveness - states may benefit from trade w/o expending resources

Question 20

What are the three Hegemonic Stability Theories?

Answer 20

1). Power Transition Theory
2). Long Cycle Theory
3). Kindleberger’s Hegemonic Stability Theory

Question 21

What two services are hegemons to provide under Kindleberger’s Hegemonic Stability Theory?

Answer 21

1). the lender of last resort

2). the market of last resort

Question 22

Why was the UN established?

Answer 22

to support the world bank and international monetary fund

Question 23

What are the three critiques of hegemonic stability theory?

Answer 23

1). free trade is a myth

2). free trade is excludable

3). small states can cooperate to maintain a public good without a hegemon

Question 24

Questions in regard to US hegemony?

Answer 24

1). do hegemons benefit from exploitation of the international system or do they become overextended by maintaining the system?

2). Is the US in a decline?