Gov Test 2
What has been the main source of conflict between Taiwan and China over the past 20 years?
-Beijing politicians will use military force against Taiwan if Taiwan declares independence -But people believe that US will not abandon Taiwan if this situation arises (So the US is a key player in this global issue)
Understand, explain, and give examples of how do international institutions a shape international politics through the following mechanisms: a)guiding behavior and shaping expectations; b)providing information about state interests and incentives to comply; c)allocating and generating power for states
*Guiding behavior and shaping expectations Institutions have rules that guide interactions among states Examples: -Sovereignty as legal recognition (by other states) of a governments right to regulate people living within its boundaries (should not violate the territory of other countries) (foster expectation of noninterference in others' domestic politics) -trade liberalization: GATT rules grants access to foreign companies access to domestic market *Providing information about state interests and incentives to comply -Decision itself to join often domestically costly because requires concessions -Demonstrates commitment to pursue line of policies -Examples: (Chine entry into WTO) (Weapons inspectors: check for compliance) (Showed willingness to live within the set world) *Allocating and generating power for states -Independently powerful -Create new international law (Judicial activism at WTO -Set agenda in favor of some -veto power of UN Security Council (US) helps to keep recognition of Palestine off agenda, but... *Lock-in existing power of arrangements -P5 on UN Sec. Council (US, Russia, China, UK, and France) function of post-WWII settlement; no Germany, Brazil, Japan, India *Ikenberry: US entry to IO helps solve fundamental problem of politics at international level -constraints help legitimate American hegemony -missions will survive long after American power recedes
According to Krauthammer reading, what is the difference between a soldier, a terrorist, and a terrorist with information in terms of ethically permissible counter-terrorism measures?
- a soldier caught in battle is not doing anything wrong to the captor except being on the other team. They deserve all their basic rights and should only be detained to keep him/her off the battlefield -a terrorist lives outside the laws of war because they hide among citizens and deliberately target innocent people. Because of this they are entitled to nothing, but we should not torture them because we should not sink to their level -a terrorist with information is different since now torture can be used to obtain said information
Discuss how the attack on 9/11 led to the US invasion of Afghanistan. How did the decision not to distinguish between terrorists and states that harbor terrorists play into this decision? How did considerations of domestic reaction and the possibility of another attack affect this decision?
-Bush felt we needed to go to war right away, it wasnt even an option to not go to war -committed to broaden war against states and non-states actors --decision of Bush, Rice, K. Hughes and speechwriters (Gerson); key national security players left out -Quickly determined to strike Al Qaeda, given sanctuary in southern Afghanistan by Taliban in return for substantial financial support -we committed to fighting those that attacked us and their associates, and even states that housed these groups. No discrimination -Made the decision to go to war quickly because of the risk of another attack on US soil. Wanted to make American citizens feel safe and see their government was being proactive about 9/11
According to lecture and the Goldstein reading and interview, how does China's post-1979 economic reforms affect its grand strategy?
-China's grand strategy since 1979 driven by domestic imperative: create jobs to preserve regime and social stability -Chinese leaders are focused on domestic economic issues
Describe and explain the economic relationship between the US and China in the contemporary era. What are the main elements of this relationship in terms of trade deficits and the nature of imports and exports between the two countries? What does the US get out of its economic relationship with China? What does China get out of this relationship?
-Chinese has huge trade deficit to US (Us owes around $318 billion) -China has to rely on exports for economic growth, to keep Chinese city workers paid and happy *so the American consumer helps China by shopping goods at Walmart *Is this bad? No, because the central China bank lends massive amounts of money to the US *This enables the US gov to cut taxes for US citizens *US spent lots of money on army after 9/11 and still Bush reduced taxes then. The money for this came from China's loans -Obama has been setting up a pivot to focus not on the Middle East but instead on East Asia
What is the democratic peace theory? How do the factors that contribute to democracy's influence over foreign policy in general - electoral constraints, institutional constraints on power such as checks and balances, and a shared democratic identity - help to explain, in particular, peaceful relations between democracies?
-Claims that military conflict (low levels, including threat to use force and war) less likely between only two democratic states -democracies will be peaceful toward other democracies, but not peaceful to autocracies (so the war between US and Iraq/Russia is expected; US vs Canada/India is not
What are the ethical questions, frameworks, and conflicts between moral values that are associated with deciding what is the ethically ideal response to the Ebola virus? How do these questions apply to a potential 21-day quarantine for individuals, such as medical workers, who have come into contact with individuals infected by the Ebola virus?
-Common good vs. right framework I - community good (protection of outbreak) vs individual rights (civil rights/freedoms). This is easy if the risk of outbreak is high (good of whole community trumps civil rights of a few) but is increasingly difficult when risk is very low (at what point is this an over reaction? -Common good vs. rights framework II - democracy (majority rule vs. minority rights) What if the public wants a quarantine of those who come into contact with Ebola patients just to feel safer? Is that ethically defensible if in the process the rights of a few are trampled upon? -Virtue framework - self preservation vs heroic deeds of good will. Besides framing this is terms of self-interest (best way to protect US it to fight Ebola in Africa), there is the virtue frame challenge us to balance the drive for self-protection against the desire toward self-sacrifice and heroic deeds of good will. Does excessive concern for America's safety prevent the US from performing the ethical ideal of helping to avoid the deaths of thousands or even millions of Africans who may contract Ebola without American help?
