Sample Mid-term Exam: International Relations
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nuredinaliyi758Sample Mid-term Exam: International Relations
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nuredinaliyi758Common questions
Powered by AIMultipolar systems involve several major powers and tend to have dynamic alliances and shifting balances of power, which can lead to instability and frequent conflicts as no single power dominates. Conversely, bipolar systems consist of two dominant powers that stabilize international relations due to mutual recognition and control over alliances, reducing unpredictable shifts. However, despite these stabilizing tendencies, bipolarity also introduces intense rivalry, leading to severe conflicts if war occurs. Proxy wars are common as major powers avoid direct confrontation due to mutually assured destruction .
Commitment devices force adherence to a predetermined course by imposing prohibitive costs for deviation. When Hernando Cortez burned his ships, he removed the escape option for his men, increasing their resolve to conquer. Similarly, currency unions like the Euro tie countries economically, making withdrawal costly, thereby encouraging political stability and closer cooperation. By restructuring possibilities, these devices eliminate alternatives, ensuring focus on a singular goal despite potential hardships or temptations .
Strategic interaction refers to situations where the outcomes are contingent upon the decisions of multiple actors, which are interdependent and require anticipation of others' responses. In international relations, strategic interaction is essential as it involves nations making decisions that depend on their expectations of others' actions. Policies such as deterrence or alignment in alliances reflect strategic considerations where states anticipate the possible moves of adversaries and allies .
Social Darwinism, when combined with nationalism, constructs a worldview where national superiority is justified via pseudo-scientific means, leading to exclusionary and often violent policies against perceived 'weaker' groups. Historically, this ideology underpinned events like the Holocaust, where the Nazis justified their genocidal actions against Jews by framing them as inferior. Similarly, Japanese imperial aggression in China and Korea during World War II was justified under a socially Darwinist framework .
Sovereignty is the defining legal status that makes a state the ultimate authority within its territory, free from external interference. It enables states to control their internal affairs—as seen in the Westphalian model of state governance. Sovereignty is fundamental in maintaining the balance of power, as it asserts the equality and independence of all nation-states despite disparities in economic or military power. Consequently, violations of sovereignty often lead to international tension and conflict .
Arrow's Theorem, also known as the General Possibility Theorem, illustrates the challenges in creating a coherent group preference order that respects individual rationality while avoiding dictatorship. It implies that no perfect method exists for aggregating individual preferences into a group decision that satisfies all of the following criteria: unrestricted domain, non-dictatorship, Pareto efficiency, and independence of irrelevant alternatives. This theorem underscores the inherent potential for irrational outcomes in collective decision-making situations even if all individual members are rational .
Defense involves the use of physical force to repel an attack and prevent any harm from being realized. It is a reactive measure taken once an attack is underway or imminent. In contrast, deterrence aims to prevent an action from occurring through the threat of retaliation or punishment, while compellence seeks to actively change an opponent's behavior through threats or limited force until they concede to demands .
The primary argument for Social Darwinism suggests that it can foster a competitive environment leading to stronger nations prevailing, which supposedly benefits society by encouraging innovation and progress. However, this theory often justifies unethical policies of oppression, colonization, and genocide under the guise of survival of the fittest. Ethical implications include dehumanization of 'weaker' groups, disregard for human rights, and fostering ideologies that perpetuate inequality and violence. Historical manifestations have resulted in atrocities like the Holocaust, substantiating the moral dangers of this theory .
Alliances can constrain policy options, committing countries to support one another militarily, which escalates regional conflicts into larger wars. These commitments might oblige states to engage in conflicts that don't align with their national interests purely because of treaty obligations, often leading to entangled conflicts. The spread of war can result as states are compelled to act in defense of allies rather than pursuing diplomatic resolutions .
Adherence to a scientific theory is often based on its utility and explanatory power until a more compelling option emerges. The choice to switch to a new theory is justified when it is logically consistent, capable of explaining phenomena that the current theory struggles with, and still rationalizes what the old theory could explain. Importantly, the preferable theory should not rely excessively on auxiliary assumptions, thus being more parsimonious .