POLS 121 FINAL EXAM NEWEST 2025
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE ALL 300
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS
unipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere is one superpower/hegemony in the
international system
bipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere are two poles of power in the international
system
multipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere are three or more poles of power in the
international system
neorealists argue that __________ is the most stable international condition -
ANSWERbipolarity
the Thucydides trap - ANSWERwhen a rising power causes fear in an established
power, which escalates toward war
political fragmentation - ANSWERwhen a country's government is split into different
institutions running their own agenda, competing with each other
demagoguery - ANSWERa political activity or practices that seek support by appealing
to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument
right-wing populism - ANSWERa political ideology that opposes elitism and appeals to
"the people" that also values anti-environmentalism, strong nationalism, anti-
globalization, nativism (anti-immigration), and protectionism (limitation of imports)
Joseph Nye's argument regarding the liberal order - ANSWERChina's threat to the
liberal order is exaggerated, and instead the root cause is right-wing populism, political
fragmentation, and demagoguery
John Ikenberry's argument regarding the liberal order - ANSWERcriticizes Trump's
foreign policy because challenging the liberal order is dangerous and warns that if the
US withdraws from the order, previous agreements will suffer
______ nuclear weapons exist today - ANSWER14,485
Russia has ____ total nuclear weapons - ANSWER8,850
, the US has ____ total nuclear weapons - ANSWER6,450
the Manhattan project - ANSWERwas a US research and development project during
WWII that ultimately produced the first nuclear weapons
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - ANSWERwas created in 1957 and is an
international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and
to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons
Nonproliteration Treaty (NPT) - ANSWERsignatories pledged not to acquire nuclear
weapons, while nuclear states agreed not to share the technology and to embrace the
long-term goal of disarmament
Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) - ANSWERsigned by Reagan and
Gorbachev that meant the Soviets agreed to eliminate thousands intermediate range
nuclear missiles (within ranges of 310-3,420 miles)
these countries did NOT sign the NPT - ANSWERIndia, Pakistan, and Israel
this country signed the NPT then unsigned it in 2003 - ANSWERNorth Korea
this country breached its NPT terms - ANSWERIran
nations without states - ANSWERinstances in which the members of a nation lack
political sovereignty over the area they claim as their own; multinational states may exist
that are made up of people with different cultures/histories within a state
examples of nations without a state - ANSWERCatalonia, Kurds, Tibet, Palestine,
nations within Ethiopia (Sidama)
definition of power - ANSWER"the ability to influence others, and also to 'control
outcomes so as to produce results that would not have occurred naturally'"
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - ANSWERa deal between Iran and the
US (under the Obama admin) that restricted Iran's nuclear activities and permitted
international inspections of its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting economic
sanctions; Trump pulled out of this deal in 2018
the legal criterion for a state - ANSWERa stable population, a government, and
international recognition
the concept of a nation - ANSWERa group of people who share common characteristics
and feel they belong together
common characteristics felt by members of a nation - ANSWERhistory of the nation,
culture, language, religion/myths, expectations for the future
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE ALL 300
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS
unipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere is one superpower/hegemony in the
international system
bipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere are two poles of power in the international
system
multipolar power distribution - ANSWERthere are three or more poles of power in the
international system
neorealists argue that __________ is the most stable international condition -
ANSWERbipolarity
the Thucydides trap - ANSWERwhen a rising power causes fear in an established
power, which escalates toward war
political fragmentation - ANSWERwhen a country's government is split into different
institutions running their own agenda, competing with each other
demagoguery - ANSWERa political activity or practices that seek support by appealing
to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument
right-wing populism - ANSWERa political ideology that opposes elitism and appeals to
"the people" that also values anti-environmentalism, strong nationalism, anti-
globalization, nativism (anti-immigration), and protectionism (limitation of imports)
Joseph Nye's argument regarding the liberal order - ANSWERChina's threat to the
liberal order is exaggerated, and instead the root cause is right-wing populism, political
fragmentation, and demagoguery
John Ikenberry's argument regarding the liberal order - ANSWERcriticizes Trump's
foreign policy because challenging the liberal order is dangerous and warns that if the
US withdraws from the order, previous agreements will suffer
______ nuclear weapons exist today - ANSWER14,485
Russia has ____ total nuclear weapons - ANSWER8,850
, the US has ____ total nuclear weapons - ANSWER6,450
the Manhattan project - ANSWERwas a US research and development project during
WWII that ultimately produced the first nuclear weapons
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - ANSWERwas created in 1957 and is an
international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and
to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons
Nonproliteration Treaty (NPT) - ANSWERsignatories pledged not to acquire nuclear
weapons, while nuclear states agreed not to share the technology and to embrace the
long-term goal of disarmament
Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) - ANSWERsigned by Reagan and
Gorbachev that meant the Soviets agreed to eliminate thousands intermediate range
nuclear missiles (within ranges of 310-3,420 miles)
these countries did NOT sign the NPT - ANSWERIndia, Pakistan, and Israel
this country signed the NPT then unsigned it in 2003 - ANSWERNorth Korea
this country breached its NPT terms - ANSWERIran
nations without states - ANSWERinstances in which the members of a nation lack
political sovereignty over the area they claim as their own; multinational states may exist
that are made up of people with different cultures/histories within a state
examples of nations without a state - ANSWERCatalonia, Kurds, Tibet, Palestine,
nations within Ethiopia (Sidama)
definition of power - ANSWER"the ability to influence others, and also to 'control
outcomes so as to produce results that would not have occurred naturally'"
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - ANSWERa deal between Iran and the
US (under the Obama admin) that restricted Iran's nuclear activities and permitted
international inspections of its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting economic
sanctions; Trump pulled out of this deal in 2018
the legal criterion for a state - ANSWERa stable population, a government, and
international recognition
the concept of a nation - ANSWERa group of people who share common characteristics
and feel they belong together
common characteristics felt by members of a nation - ANSWERhistory of the nation,
culture, language, religion/myths, expectations for the future