According to lecture, why does the democratic peace theory require rethinking? According to Prof McDonald, what is a better explanation for the absence of major power war in Europe after WWII? How does the resolution of the German question exemplify this alternative explanation to the democratic peace?
-Conditions of the democracy that affect the subsequent sates (process of democratization ushers in a period of conflict (long term peace might be outweighed by the short term effect of deadly war - Iraq and ISIS) -Democracy promotion is a post WWI phenomenon -contradiction: democracy protects the process of selecting leaders, not what policies come out (democratic election can elect of terrorist organization to power) -peace has been a product of smaller states being in the US and USSR sphere of influence (two nations imposed peace on Germany and therefor in Europe) -the German example shows that peace comes from resolutions between great powers, instead of democratic promotion in smaller states
Discuss the contours of democracy promotion in US foreign policy since woodrow wilson's presidency. How did the end of the Cold War enhance the view of democracy as a part of American foreign policy?
-Encarnacion: Wilson's act of promoting democracy was more aimed toward US-based goals -In cold war times, promoting democracy shift moved towards containment of communism. (sometimes the US even undermined left wing democracies) -The end of the Cold War saw a boom in democratic promotion (the manner of communism suggested that spreading democracy goes hand in hand with peace. So the US did not now have to choose between democracy and security.
What were and are the central dilemmas of NATO from both the European and American sides of the relationship?
-European Shirking: Eisenhower on Europe "They won't make sacrifices to provide soldiers of their own" (wont fund own military - still current day issue of neglecting self-defense -US is a reluctant hegemon (we get lots of benefits, but it's still a HUGE burden to provide for everyone (especially difficult in tough economic times -how do we force Europe to provide more of its own security?
What types of leverage do states still possess relative to non-state actors that keep them relevant despite the increasing power of non-state actors?
-Ex. China censors the internet -Ex. Russia harasses NGO's -US co-opted Tea Party and Occupy movement -States are adapting to the new environment
What is a failed state? What challenges do failed states pose for an international systems based on states?
-Failed state: the collapse of state authority to govern its societal groups -Challenge: enforcing terms on its population (Example: when a deal is made with another state, the population of the state should abide by the rules of the deal -Larger question for US FP: If the failure of a state poses a threat to the US, should US replace these states in a new version of imperialism?
According to Dahl, what are some common arguments against democracy? How does Winston Churchill's famous quote about democracy as "the worst system of gov except all others" capture the flaws of democracy but also a defense of this system of government?
-Inefficiency - Democratic govs cannot usually make timely and difficult decisions as it can be hard to obtain majority (example: getting the votes of 1000 students in the class is time-consuming) -the remedy to democracy's flaws - centralized power - is far worse -Churchill: No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
What are institutions? What is the difference between institutions and organizations? What are some examples of institutions in domestic and international politics?
-Institutions are rules; provide incentives for behaving-no incentives for doing bad things -organizations act/enforce rules -domestic institutions can be electoral rule, legislative rule, federalism, etc -international institutions can be sovereignty as legal recognition by other states
According to lecture, what complications arose after the invasion of Iraq?
-International resistance, cannot get second UN resolution (activates fundamental problem of politics: Is US restrained? -Insufficient preparation for post-Saddam Iraq, basic security collapses -Civil war (Democracy promotion unleashes commitment problem: how reassure minority Sunni coalition, restrain majority Shia coalition, and keep Kurds in Iraq (so Turkey doesn't hinder) -New sanctuary/training ground for terrorism -Diverts resources and attention from Afghanistan -Securing the peace requires much longer commitment than anticipated (Domestic support erodes, which opens broader questions about sustaining larger global war against terrorism?) (Can see consequences today with how Obama withdrew troops from Iraq that contributed to instability and gave ISIS a foothold
What are the issues surrounding a deal between the US and Iran regarding Iran's nuclear weapons program? Why is Obama considering going around congress to strike a deal with Iran? What are the problems and risks with such a strategy?
-Iran's nuclear weapons program argues that this program was designed for peaceful energy purposes. Iran's adversaries (mainly US and Israel) do not believe that is what it was solely designed for. They believe this program could result in Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon that could then threaten Israel. -Obama campaigned on the need to open up a new diplomatic dialogue with Iran, which he did. he has implemented a robust sanctions regime that has played a role in cutting off Iranian oil exports and limiting Iranian access to global banking services. these santions were designed to keep iran at the beginning table, but have actually imposted severe costs on the Iranian economy. The sanctions appear to be working in that iran is willing to negotiate on a long term nuclear weapons deal. -Congress is skeptical that iran will abide by the terms of nay deal, which is likely to include a tough inspections regime, allowing inspectors into nuclear weapons site and watching what is going on in there -the long term goal is preventing iran from building nuclear weapons -congress has leverage because they have already passed legislation in the Senate (99-0). Obama has to roll back this sanctions regime to get Iran to make concessions on their nuclear weapons program, but he is unlikely to get support from Congress to do this. So Congress might prevent him from making the key concession to Iran to get the deal done. -Obama has asked legal experts within the treasury department if he can unilaterally not implement the sanctions of the congress and they told him this was possible. But congress could impose new legislation. Aware of this possibility that Obama might proceed without any support, Iran might back away from any deal. -domestic opposition in Iran against an agreement with the US. So if Iranian leaders don't think Obama can get public support from Congress, they might not want to provoke their own domestic opposition.
