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POLI 105 Midterm - Saladino Questions with Answers
(100% Correct Answers)
Rational Actor Model Answer: - Assumes the process is rational and
predictable.
- A formulaic process in which a state:
(1) clarifies goals
(2) prioritizes
(3) lists alternatives
(4) investigates consequences
(5) selects the best or most rational outcome
What is the difference between Deterrence and Compellence? Answer:
Deterrence is the use of THREAT to stop a person/state from carrying
out an unwanted action.
Compellence is compelling another state to stop their actions by
carrying out your threat and using FORCE.
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,2
What are Clausewitz's 3 contributions? Answer: 1. 'On War' and politics
by other means.
2. Separation of military and government.
3. Fog of war and hierarchy is necessary.
What is terrorism? Answer: - Not state-oriented
- Not declared; we don't know who a terrorist is until after the terrorist
act is committed.
- Carried out by individuals
- Targets civilians to inflict terror
- A terrorist cannot return to society; states don't want to associate
themselves with terrorists.
What is the difference between Risk Acceptance and Risk Aversion?
Answer: Different individuals have different ideas when taking risks.
What one individual sees as a threat, another may not.
What are Allison's three models? Answer: 1. Rational Actor (model)
2. Bureaucratic Politics/Government Bargaining model
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,3
3. Organization Process Model
After Bismark, what individual(s) took control of Germany? What did
they want for the German state? Answer: - Both Bismark and Kaiser
Wilhelm I were interested in maintaining German power; they wanted
to make alliances with other states.
- Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted to EXPAND Germany and gain more power.
This is a problem because Germany had no room to expand, and if it
wanted to, it had to invade other countries.
Nixon-Kissinger Model Answer: 1. Leader with a high interest in foreign
policy (Nixon)
2. Leader and main advisor (Kissinger) agrees on foreign policy
3. Domestic and international context allows this to happen.
Case Studies include: Vietnam, Cambodia, China triangulation (sino-
soviet split)
What is war? Answer: - State-oriented
- Declared
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- War is carried out by states' militaries
What do terrorism and war have in common? Answer: - Both are
rational.
- Although terrorism is not seen as rational, the terrorists see their acts
as rational
- Both are goal oriented
What are 3 Biases? Answer: 1. Perception/Misperception Bias = seeing
2. Affective Bias = feeling (Bush and Saddam)
3. Cognitive = thinking (Wishful thinking, justification of effort, enemy
image, mirror image)
What is the biggest problem with foreign policy? Answer: Individual
rationality.
What was one key difference in the power configuration between WWI
and the Cold War? Answer: WWI was a multi-polar system of power;
Cold War was a bi-polar system.
© 2025 All rights reserved
POLI 105 Midterm - Saladino Questions with Answers
(100% Correct Answers)
Rational Actor Model Answer: - Assumes the process is rational and
predictable.
- A formulaic process in which a state:
(1) clarifies goals
(2) prioritizes
(3) lists alternatives
(4) investigates consequences
(5) selects the best or most rational outcome
What is the difference between Deterrence and Compellence? Answer:
Deterrence is the use of THREAT to stop a person/state from carrying
out an unwanted action.
Compellence is compelling another state to stop their actions by
carrying out your threat and using FORCE.
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
What are Clausewitz's 3 contributions? Answer: 1. 'On War' and politics
by other means.
2. Separation of military and government.
3. Fog of war and hierarchy is necessary.
What is terrorism? Answer: - Not state-oriented
- Not declared; we don't know who a terrorist is until after the terrorist
act is committed.
- Carried out by individuals
- Targets civilians to inflict terror
- A terrorist cannot return to society; states don't want to associate
themselves with terrorists.
What is the difference between Risk Acceptance and Risk Aversion?
Answer: Different individuals have different ideas when taking risks.
What one individual sees as a threat, another may not.
What are Allison's three models? Answer: 1. Rational Actor (model)
2. Bureaucratic Politics/Government Bargaining model
© 2025 All rights reserved
,3
3. Organization Process Model
After Bismark, what individual(s) took control of Germany? What did
they want for the German state? Answer: - Both Bismark and Kaiser
Wilhelm I were interested in maintaining German power; they wanted
to make alliances with other states.
- Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted to EXPAND Germany and gain more power.
This is a problem because Germany had no room to expand, and if it
wanted to, it had to invade other countries.
Nixon-Kissinger Model Answer: 1. Leader with a high interest in foreign
policy (Nixon)
2. Leader and main advisor (Kissinger) agrees on foreign policy
3. Domestic and international context allows this to happen.
Case Studies include: Vietnam, Cambodia, China triangulation (sino-
soviet split)
What is war? Answer: - State-oriented
- Declared
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4
- War is carried out by states' militaries
What do terrorism and war have in common? Answer: - Both are
rational.
- Although terrorism is not seen as rational, the terrorists see their acts
as rational
- Both are goal oriented
What are 3 Biases? Answer: 1. Perception/Misperception Bias = seeing
2. Affective Bias = feeling (Bush and Saddam)
3. Cognitive = thinking (Wishful thinking, justification of effort, enemy
image, mirror image)
What is the biggest problem with foreign policy? Answer: Individual
rationality.
What was one key difference in the power configuration between WWI
and the Cold War? Answer: WWI was a multi-polar system of power;
Cold War was a bi-polar system.
© 2025 All rights reserved
