INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS EXAM
GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
Security dilemma - answer-a situation in which actions states take to ensure their own
security (such as developing more military forces) are perceived as threats to the
security of other states
Balance of power - answer-the general concept of one or more states' power being
used to balance that of another state or group of states. The term can refer to (1) any
ratio of power capabilities between states or alliances (2) a relatively equal ration or (3)
the process by which counterbalancing coalitions have repeatedly formed to prevent
one state from conquering an entire region
Great powers - answer-generally, the half-dozen or so most powerful states; the great
power club was most exclusively european until the 20th century
Middle powers - answer-states that rank somewhat below the great powers in terms of
their influence on world affairs
Neorealism - answer-a version of realist theory that emphasizes the influence on state
behavior of the system's structure, especially the international distribution of power
Multipolar system - answer-an international system which typically five or six centers of
power that are not grouped into alliances
Power transition theory - answer-a theory that the largest wars result from challenges to
the top position in the status hierarchy, when a rising power is surpassing (or
threatening to surpass) the most powerful state
Hegemony - answer-the holding by one state of a preponderance of power in the
international system, so that it can single-handedly dominate the rules and
arrangements by which international politics and economics relations are conducted
Hegemonic stability - answer-the argument that regimes are most effective when power
in the international system is most concentrated
Alliance cohesion - answer-the ease with which the members hold together an alliance;
it tends to be high when national interests converge and when cooperation among allies
become institutionalized
Burden sharing - answer-the distribution of the costs of an alliance among members;
the term also refers to the conflicts that may arise over such distribution
, North atlantic treaty organization (nato) - answer-a us military led alliance, formed in
1949 with mainly west european members, to oppose and deter soviet power in europe.
It is currently expanding into former soviet bloc.
Warsaw pact - answer-a soviet led eastern european military alliance, founded in 1955
and disbanded in 1991. It opposed to the nato alliance
Us-japanese treaty - answer-a bilateral alliance between the us and japan, created in
1951 against the potential soviet threat to japan. The us maintains troops in japan and is
committed to defend japan if attached, and japan pays the us to offset half the cost of
maintaining troops
Nonaligned movement - answer-a movement of third world states, led by india and
yugoslavia, that attempted to stand apart from the us-soviet rivalry during the cold war
Deterrence - answer-the threat to punish another actor if it takes a certain negative
action (especially when attacking one's own state, or allies)
Compellence - answer-the threat of force to make another actor take action
Arms race - answer-a reciprocal process in which two or more states build up military
capabilities in response to each other
Rational actors - answer-actor conceived of as single entities that can "think" about their
actors coherently, make choices, identify their interests, and rank the interest in terms of
priority
National interest - answer-the interests in a state overall (as opposed to interest in
factions or parties within the state)
Cost-benefits analysis - answer-a calculations of the costs incurred by a possible action
and the benefits by a possible action and the benefits it is likely to bring
Game theory - answer-a branch of math concerned with predicting and bargaining
outcomes. Games such as prisoner's dilemma and chicken have been used to analyze
various sorts of international interactions
Zero-sum gains - answer-situations in which one actor's gain is by definition equal to the
other's loss, as opposed to a non-zero-game in which it is possible for both actors to
gain or loose
Prisoner's dilemma - answer-a situation modeled by game theory in which rational
actors pursing their individual interest all achieve worse outcomes than they could have
by working together
GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
Security dilemma - answer-a situation in which actions states take to ensure their own
security (such as developing more military forces) are perceived as threats to the
security of other states
Balance of power - answer-the general concept of one or more states' power being
used to balance that of another state or group of states. The term can refer to (1) any
ratio of power capabilities between states or alliances (2) a relatively equal ration or (3)
the process by which counterbalancing coalitions have repeatedly formed to prevent
one state from conquering an entire region
Great powers - answer-generally, the half-dozen or so most powerful states; the great
power club was most exclusively european until the 20th century
Middle powers - answer-states that rank somewhat below the great powers in terms of
their influence on world affairs
Neorealism - answer-a version of realist theory that emphasizes the influence on state
behavior of the system's structure, especially the international distribution of power
Multipolar system - answer-an international system which typically five or six centers of
power that are not grouped into alliances
Power transition theory - answer-a theory that the largest wars result from challenges to
the top position in the status hierarchy, when a rising power is surpassing (or
threatening to surpass) the most powerful state
Hegemony - answer-the holding by one state of a preponderance of power in the
international system, so that it can single-handedly dominate the rules and
arrangements by which international politics and economics relations are conducted
Hegemonic stability - answer-the argument that regimes are most effective when power
in the international system is most concentrated
Alliance cohesion - answer-the ease with which the members hold together an alliance;
it tends to be high when national interests converge and when cooperation among allies
become institutionalized
Burden sharing - answer-the distribution of the costs of an alliance among members;
the term also refers to the conflicts that may arise over such distribution
, North atlantic treaty organization (nato) - answer-a us military led alliance, formed in
1949 with mainly west european members, to oppose and deter soviet power in europe.
It is currently expanding into former soviet bloc.
Warsaw pact - answer-a soviet led eastern european military alliance, founded in 1955
and disbanded in 1991. It opposed to the nato alliance
Us-japanese treaty - answer-a bilateral alliance between the us and japan, created in
1951 against the potential soviet threat to japan. The us maintains troops in japan and is
committed to defend japan if attached, and japan pays the us to offset half the cost of
maintaining troops
Nonaligned movement - answer-a movement of third world states, led by india and
yugoslavia, that attempted to stand apart from the us-soviet rivalry during the cold war
Deterrence - answer-the threat to punish another actor if it takes a certain negative
action (especially when attacking one's own state, or allies)
Compellence - answer-the threat of force to make another actor take action
Arms race - answer-a reciprocal process in which two or more states build up military
capabilities in response to each other
Rational actors - answer-actor conceived of as single entities that can "think" about their
actors coherently, make choices, identify their interests, and rank the interest in terms of
priority
National interest - answer-the interests in a state overall (as opposed to interest in
factions or parties within the state)
Cost-benefits analysis - answer-a calculations of the costs incurred by a possible action
and the benefits by a possible action and the benefits it is likely to bring
Game theory - answer-a branch of math concerned with predicting and bargaining
outcomes. Games such as prisoner's dilemma and chicken have been used to analyze
various sorts of international interactions
Zero-sum gains - answer-situations in which one actor's gain is by definition equal to the
other's loss, as opposed to a non-zero-game in which it is possible for both actors to
gain or loose
Prisoner's dilemma - answer-a situation modeled by game theory in which rational
actors pursing their individual interest all achieve worse outcomes than they could have
by working together