How do Joseph Schumpeter and Samuel Huntington (cited in lecture) define democracy? What is the central aspect of democratic politics in both of these definitions?
-Joseph Schumpeter - Democracy is "that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote" -Huntington: "Elections, open, free, and fair, are the essence of democracy... governments produced by elections may be inefficient, corrupt, shortsighted, irresponsible, dominated by special interests, and incapable of adopting policies demanded by the public good. These qualities make such governments undesirable but they do not make them undemocratic"
What is mutually assured destruction (MAD)? What is a second strike capability adn why is it essential to mutually assured destruction?
-MAD is if two sides use nuclear weapons, then both will end up being annihilated -second strike capability is a country's assured ability to respond to an attack: if one country is hit with a nuclear weapon, withh they have enough weapons left to retaliate -neither side ahs an incentive to start a war. and when there's not a reason to go to war, one would have to make the escalation of a nuclear war credible. Deterrence is meant to avoid war not wage war
How does US membership in the international organizations like the UN, NATO, and WTO demonstrates the ability of international politics - to create and preserve coercive power and, at the same time, constrain that same power?
-Preserves US power/hegemony -Shape expectations of how states behave (Ex, rules of the road prevent car accidents like international organizations preserve sovereignty -Provide info about state interests and incentives to comply (Make predictions about willingness to comply) -Allocate/generate power of states
What is the relationship between money and interest rates? How do interest rates affect economic activity? What are the political implications of this relationship?
-Price of money is reflected in interest rates and is set by interaction of supply and demand -as costs go down, economic activity tends to go up (easier to borrow and buy things) -when interest rates fall, more houses are bought and sold -as costs go up, economic activity tends to slow (GDP growth slows or negative) -higher interest rates slow down activity -policy implications: govs can stimulate economic act. by pushing interest rates down
What are some of the problems associated with enforcement of rules for international organizations (IOs) in an international system dominated by states?
-Problem: If and IO doesn't have means to enforce and has to delegate authority to enforce to states, what happens when they refuse to enforce? -can mean the end of IO's (as in League of Nations)
What is the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act (RTAA) and why is is important for understanding the politics of trade policy? Why did the US shift responsibility for trade policy from the legislative to the executive branch?
-RTAA: US significant shift to embrace free trade and power was shifter to executive branch -Shifted to executive branch because congress recognized the dysfunction from constituencies in size
What was the role of key members of President Bush's administration such as Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz?
-Rumsfeld raises possibility on September 12 -Wolfowitz, 9/13, "ending states who sponsor terrorism" -Orders Rumsfeld on 11/21 to begin updating war plan for Iraq
Explain the basis of stability under mutually assured destruction and how missle defense systems undermine that stability
-Stability rests on threats to engage in violence, not the actual use of military force. So the threat of mutually assured destruction deters nuclear war -if we can defend ourselves with missiles, then one side can gain first strike capabilities and upset the balance of power, and only one side gets annihilated -ironically, having a better defense against nuclear weapons is more likely to lead to a nuclear war
What is the tension between the US and IOs? What do states like the US gain and lose from participation in international orgs?
-Tension: need to gain legitimacy for policy, secure additional support to implement policies (working through IOs and powerful domestic imperative -can require surrender of sovereignty or authority of elected officials in US set policy of the US -this can make congress coed control to bureaucrats of UN participants -challenge to democracy
According to lecture and your Ignatieff reading, what is the trade-off between security and liberty in a democratic polity like the US?
-Trade-off between the good of the community and good of the individual -is some level of security necessary for the maintenance of a liberal democratic oder? Yes widespread terrorism threatens the survival of democracy -Ignatieff: balance between security and liberty (some measures that restrict liberty are necessary) (examples: national ID system, coercive interrogation, short of torture (liberty can't be seen as a nuisance that must give way always to security needs)
Why does the US participate in the N and often abide by its decisions when it could just ignore it instead (bc its possesses much greater military capacity than the UN)?
-US is a key player because of the seat on security -source of legitimacy abroad and at home *UN reflect global public opinion and make it easier to gain allies if support *domestic public is more likely to support UN approved policies *harder for countries to publicly oppose the war if lots of states through UN voiced their support
Why does the US have a strong national interest in preventing nuclear proliferation?
-US wants to prevent proliferation -nuclear weapons blunt advanteges of great powers (like US) in conventional weapons -freezes territorial status quo for nuclear armed states: cant invade without risking nuclear retaliation -takes military coercion of threat of regime change off the table for the US and other great powers -compare "Axis of Evil" - Iran, Iraq, and North Korea --If dont have nuclear weapons (iraq), get invaded; if do have nuclear weapons (NK) get tough diplomacy -creates incentives to get nuclear weapons
Watch the Jon Stewart video clip on the UN and explain his critique of the UN. Why is this critique "funny but wrong"?
