1|Page
Poli 105 Saladino Final Exam Review Questions
and Answers with complete solution
Realism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ state seeks material
power and economic power
Neorealism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -States are rational
unitary actors
-States seek security not power
-Relative Power and zero-sum
Liberalism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Cooperation
-Critical theory - realism and liberalism are not logical
-absolut gains
Neoliberalism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ institutions matter
Constructivism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ based on an
ideational ontology, rather than a material ontology.
Thus constructivism is posed against both realism and
liberalism
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Alexander Wendt - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Anarchy is
what states make of it
Stephen Walt - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Alliances:
Balancing and Bandwagoning
Collective Security - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Assumes all
states will participate (in a given system)
-Does NOT distinguish between states
Faux Realism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -reduces to unit
level variables (not systemic—looks inside states, inds.)
-considers variables outside relative material to power
Prisoner's Dilemma - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A situation in
which two (or more) actors cannot agree to cooperate
for fear that the other will find its interest best served
by reneging on an agreement.
Bandwagoning - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a strategy in
which states join forces with the stronger side in a conflict
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Balancing - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Allying with others
against the extreme threat
Kenneth Waltz - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Theory of
International Politics
-Wants least amount of poles of power-bipolar is most
stable
Polarity - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ poles of power
determine the configuration of any international system
Security Dilemma - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ In an anarchic
international system, one with no common central power,
when one state seeks to improve its security it creates
insecurity in other states.
Idealism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A theory of
international relations that focuses on the hope the
nations will act together to solve international problems
and promote peace.
E.H. Carr - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -20 Years Crisis :(first
to call Realism/ define it)
, 4|Page
-Says realism is the balance of power among a state
(Classical realism)
Bismarck - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Minister of the Prussian
empire
-Manipulated power and war until Prussia became
Germany in 1871
-Manipulation of power and war became a driving
force for the creation of IR and the early ideas of
realism
Hans Morgenthau - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Realist.
Believed that humans are motivated by a will to power.
Emphasized realistic diplomacy, based on an analysis of
balance of power and the need to promote the national
interest.
Absolute Gains (Liberalism) - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -
What states seek
-profit better outcomes
Relative Gains (Realism) - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Realists
see things in relative terms, particularly gains
Poli 105 Saladino Final Exam Review Questions
and Answers with complete solution
Realism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ state seeks material
power and economic power
Neorealism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -States are rational
unitary actors
-States seek security not power
-Relative Power and zero-sum
Liberalism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Cooperation
-Critical theory - realism and liberalism are not logical
-absolut gains
Neoliberalism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ institutions matter
Constructivism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ based on an
ideational ontology, rather than a material ontology.
Thus constructivism is posed against both realism and
liberalism
,2|Page
Alexander Wendt - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Anarchy is
what states make of it
Stephen Walt - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Alliances:
Balancing and Bandwagoning
Collective Security - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Assumes all
states will participate (in a given system)
-Does NOT distinguish between states
Faux Realism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -reduces to unit
level variables (not systemic—looks inside states, inds.)
-considers variables outside relative material to power
Prisoner's Dilemma - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A situation in
which two (or more) actors cannot agree to cooperate
for fear that the other will find its interest best served
by reneging on an agreement.
Bandwagoning - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ a strategy in
which states join forces with the stronger side in a conflict
,3|Page
Balancing - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Allying with others
against the extreme threat
Kenneth Waltz - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Theory of
International Politics
-Wants least amount of poles of power-bipolar is most
stable
Polarity - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ poles of power
determine the configuration of any international system
Security Dilemma - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ In an anarchic
international system, one with no common central power,
when one state seeks to improve its security it creates
insecurity in other states.
Idealism - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ A theory of
international relations that focuses on the hope the
nations will act together to solve international problems
and promote peace.
E.H. Carr - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -20 Years Crisis :(first
to call Realism/ define it)
, 4|Page
-Says realism is the balance of power among a state
(Classical realism)
Bismarck - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Minister of the Prussian
empire
-Manipulated power and war until Prussia became
Germany in 1871
-Manipulation of power and war became a driving
force for the creation of IR and the early ideas of
realism
Hans Morgenthau - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ Realist.
Believed that humans are motivated by a will to power.
Emphasized realistic diplomacy, based on an analysis of
balance of power and the need to promote the national
interest.
Absolute Gains (Liberalism) - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -
What states seek
-profit better outcomes
Relative Gains (Realism) - .....ANSWER ...✔✔ -Realists
see things in relative terms, particularly gains
