International Relations Saladino FINAL Exam Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025
Kenneth Waltz - Answers "Theory of International Politics"
father of modern realism
wants to revolutionize theory
thinks he has nailed international politics: nothing else can explain it but my explanation
state system is made up of bulbs of power called nationstates
all systems are dominated by the most powerful nationstates
material power is all that matters
states seek THE STUFF that gets them power: seek security
Great Man theory - Answers group of individuals amass enough power to change states and systems
(get per themselves NOT from state or system)
individual analysis
IGOs - Answers intergovernmental organizations
membership restricted to states
ex. UN, EU
coalition of states around culture, Econ., religion, geographic region, etc.
NGOs - Answers nongovernmental organizations
have international and domestic reach but don't have benefits of sovereignty like IGOs do (no military)
ex. NRA, Human Rights Watch, Roman Catholic Church
Lepgold - Answers Policy Theory Relevance: Is anyone listening?
-theory is useless if it can't be applied to real life scenarios
-theory and practice should be united
-both policy makers and academic scholars have shared goals so the rift between them shouldn't exist
What was the first major international relations theory? - Answers Realism
Realism - Answers material power matters the most
nationstates are always trying to get the most power
,nationstates want to balance power: if one gets more material power than the other will naturally seek
more power
power is zero sum
How did realism originate? - Answers as a reaction to idealism which said hey let's all agree to solve this
problem and it'll be solved (it didn't work great)
system - Answers anything in which we exist
Balance of Power - Answers realist idea that states align themselves against the greatest power: either
gain more material power or balance/bandwagon (form alliances or join gr8 power)
power transition - Answers realist idea that thinks war is likely when a state with rising power challenges
the old dominant state and balance of power approaches equilibrium
What matters the most in Realism? - Answers material power of states
E. H. Carr - Answers 1st official realist and 1st to call the theory realism
wants to blame conflict on class structure because he is a marxist
but power is the most observable cause
Hans Morgenthau - Answers writes "Politics Among Nations"
1st scientific theory based IR textbook
need to explain world politics with evidence
power means the most in IR and states are always responding to power
makes realism the dominant theory of world politics
What are some core historical thinkers that influenced realism? How did they influence? - Answers
Thucydides: study of Peloponnesian Wars
Thomas Hobbes: the natural state of things is war
Otto Von Bismarck: power is motivating purpose of foreign relations (Real Politick)
What are the core assumptions of classical realism? - Answers states are primary actors in world politics
and states are rational (always choose the best outcome)
states seek power all the time
independent variable is balance of power (causes states to act)
, self help theory - Answers no one knows what will happen in world politics so states must rely on
themselves
security dilemma - Answers idea of uncertainty when states increase power
one state will increase power and another will increase power to balance (think Cold War)
arms race
What makes neorealism different from the classical realism? - Answers all states are security seekers
(seek stuff that power gets them)
states are simply orbs of power
more scientific
power is only the means not the ends
nationstates are the ONLY actors
Neorealism - Answers states are rational unitary actors under condition of anarchy
states don't seek power but security
power is only a means, security is the ends
system is ordered by distribution of material power
Stephen walt - Answers neorealist
balancing behavior means we balance our resources together (states form alliances to defeat common
threat)
also brings in option of bandwagoning: joining forces with the threat
each state must decide the choice that produces the best outcome
balance of threat - Answers states' alliance behavior is determined by the threat they perceive from
other states
balance power (form alliances) or bandwagon (join with threat)
Logic of relative gains - Answers belief system in realism
outcomes are always measured in relative terms: rational choices by state actors are ones in which they
gain power over another state
pizza example: the night where you lose $300 dollars but your opponent loses $600, still gained in
relative terms
Kenneth Waltz - Answers "Theory of International Politics"
father of modern realism
wants to revolutionize theory
thinks he has nailed international politics: nothing else can explain it but my explanation
state system is made up of bulbs of power called nationstates
all systems are dominated by the most powerful nationstates
material power is all that matters
states seek THE STUFF that gets them power: seek security
Great Man theory - Answers group of individuals amass enough power to change states and systems
(get per themselves NOT from state or system)
individual analysis
IGOs - Answers intergovernmental organizations
membership restricted to states
ex. UN, EU
coalition of states around culture, Econ., religion, geographic region, etc.
NGOs - Answers nongovernmental organizations
have international and domestic reach but don't have benefits of sovereignty like IGOs do (no military)
ex. NRA, Human Rights Watch, Roman Catholic Church
Lepgold - Answers Policy Theory Relevance: Is anyone listening?
-theory is useless if it can't be applied to real life scenarios
-theory and practice should be united
-both policy makers and academic scholars have shared goals so the rift between them shouldn't exist
What was the first major international relations theory? - Answers Realism
Realism - Answers material power matters the most
nationstates are always trying to get the most power
,nationstates want to balance power: if one gets more material power than the other will naturally seek
more power
power is zero sum
How did realism originate? - Answers as a reaction to idealism which said hey let's all agree to solve this
problem and it'll be solved (it didn't work great)
system - Answers anything in which we exist
Balance of Power - Answers realist idea that states align themselves against the greatest power: either
gain more material power or balance/bandwagon (form alliances or join gr8 power)
power transition - Answers realist idea that thinks war is likely when a state with rising power challenges
the old dominant state and balance of power approaches equilibrium
What matters the most in Realism? - Answers material power of states
E. H. Carr - Answers 1st official realist and 1st to call the theory realism
wants to blame conflict on class structure because he is a marxist
but power is the most observable cause
Hans Morgenthau - Answers writes "Politics Among Nations"
1st scientific theory based IR textbook
need to explain world politics with evidence
power means the most in IR and states are always responding to power
makes realism the dominant theory of world politics
What are some core historical thinkers that influenced realism? How did they influence? - Answers
Thucydides: study of Peloponnesian Wars
Thomas Hobbes: the natural state of things is war
Otto Von Bismarck: power is motivating purpose of foreign relations (Real Politick)
What are the core assumptions of classical realism? - Answers states are primary actors in world politics
and states are rational (always choose the best outcome)
states seek power all the time
independent variable is balance of power (causes states to act)
, self help theory - Answers no one knows what will happen in world politics so states must rely on
themselves
security dilemma - Answers idea of uncertainty when states increase power
one state will increase power and another will increase power to balance (think Cold War)
arms race
What makes neorealism different from the classical realism? - Answers all states are security seekers
(seek stuff that power gets them)
states are simply orbs of power
more scientific
power is only the means not the ends
nationstates are the ONLY actors
Neorealism - Answers states are rational unitary actors under condition of anarchy
states don't seek power but security
power is only a means, security is the ends
system is ordered by distribution of material power
Stephen walt - Answers neorealist
balancing behavior means we balance our resources together (states form alliances to defeat common
threat)
also brings in option of bandwagoning: joining forces with the threat
each state must decide the choice that produces the best outcome
balance of threat - Answers states' alliance behavior is determined by the threat they perceive from
other states
balance power (form alliances) or bandwagon (join with threat)
Logic of relative gains - Answers belief system in realism
outcomes are always measured in relative terms: rational choices by state actors are ones in which they
gain power over another state
pizza example: the night where you lose $300 dollars but your opponent loses $600, still gained in
relative terms