-argues UN is worthless -questions why American leaders care so much about the UN -Wrong argument because UN serves as an institution of rules that guide interactions among states
How does an expanded market increase competition? Why is teh scope of competition a function of the size of the market?
-as national barriers to trade fall and the market increases, competition becomes very intense -if the US didn't trade with global economy, we would be competing with all Americans for a job, rather then all 7 billion people in the world -ex. Moser is a football superstar in his small town in Nebraska, but was not offered a collegiate football scholarship because the scope of competition for the scholarship was much greater since they recruit nationally (national labor market) -scope of competition as function size of market
When it comes to regime change, for example, the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, how do the actions of target state, non-state actors, and other states like the US affect outcomes?
-authoritarian states provide the opening with domestic reform -democracy movements pressed reforms further -US and West provided vital support and an attractive alternative
According to lecture, why did Vice President Dick Cheney argue in favor of the Iraq invasion?
-better to fight the terrorist in a foreign theater -short term: he was right, we didn't have another attack right after
What is the problem of credibility in nuclear deterrence? Explain why the effectiveness of deterrent threats depends on credibility
-do you have the will to execute these threats? -do you have the capability to execute these threats? -Will you surrender your own cities/people to executes these threats? -if no one believes your answers to any of those questions, then you threat of deterrence is invalid
How do we get competition through markets? How does competition increase the efficiency of economic enterprises? WAht happens to inefficient economic actors when they face teh incresed competition of markets? How does stae support of inefficient actors effect this relationship?
-economic actors interact through price mechanism in markets -ability to charge lower prices and stay in business as indictor of efficiency -inefficient acotrs either get state support to remain in business or go bankrupt...lobbying *cheap loans *gov contracts *tariffs: barriers that prevent rivals *state support of inefficient actors helps to keep the US business alive by charging consumers less and increasing the efficiency of the enterprise
What is the Federal Reserve? How is it different from commercial banks? What are its main functions and policy goals?
-federal reserve: central bank of US -regulates bank sector and acts as lender of last resort to banks -banks' bank: different from commercial banks bc not tasked with earning profits -policy goals: employment and limiting inflation -influence short term interest rates (loans with terms in days and months) though discount (lending) rate -influence long term interest rates with open market operations
How is the free rider problem solved in domestic politics? What are some examples of public goods in domestic and international politics? Who provides public goods in international politics?
-free rider problem is solved by taxing and having repercussions if you don't abide by the rules -examples of public goods in the domestic sense are roads, military, etc. Examples of public goods in the international sense are clean air and water, free trade, etc -the US assumes responsibility for maintaining these international public goods
What does Byman think about drones?
-he argues that drones remain a necessary instrument of counterterrorism -alternatives are either too risky and unrealistic -although a drone strike may violate the local state's sovereignty, it does so to a lesser degree than would put US boots on the ground or conducting a large-scale air campaign -using drones is far less bloody than asking allies to hunt down terrorists on the Us's behalf -even the most unfavorable estimates of drone casualties reveal that the ratio of civilian to militant deaths is lower than it would be for other forms of strikes
What is hegemonic stability theory and how does it relate to the provision of public goods and the free rider problem?
-hegemonic stability theory indicates that the international system is more likely to remain stable when a single nation-state is the dominant world power, or hegemony -one country (the US) pays for public goods, even if many countries are free riding, to keep the international system afloat
How is the hegemonic stability theory related to the idea of the US as the indispensable nation? What happens, according to this theory, when the US declines in power?
-implications: provides theoretical foundations for claims associated with US as indispensable nation -if US doesn't fight ISIS, provide disaster relief, stabilize international economy, cut emissions to reduce greenhouse gases, then no one else will -or rather their contributions will not be significant enough to meet these challenges
What was the case against NATO expansion after the Cold War? What is Mandelbaum's argument in your reading?
-loss of mission, NATO is not relevant -threatens and antagonizes Russia -Perpetuate shirking and American burden
What are three important functions of money?
-medium of exchange: facilitates trade and specialization -unit of account: means to measure value of things and compare different goods and services -store of value: allows wealth/value to be held over time (saving and investment)
What is the security variant of hegemonic stability theory? Explain and provide examples of how concentration of military power in a dominant state (the US) has promoted a stable and peaceful international political system
-policing the status quo: US regularly confronts attempts at revision with military force after 1945 -interwar lessons: US withdrawal from European order in 1920 leads to buck passing in Europe; weak efforts to contain Nazi Ger and ultimately: WWII -public goods as cooperative security system to preserve new European status quo -contributes to decision not to withdraw from Europe in 45
How do political barriers to international trade such as tariffs affect prices and the competition within domestic markets? How does the example of textile trade covered in lecture illustrate this relationship?
-political barriers to trade like tariffs increase price of imported goods and decrease competition in domestic economy -ex. textile industry in US - preserve US textile industry by implementing tariffs. elimination of political barriers to trade would force domestic producers to compete with the most efficient produces (Bangladesh textile industry) that exist in a single global economy, not just with domestic producers
What were the main components of the trade deal struck between the US and China at the recent Asian summit held in China? What is the TransPacific Partnership and how did it contribute to this agreement?
