INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS|PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
Liberalism and the economy - -the economy should be open market (no gov. interference)
-the people/market should run the econom
- would promote growth
-believe liberal economies would be more peaceful, wars are costly to the consumers and producers
-the greater the dependence of a nations on each other creates greater risk of international conflicts
^^^ these are all internal characteristics that determine how a nation functions
example of liberalism - Obama going to congress before attacking syria is being liberal
main idea is why don't liberal states go to war? - (Democratic peace)
-because the individuals pay the price physically, economically, and in trade relations
-individual people can be tired of war unlike the government itself
-also because of a bigger focus on absolute gains and relationships with other states leading to
future benefits do to repeated interactions
Constructivist explanation of Syria - -Constructivism may be able to explain why the USA has
interests in bombing Syria in a way realists cannot. According to realism, because syria is not a
threat to the security of US, we would have no interest in interefering there, however
constructivism can explain that because Syrians went against the international norm of not using
chemical weapons and because of that, countries like the US may desire to interfere in order to
encourage in norms and rules.
Bargaining section - -continue-
types of bargaining systems - 2 types of bargaining situations, Zero Sum or Non Zero Sum
zero sum - whatever I gain you lose. Sum of zero in negotiations
,non zero sum - most common in international relations
2 subtypes:
coordination games and mixed motive games
coordination games - work together to come to a mutual satisfaction
Mixed motive game - the sum is not fixed. ex. prisoner's dilemma, chicken. 1. Uncertainty is crucial.
2. Happens everyday. 3. It takes two not to play, if one challenges and the other says no, they lose.;
also there is no previous agreements. Iteration is crucial= rationally in one game of pris dil you
should defect but the more its played that can change. These games assume rationality, they're
abstract, they're restrictive. They impose a logic on bargaining situation and int rel, they are widely
applicable. no previous agrement
battle of the sexes= one person wants to go to beach other wants to go the mountians, they would
both rather go somewhere than nowhere (ex of...) - coordination games
The theory of strategy - exploiting potential force. managing interdependence between actors. do
what you want without having to actually hit them in the head
Tit for Tat - In any prisoners dilemma setting that is played repeatedly, I'll start out by cooperating
and then do in the next play of the game, what you did in the first play of the game
C vs NLI view on strategy - Constructivists argue that social interactions between nations allow this
to happen, Neo Lib Inst, state that institutions allow this strategizing to come about
Types of strategies - 1. Deterrence
2. Defense
3. Compellence
Deterrence strategy - - the threat of imposing unacceptable punishment if an actor undertakes a
particular action.
-You're counting on the threat being enough, not the actual punishment
, -depends on the credibility of the threatener, you don't want idle threats or threats you can't back
up to keep your respect
-you must offer the deterred a graceful out-route and a cooresponing promise of not harming them
if they do as you demand
-Paradoxes of deterrence- 1. secrets you want to keep, only what your adversary knows can
deter them. 2. capabilities that you'd rather not have, you don't need first strike weapons that
destroy enemy weapons
-nuclear weapons strategy, you must convince your adversary that you are willing to use your
weapons , the advent of nuclear weapons has placed a new importance on deterrence because
there is no defense against nuclear weapons,
^ this caused 1st strike weapons(clean) aimed at others' weapons and 2nd strike weapons
(dirty) aimed at civilians and industries
- also increased importance on credibility
*depends on what you're threatening and in what situation, also establish commitments
(how committed are you in defending your allies?)
