Lecture 9

Question 1

Which countries are in BRICS?

Answer 1

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

Question 2

When did BRICS start? What are some of its accomplishments?

Answer 2

BRIC started meeting informally in the mid-2000’s, and they held their first summit in 2009.

They have accomplished the following:
* Creation of the New Development Bank
* Contingent Reserve Arrangement (of $100 billion)
* Promoted the use of currencies other than the dollar

Question 3

What happend to Russia after communism?

Answer 3

It (as many other post-communist states) suffered a severe economic depression. Life became considerably worse. After Putin was elected democracy ended again.

Question 4

What did Putin do to Russia (economically) after he became president?

Answer 4

He chose national champions forevery sector to support (as a state-controlled) entity.

Question 5

What are Russia’s goals?

According to a realist, constructivist, and a defensive perspective

Answer 5

Realist: Believe that Putin wants to reaffirm its sphere of influence and uses oil and gas to pressure European neighbours.

Constructivist: Actions flow from culture and identity, Putin (as many other Russian elites) believes that Russia is the natural leader in its region. Thus they want to restore its previous greatness.

Defensive: Expansion of NATO and the West scare Russia, and they are doing what is necessary to remain/reclaim Great Power status

Question 6

What is a quick summary of Brazil’s history after colonization?

Answer 6

1. Independence (1822)
2. Inpurt-substitution industrialization (1930’s)
3. Miliatary overtrows democratic government (1960’s-1985)
4. Return to democracy (1994-), considered succesful

Question 7

Who is Lula? And why did Brazil rise up under his leadership?

Answer 7

Lula is admired by the urban poor, became president and embrased trade, and expanded social programs. This improved health and education and reduced poverty.

Question 8

Why did Brazil become succesful? What were its downsides?

Answer 8

The government heavily invested in agriculture, this rapidly grew its economy.

Though agricultue has expanded at the expanse of the rainforest, and many agricultural regulations have been ignored. Indiginous communities have been left behind, because they are not able to sustain themselves anymore.

Question 9

What happend after Brazils success?

Answer 9

It suffered ups and downs, much of Brazil is owned by state-owned enterprises.

Also because of its previous success its currency appreciated its manufactured goods are less competitive in global markets.

Protests over wasteful government spending happend in 2013 and a massive corruption scandal was exposed in 2014.

Question 10

What did India do after colonization?

Answer 10

The first prime minister promoted an import-substitution-lead model of growth. He was heavily inspired by the Soviet Union and chose a path of modernization through industrialization. Many protectionist policies were implemented, also named the “License Raj”.

Question 11

What was the Green Revolution?

Answer 11

India had a massive food shortage, thus they imported Hgh Yield Varety wheat, this rapidly increased yields.

Question 12

What is India’s current economic system?

Answer 12

It still has many protectionist state-led interventions to the market, tough it has accepted some neoliberal, market-driven growth. They appear to skip the industrial phase, however this appears to fail to deliver enough jobs for new job seekers.

India is way behind China in terms of infrastructure investments.

Question 13

What is India’s outlook to the future?

Answer 13

While India’s economy is very much growing, many economists doubt its growth potential. Its IT-sector only employs 2% of the population. It is unclear whether its democratic systems allows it to grow as rapidly as China, but since Modi allowed foreigners to own up to 100% of equity in defense companies in India, many believe more deregulation could be on its way.

Question 14

Why do Liberals see India as a great example?

Answer 14

Because it shows that democracy and free markets can work in a poor country.

Question 15

What is the history of the Chinese economy (after Mao)?

Answer 15

After the Cultural Revolution the Chinese economy was unstable and poor.

After Mao’s death Deng Xiaoping won a powerstruggle, he unveiled economic reform that would include a greater role for markets and private property. This stimultated growth, however unlike the Soviet Union the communist party did not lose power.

Though this rapid growth has strained the relation between the communist party and it citizens. In 2003 Jinao set goals to reduce income inequality.

Question 16

What do structuralists believe China used to support the middle class?

Answer 16

The middle class has risen on the backs of the rural population, which the government has deliberately exploited. Since they have a highly regressive taxation system.

They also argue that China has done this with disregard to health and safety of its own people.

Question 17

How does the CCP believe they can maintain legitimacy?

Answer 17

Through economic growth.

Question 18

How do Economic Liberals view China?

Answer 18

They see Sino-American relations as a “de facto partnership between Chinese savers and produces and US spenders and borrowers”. They do not believe that Chinse holding of US treasuries is a threat, since a rapid sell-off would hurt the Chinese economy a lot. China has been seen as a hesitant paymaster, and thus they want to achieve secure preudential returns.

Question 19

How do constructivists view China?

Answer 19

They see that China has moved significantly forward to complying with global norms and institutions. On most issues it is in the mainstream, though it resists rules on currency manipulation and does not promote human rights.

Question 20

Why do liberals believe that China will have to accept democracy? Who claim this?

Answer 20

Ikenberry believes that the global order based on a commitment to openness, free markets, democracy, multilateralism and rule-based behaviour. Because china has few allies, and any effort to overturn this would cost China dearly.

Question 21

What do Hameiri and Jones claim about the unity of the Chinese state?

Answer 21

It is not as unitary as many liberals and realists assume. They claim that China is very fragmented and decentrlized, and many provinces have different foreign policy intrests.

Question 22

What are realist views of China’s road to Great Power status?

Answer 22

Beckley: Rejects the thesis that China’s economic growth necessarity means the decline of the US, and points to evidence that the US is gaining relative to China.

Brooks and Wohlforth: Though China’s rise is impressive, it does not mean that China is about to close its military, technological and economic gaps with the US. Since it is dramatically superior. China also suffers from a rapidly aging population and low innovation. China also has very few security partnerships.

Question 23

What are realist perceptions of threats from a rising China?

Name five points

Answer 23

• China seeks to undermine Western institutions
• Rejection of The Hagues determination of a violation of Philipene sovereignty, led to questions about commitment to international law
• Shambaugh: Relations with neighbours who feel theathend will sour
• Holslag: Belt-and-Road shows shift from defensive to offensive merantilism
• Miller: Belt-and-Road shows return of China seeing itself as the greatest power in Asia

Question 24

Who created the name BRIC?

Answer 24

Goldman Sachs

Question 25

What are the three contradictions of China’s development strategy?

Answer 25