-reduction in tariffs for IT equipment *semi conductors and MRI machines *paved way for broader multilateral deal in World Trade Organization *opens US companies to this Chinese market -agreement to reduce carbon emissions in future years -transpacific partnership *enables free trade within the partnership *China wants to become apart of the group - deal with the US in these 2 agreements
How does the fact that the Us has a presidential system with fixed terms allow for this type of political behavior? What is the upside and the downside of being a "lame-duck" president? What about the political strategy of these actions? How might both parties win or lose politically in this situation?
-rules matter: fixed terms allow presidents to carry out policies without re-election giving them an upside to being lame-duck pres. -the downside of executive action: only lasts while pres. is in power...ping pong effect -some feel Obama is over-reaching, but a confrontational approach will not help -some feel Obama is setting a trap for republicans and baiting them to overreact and hurt themselves with the Latino population
What is power transition theory? What type of international system does this theory expect when global powers are ascendant and what does the theory expect when global powers are in decline? How do shifts in the distribution of power affect the risk of war?
-structure of international politics set by rise AND fall of leading powers -peace and growth during ascendancy; instability and conflict during decline -shift in distribution of power heightens risk of war between declining hegemony and rising challenger
What is state sovereignty and how was it rooted in the Treaty of Westphalia? What are the three principles of state sovereignty that were established by the Treaty of Westphalia?
-the acknowledgment and reinforcement of the right of a state to govern within its territory -The Treaty of westphalia (1648) established the norm of state sovereignty -The three principles of SS are: 1. The idea of state sovereignty itself (sov belongs to the state, not some individual) 2. Equality of states (both big and small) 3. Non-interference (interference and violations by outside actors)
What are the arguments for and against a travel ban to prevent the spread of Ebola virus to the US?
-the threat is still low and a travel ban will not make us much safer -will create incentives to go underground and thus make it harder to track infested persons -will harm volunteer who may not be able to return to US -will harm already fragile West African economies -Could lead to many more countries following America's lead and banning travel -could feed the fear of americans and make us feel less safe -already many airlines have temporarily halted flights to the area -bottom line: would make ebola outbreak in Africa even worse and thus Ebola more dangerous
What does Cronin think about drones?
-they aren't helping to defeat al Qaeda, and they may be creating sworn enemies out of a sea of local insurgents. It would be a mistake to embrace killer drones as the centerpiece of US counterterrorism -with drones, the only sure thing Washington is doing is driving down international support for the US and alienating local populations -for the moment, there's no conclusive evidence that can prove whether drone strikes create more enemies than they kill In short, the picture is mixed: drones are killing operatives who aspire to attack the US today and tomorrow. But they are also increasing the likelihood of attacks over the long term, by embittering locals and cultivating a desire for vengeance -the problem with drones is that the guidelines for how Washington uses drones have fallen well behind the ease with which the US relies on them, allowing short-term advantages to overshadow long-term risks
What is the commitment problem and how is it associated with the propensity for war between declining states and rising states?
-they fight because of commitment problem: declining states launches preventatives war because rising state cannot commit to preserve status quo system and the benefits it generates
What is torture and what role might it play in counter-terrorism? Compare and contrast the video clips on Bill Clinton and John McCain commenting on torture and counter-terrorism. Where does each of these politicians draw the line on the use of torture in counter-terrorism? What moral frame does John McCain draw upon when he lists notorious dictators like Pol Pot who used torture and says the the US is "better than that"?
-torture is the infliction of extreme physical pain/suffering -torture = the victim must be nonconsenting and defenseless, purpose of breaking victim's will -Clinton: Jack Bauer moment, permissibility of torture -McCain: doesn't think anyone should water board, violation of Geneva and existing law
Why do states engage in trade? What is comparative advantage? How do states produce gains from comparative advantage, specialization, and trade?
-we trade bc of comparative advantage. states allow domestic firms to engage in international trade bc it increases national income and generates wealth -comparative advantage: specialization in production of a few things, make surplus and trade that surplus for goods/services that cost us relatively more to produce...increse our income over time -gains: gains crated from differences in relative ability (efficiency) to produce goods Specialize in production of some good where relative efficiency (cost differential with some other supplier) gains are largest
What are the practical questions associated with 21-day quarantine for individuals potentially exposed to the Ebola virus?
-will the new 21-day quarantine actually make Americans safer? -Dr. Fauci and medical establishment: No, because the real danger to Americans is explosion of the virus in Africa and this measures makes that more likely -Gov. Chris Christie and other govs: Yes, because current system of voluntary self-observation and regulation is too untrustworthy
How did the results of the midterm election affect the politics of immigration reform> What caused some Democrats to question the decision by Obama to delay executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections?
-with republican success in midterm elections, Obama is now considering using executive action for immigration reform -there was a low turnout of Latino voters in the mid-term election that some Democrats believe is due to Obama's delay of executive action on immigration until after the midterm election.
Arguments for a travel ban:
-would add a layer of protection against spread to US -the american public wants it and would feel safer (67% support travel restrictions) -some african countries have instituted travel bans and have controlled the Ebola outbreak -bottom line: extra dose of cation that could protect the US
According to the Mazarr reading, what were the three reasons there arose a concern over failed states after 9/11? Why did the mission of renovating weak or failed states lose adherence over the 2000s? What alternative to US interventions and state-building missions does Mazarr offer?