- putting US soldiers on the border between east and west germany was an act of deterrence,
US soldiers are killed? we'd go to war
Defense strategy - strategy designed to impede your adversary, directly stopping them from what
they aim to do
Compellence strategy - applying punishment until an opponents changes their actions , if you apply
too much they'll fight you, if you don't apply enough they'll continue their actions, you must have
the ability to stop the punishment when they comply
-often people are embarrassed to comply and will try not to
ex. economic sanctions,
more material - -continue-
Founders of Realism - Hans Morgenthau "Six Principles of Political Realism", Thucydides (#1),
Kenneth Waltz "The Anarchic Structures of World Politics" and "Why Iran should get the bomb"
what doesnt realism explain - cooperation between nations / peace / lack of antimocity
(constructivism)
human rights problems are relevant to - constructivists
RELATIONS|PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
Liberalism and the economy - -the economy should be open market (no gov. interference)
-the people/market should run the econom
- would promote growth
-believe liberal economies would be more peaceful, wars are costly to the consumers and producers
-the greater the dependence of a nations on each other creates greater risk of international conflicts
^^^ these are all internal characteristics that determine how a nation functions
example of liberalism - Obama going to congress before attacking syria is being liberal
main idea is why don't liberal states go to war? - (Democratic peace)
-because the individuals pay the price physically, economically, and in trade relations
-individual people can be tired of war unlike the government itself
-also because of a bigger focus on absolute gains and relationships with other states leading to
future benefits do to repeated interactions
Constructivist explanation of Syria - -Constructivism may be able to explain why the USA has
interests in bombing Syria in a way realists cannot. According to realism, because syria is not a
threat to the security of US, we would have no interest in interefering there, however
constructivism can explain that because Syrians went against the international norm of not using
chemical weapons and because of that, countries like the US may desire to interfere in order to
encourage in norms and rules.
Bargaining section - -continue-
types of bargaining systems - 2 types of bargaining situations, Zero Sum or Non Zero Sum
zero sum - whatever I gain you lose. Sum of zero in negotiations
,non zero sum - most common in international relations
2 subtypes:
coordination games and mixed motive games
coordination games - work together to come to a mutual satisfaction
Mixed motive game - the sum is not fixed. ex. prisoner's dilemma, chicken. 1. Uncertainty is crucial.
2. Happens everyday. 3. It takes two not to play, if one challenges and the other says no, they lose.;
also there is no previous agreements. Iteration is crucial= rationally in one game of pris dil you
should defect but the more its played that can change. These games assume rationality, they're
abstract, they're restrictive. They impose a logic on bargaining situation and int rel, they are widely
applicable. no previous agrement
battle of the sexes= one person wants to go to beach other wants to go the mountians, they would
both rather go somewhere than nowhere (ex of...) - coordination games
The theory of strategy - exploiting potential force. managing interdependence between actors. do
what you want without having to actually hit them in the head
Tit for Tat - In any prisoners dilemma setting that is played repeatedly, I'll start out by cooperating
and then do in the next play of the game, what you did in the first play of the game
C vs NLI view on strategy - Constructivists argue that social interactions between nations allow this
to happen, Neo Lib Inst, state that institutions allow this strategizing to come about
Types of strategies - 1. Deterrence
2. Defense
3. Compellence
Deterrence strategy - - the threat of imposing unacceptable punishment if an actor undertakes a
particular action.
-You're counting on the threat being enough, not the actual punishment
, -depends on the credibility of the threatener, you don't want idle threats or threats you can't back
up to keep your respect
-you must offer the deterred a graceful out-route and a cooresponing promise of not harming them
if they do as you demand
-Paradoxes of deterrence- 1. secrets you want to keep, only what your adversary knows can
deter them. 2. capabilities that you'd rather not have, you don't need first strike weapons that
destroy enemy weapons
-nuclear weapons strategy, you must convince your adversary that you are willing to use your
weapons , the advent of nuclear weapons has placed a new importance on deterrence because
there is no defense against nuclear weapons,
^ this caused 1st strike weapons(clean) aimed at others' weapons and 2nd strike weapons
(dirty) aimed at civilians and industries
- also increased importance on credibility
*depends on what you're threatening and in what situation, also establish commitments
(how committed are you in defending your allies?)
- putting US soldiers on the border between east and west germany was an act of deterrence,
US soldiers are killed? we'd go to war
Defense strategy - strategy designed to impede your adversary, directly stopping them from what
they aim to do
Compellence strategy - applying punishment until an opponents changes their actions , if you apply
too much they'll fight you, if you don't apply enough they'll continue their actions, you must have
the ability to stop the punishment when they comply
-often people are embarrassed to comply and will try not to
ex. economic sanctions,
more material - -continue-
Founders of Realism - Hans Morgenthau "Six Principles of Political Realism", Thucydides (#1),
Kenneth Waltz "The Anarchic Structures of World Politics" and "Why Iran should get the bomb"
what doesnt realism explain - cooperation between nations / peace / lack of antimocity
(constructivism)
human rights problems are relevant to - constructivists
