1
POLI 105 Exam 1 VCU Questions with Answers (100%
Correct Answers)
What are the four revolutions? Briefly describe them. Answer: Hunter-
gatherers: hunting, fishing, foraging wild stuff, then we learn to grow
food, keep animals, make buildings, etc.,
Then we had the industrial revolution. Our ability to build things that
reshaped the world around us (building materials, electricity,
transportation, machines). Again, this changed almost everything, but
not for everyone. Those who benefited from the industrial revolution
evolved into the rich states. Those still in the agricultural era were much
poorer. And those who benefitted from the industrial revolution used
the new technologies to make war on the agricultural world, more
efficiently conquering them and stealing their resources. Now, we at
the early stage of a new revolution. That's an important point: if you
experience and embrace the new revolution, you prosper (at least
economically and in terms of your power).We now live in a world of
instantaneous communications, easy travel, money that flows across
borders, technology that ignores borders. With some exceptions: Life
expectancy is going up nearly everywhere; infant mortality is going
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
down; wealth being generated at incredible pace; most people
wealthier than they were 25 years ago. And where the technology goes
from here with Artificial Intelligence...
what is an international system? Answer: the pattern of relations
between nation-states (countries) and non-state international actors
(things like the UN or Organization of American States or Amnesty
International or al-Qaeda).
Is it clear who is in charge for domestic politics? Answer: It's very clear
who has power, who does not have power, how you can get power,
and how decisions are made. It's all regulated. Doesn't always produce
justice, but it produces a defined order.Clear authority and
responsibility and hierarchy We have federal government, state
governments, country, city, municipal, US constitution, state
constitutions, so many laws, you need an entire profession of people to
figure out what it all means, everything is codified, and regulated, and
when we're not sure, we have specific ways of dealing with the
uncertainty.
What is domestic politics? Answer: Politics that are in a country
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3
What does authority look like for international politics? Answer: no
central authority, sovereignity, self-help, might makes right
What is the security dilemma? Answer: If the other state is gearing up
(increasing military, intelligence, etc..) then you do the same to keep up
own State's security. It leads to a constant looking over my shoulder
situation.
What is sovereignty? Answer: this is my country and what we do here is
none of your business
What is self-help or self-reliance Answer: Nation-states rely on their
own resources to protect itself, to become rich or poor, to survive or
perish.
What are the two views of international politics? Describe them briefly.
Answer: Anarchy= might makes right, no rules, powerful states push
weak states around
Instutionalization= world is evolving toward nation-state cooperation
through institutions
© 2025 All rights reserved
POLI 105 Exam 1 VCU Questions with Answers (100%
Correct Answers)
What are the four revolutions? Briefly describe them. Answer: Hunter-
gatherers: hunting, fishing, foraging wild stuff, then we learn to grow
food, keep animals, make buildings, etc.,
Then we had the industrial revolution. Our ability to build things that
reshaped the world around us (building materials, electricity,
transportation, machines). Again, this changed almost everything, but
not for everyone. Those who benefited from the industrial revolution
evolved into the rich states. Those still in the agricultural era were much
poorer. And those who benefitted from the industrial revolution used
the new technologies to make war on the agricultural world, more
efficiently conquering them and stealing their resources. Now, we at
the early stage of a new revolution. That's an important point: if you
experience and embrace the new revolution, you prosper (at least
economically and in terms of your power).We now live in a world of
instantaneous communications, easy travel, money that flows across
borders, technology that ignores borders. With some exceptions: Life
expectancy is going up nearly everywhere; infant mortality is going
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
down; wealth being generated at incredible pace; most people
wealthier than they were 25 years ago. And where the technology goes
from here with Artificial Intelligence...
what is an international system? Answer: the pattern of relations
between nation-states (countries) and non-state international actors
(things like the UN or Organization of American States or Amnesty
International or al-Qaeda).
Is it clear who is in charge for domestic politics? Answer: It's very clear
who has power, who does not have power, how you can get power,
and how decisions are made. It's all regulated. Doesn't always produce
justice, but it produces a defined order.Clear authority and
responsibility and hierarchy We have federal government, state
governments, country, city, municipal, US constitution, state
constitutions, so many laws, you need an entire profession of people to
figure out what it all means, everything is codified, and regulated, and
when we're not sure, we have specific ways of dealing with the
uncertainty.
What is domestic politics? Answer: Politics that are in a country
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3
What does authority look like for international politics? Answer: no
central authority, sovereignity, self-help, might makes right
What is the security dilemma? Answer: If the other state is gearing up
(increasing military, intelligence, etc..) then you do the same to keep up
own State's security. It leads to a constant looking over my shoulder
situation.
What is sovereignty? Answer: this is my country and what we do here is
none of your business
What is self-help or self-reliance Answer: Nation-states rely on their
own resources to protect itself, to become rich or poor, to survive or
perish.
What are the two views of international politics? Describe them briefly.
Answer: Anarchy= might makes right, no rules, powerful states push
weak states around
Instutionalization= world is evolving toward nation-state cooperation
through institutions
© 2025 All rights reserved