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Explain how the mobility of capital has increased the discipline of global capital (bond) markets. What happens when foreign capital holders lose confidence in a govs. monetary policy? What are some recent examples of this?
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Given the threat of failed states, should the US promote democracy or concentrate on establishing stable and successful states? How does the experience of the war in Iraq, its after math, and the rise of ISIS illuminate this debate?
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How do the three stories covered in the news (deterioration of US-Israeli, deterioration of US-Turkish relations; and continue Russian aggression) signal difficulties for the US in maintaining a coalition to fight against the array of threats it currently faces simultaneously?
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How does this discipline affect democratic politics? If bond markets constrain national monetary policy because of the threat that capital will move to a different market, then do elected officials the ability to respond to voters' demands?
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What are exchange rates? How does the differential in exchange rates between countries affect trade (the price of imports and exports)? Understand the example of the US and the Japanese yen in the 2010s that was offered in lecture. what are the implications of differential exchange rates for US-China relations?
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What are the long-term implications for both parties for the electoral politics surrounding this issue? How might this cause tension within the Republican party?
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What is a bond and what are its key traits? how do extremely deep markets in us treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities help make the US dollar a key reserve currency? how does this situation allow the US to run big deficits?
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What is the International Monetary Fund? Main functions? Main source of its influence in the international economy? What is conditionality and how does the IMF use it to promote economic reforms within countries? Why does the US have so much influence within the IMF?
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What is the Trifflin dilemma? What are its implications for the US economy? What are its security implications?
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Compare and contrast the arguments for and against the idea that terrorist groups are rational political actors. According to Kydd and Walter, what five strategies do terrorist gropus follow to convey costly signals to target countries?
Abrams - No they don't display characteristics of rational cost-benefit analysis in their actions Kydd and Walter - Yes, they are rational and use violence because it works to achieve concrete goals Strategies - -attrition: outlasting an adversary through war of wills -provocation: goading the adversary into conflict -intimidation: overthrowing a government through terror -spoiling: sabotaging the peace -outbidding: competition between terrorist groups
What is the difference between absolute advantage and comparative advantage? Understand the scenario offered in class on comparative advantage between the US and Japan i the production of cars and apps. Understand Ricardo's approach to comparative advantage by focusing on both goods in both countries
Absolute advantage: can produce product in fewer labor hours Comparative advantage: focus on specialization in production of one good (where relative costs lower) and then trade to increase aggregate income Ex. with US and Japan: -it takes 100 labor hours in US to make a mid-sized car -it take 150 hours in Japan to make the same car -it takes 200 labor hours in the US to design the next hot-selling Ipad app -it takes 1000 hours in Japan to do the same -US has absolute advantage in production in both, BUT... David Ricardo says it's more beneficial to focus on comparative cost across both goods and countries -US efficiency gains are much larger in apps then cars (can generate more surplus with apps) -states can increase income via production specialization and trade -states trade because it increases total economic pie
Discuss the philosophical debate surrounding Obama's actions. Is it "undemocratic" for a president to use executive actions to pursue his policy goals when he cannot get them through the legislature?
Arguments being made that executive power goes against the will of the voters
What is the Bretton Woods economic order? WHat were the central casues behind the AMerican push for the est. of international economic institutions to enhance international trade? Know the main orgs of this economic order, their histories, their characteristicss: GATT/WTO, IMF, World Bank
Bretton Woods economic order (1944): US supports creation of international orgs to ensure economic growth through international trade Factors contributing to international economic institutions: -great depression -emerging battle against communism -increasing support for free trade in the US Key orgs: GATT: multilateral international org designed to support reduction of trade barriers on a reciprocal basis Provided series of rules that would guide negotiating rounds during the cold war -problem: no enforcement capabilities. trade disputes were handled on a bilateral basis; highly inefficient WTO (1955) - Had institutionalized a dispute settlement mechanism (judicial means) with est. procedures for filling grievances, investigating complaints, and punishing defection -designed to ensure that states uphold exiting trade concessions negotiated through GATT/WTO -enforcement capacity keeps global economy open by punishing states pursuing protection IMF- International Monetary Fund GET OTHER INFO ON THIS ALSO ON WORLD BANK
How did we get form the attack on 9/11 and war in Afghanistan to war in Iraq?
Bush faces pressure from within administration to go to war against Iraq right away after 9/11
How has the issue of democracy promotion influenced the foreign policies of President GWB and Obama? Why did each of these presidents change their perspectives regarding democracy promotion (as indicated by their own rhetoric)? How have external events such as the attacks of 9/11 and the Arab Spring influenced the foreign policy of bush and obama, respectively, when it comes to democracy promotion?
Bush- in 2000 Presidential debate, he criticizes Clinton administration for their involvement in Somalia -seems to lean more toward isolation - reluctant to use military force -9/11 changes his policy - makes democracy promotion a centerpiece of his foreign policy -US is morally responsible for democracy promotion Obama - like Bush, Obama campaigned against democracy promotion -criticized neoconservative democracy promotion of Bush admin -external events in Middle East has changed his views to democracy promotion
According to Byford, what shoulld the American counter-terrorism strategy be built around? What does Byford mean when he suggests the US should put "interests first, goals second, means third" when constructing a counter-terrorism strategy?
Byford notes that in this new mission against international terrorism, the US will need to decide which actors to support, battle against, and ignore. The least important factor is rather they are defined as a terrorist group, instead what is most important is the interest and protection of Americans followed by the goals of the organizations and then the means.
Explain how three aspects of credibility -- capabilities, resolve, and protecting one's allies = affect the credibility problem
Capability- *you have second strike weapons that will survive the initial first strike *good examples are submarines *submarines improve credibility Resolve- *demonstrate resolve. Dont back down *Kennedy did this on TV in Cuba *Another way: leave something to chance *have bombers fly unguarded over enemy territory at risk of dropping Allies protection: Sacrifice your cities to protect allied cities *LA for W.Germany *Tripwires: troops along N/S Korean border and West Berlin Eisenhower wanted to give W.Germany their own nuclear weapons
What is the ethical case for and against abiding by the norm of state sovereignty?
Case for non-interference: -security: violating sovereignty by outside state (especially militarily) violates security. Moral ramifications. -order: undermines internal public order -reciprocity: if you don't want to be intervened, then you should not do it to other states Case to intervene and violate state sovereignty: -intervene when a state practices, for example, genocide. It's okay to intervene and stop this harm. -if a state mistreats its citizens, it loses its rights to sovereignty because it fails a basic task. So it's okay to intervene.
What is the central claim of hegemonic stability theory as it pertains to the economic system? Explain and provide examples of how concentration of economic power in a dominant state (the US) has promoted a prosperous international economy.
Central claim: concentration of economic capacity or power in one state increases the likelihood that the internation economic system will be open, therefore more international trade and economic growth for all states -why? dominant states provide public goods necessary for international economy to flourish -market for distressed goods (maintains imports when no one else will) - US domestic markets open in 97 and 08 not 29 -provide currency for international trade to be conducted in dollar -provide access to credit (US fed 2008 crisis) -protects shipping (naval power important prerequisite)
Describe and explain contemporary China's economic revolution. What were the main aspects of China's free market reforms? What type of political changes emerged from these reforms and the substantial economic growth rates that were produced?
China has an economic revolution in 1978 -Devolution of economic authority from Beijing to special economic zones (variant of federalism) -ensure common market (prevent internal tariffs) -competition for investment reduces government intervention; enhances government and public goods efficiency -shifting bases of political legitimacy: from achieving economic equality/progress/socialist utopia to economic growth and nationalism -significantly more freedom in economic activity; still maintain significant limits on political expression -communist (which refers to how gov manages economy) only in name; but dominance of Communist political party key to its authoritarian regime
What is civl society? What international political actors constitute global civil society, according to your Matthews reading?
Civil society: the realm of organized social life that is open, voluntary, self-generating, at least partially self-supporting, autonomous from the state, and bound by a legal order or set of shared rules International political actors (non-state, transnational actors) -non-government organizations (NGO's): greenpeace, Amnesty international, local associations, PTA, etc -Multinational corporations: Exxon, Citicorp -International organizations: UN, NATO, EU -Ideological movements: communism, political Islam -Social movements: environment, democracy, human rights movement (collection of NGO's)
What types of threats are produced by failed states?
Civil wars: civil gorups form societies for protection bc the state cannot provide the protection -may lead to international war: WW1 started as a civil war in Austro-Hungarian empire Destabilizes refugee flows to nearby countries: -millions flee Syria and Iraq towards Turkey and Jordan. This stretches the capacity of Jordan's and Turkey's government to provide basic amenities -Sanctuary for non-state actors-- Terrorists -criminal orgs: drug cartels Spread of WMD -Pakistan, North Korea, Russia in 1990s Humanitarian concerns -genocide during a civil war -public health: limits the capacity to control diseases like Ebola and AIDS
Why did great powers like Russia and China provide at least tacit support for this initial campaign in Afghanistan?
Convergence of great power interests: both China and Russia share anti-terror interests -Illustrates convergence of national interests of all states, terrorism as a threat to their viability as organizational form
According to your McFaul reading and lecture, why has democracy become a world value? What about state sovereignty?
Democracy faces no viable alternatives since the end of Cold War -fascism and communism defeated in WWII and Cold War -post-cold war alternatives like development autocracies adn Islamic fundamentalism have not seriously threatened democracy Elites even in authoritarian regimes justify their rule through a democratic lens -either in the process of going to democracy or say that democracy is the goal Mass support for democracy is high in all regions of the world Norm of state sovereignty has weakened -"...a majority of states and people around the world consider military intervention for the defense of individual human rights legitimate." -McFaul says that non-military support for democracy is even more legit than military intervention -but both military or economic intervention are still both considered illegitimate/butting into others affairs
What is diffusion? How does diffusion promote regime change? Why do "waves" of regime change like the collapse of communism or the Arab Spring tend to be regionally concentrated? What are the demonstration, emulation, and network effects of diffusion?
Diffusion: a process wherein new ideas, institutions, policies, models or repertoires of behavior spread geographically from a core site to other sites, whether in a given state, or across states -regime change spreads from one country to surrounding countries -diffusion is a transnational phenomenon Regional Effect: -waves tend to be region-specific because of spread to neighboring countries -ex. middle east and latin america How diffusion of regime change works: Demonstration effect: -see and event of change (women getting the right to vote for example) you are attracted to it and want to reenact it -conditions of the other change are assumed (rightly or wrongly) to be similar to yours -resistance to change received to be less than presumed -Ex. Protest Emulation effect: -strategies deemed effective in similar contexts are copied -specific attention to strategies through networks of activists -groups of leaders of social movements etc. work together and try to spread strategies that they are using to other countries for own interest or altruism
In the interview with Prof. Jason Browniee, what two factors did he argue were most important in determining whether uprisings related to the Arab Spring actually toppled the gov?
Domestic and economic conditions determine the success of democracy
How might democracy influence international democracy in general? How do societal interests and institutions such as elections and checks and balances affect a state's FP?
Electoral constraints: -elections are a means to punish leaders for poor decisions (like going to war) (this explains why democracies are less likely to go to war) (Also, when democracies do go to war, they only go if chances of vitory is high) -sustaining commitments: (checks and policies make it difficult to change status quo policies once implemented. (democratic leaders cannot fail on their promises. Autocrats can) -Externalize the norms of conciliation and compromise: (republicans and democratic gridlocks creates stability. Nobody can do something extreme.) (there is a shared identity, but which they expect conciliatory policies become externalized, sustains cooperation.) -transparent decision making (facilitated by checks [other parties can publicly complain] + competitive press
what are the elements of deterrence
Elements: -severe conflict -assumption of rationality: enemy must know what nuclear weapons can do to them -retaliatory threat: each side has to weather an attack, and then can attack back "i can't prevent an attack, but i will survive and tear you a new one -unacceptable damage -credibility: each side is to be able to follow through. If enemy doesn't think you'll strike back, then you messed up -stability
What were the main components of the climate deal struck between the US and China at the Asian summit? What are the main obstacles facing China and the US in meeting the goals set by this agreement?
Environment -greement to control CO2 emissions -two largest contributors of emissions -China pressure from citizens and international leadership to clean up emissions that agreement doesn't call for any immediate change estimate a peak in emissions in 2030 thought is that China must make policy reforms that will be felt in later years -US Rep. critical of deal skeptical that CHina will make any reforms, bc the deal doesn't require results for 16 years this is unfair to US whose reforms could seriously injure the coal industry even with objection for Rep. Obama could push deal through with executive order environmental protection important in Obama's legacy
What is extended deterrence and how do alliance commitments complicate credible deterrent threats? Explain how questions about credibility complicated American deterrant threats against Soviet Union to protect Wester Europe. What actions were taken by the US during the Cold War to enhance the credibility of its extended deterrence threats?
Extended deterrence: preventing an armed attack against another state -Peace during the cold war rested heavily on threats of the US attacking Soviet Union if they invaded West Germany *if soviet's doubt US cred, they will attack; if US allies (mainly France) doubts US cred, they will exit the alliance *Once soviets had lots of nuclear bombs, were we willing to sacrifice our own land to protect Germans in West Berlin? *Solutions to enhance cred: -Tripwires: sent US troops to West Berlin and Korean peninsula, mainly to die. It would be hard to US to retract nuclear threats if Americans had died -Give west germany nuclear weapons it's no longer our problem
According to your Matthews reading, what forces contributed to the rise of transnational non-state groups? What are the implications, both positive and negative, of the rise of transnational groups and the decline of the state?
Factors contributing to rise of transnational non-state groups ~NGOs powered by new technologies with greater communications -twitter/fb/youtube and popular mobilization -begins to solve collective action problem -flexible and highly adaptive ~Globalization and economic integration -trade agreements: capital flows constrain state economic policy without considering action of other states and individuals ~Global challenges require international organizations -transnational problems like global warming has empowered international orgs -help solve collective problems Positive implications: greater cooperation of non-state groups Negative implications: more disorder because the non-state groups can be demanding of the state
Why is the idea that democracy somehow affects international politics nested in the assumption that a state's foreign policy is influenced by its internal composition? What are the common aspects of domestic politics that are commonly asserted to influence foreign policy?
Foreign policy is dependent on what the majority of the population want. Societal factors: -composition of society -balance of power among them (relative size of constituencies) (capacity to engage in collective action) (example: majority is not really interested in isolationism) How institutions aggregate these interests? -Which policies that society wants are included and which ones are excluded
What is globalization? What are the key barriers to international trade?
Globalization: integration of national economies into a single global economy through reduction of barriers to trade (like distance) Key barriers: -transportation -political barriers to trade (tariffs, subsidies)
What are the Cold War origins of the NATO? What did Lord Ismay mean when he said the goal of NATO was "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down"?
Goal of NATO "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down" -benefits of collective security arrangement NATO and protection of Europe from the Soviet threat -NATO: pillar of containment of security threat -cornerstone of peace and prosperity and prosperity for 20th century Binding mechanism for American military power -provided hegemony for security arrangement -provided essential goods (ex military) -restraints US military power (gotta consider other countries before just blowing up everything Peace between democratic states and Europe -via keeping Germans down -integrate everyone for an alliance lead by an outside power (US)
How did growth rates in China since 1979 compare with that of the US since 1989? How does the size of the Chinese economy in terms of nominal GDP compare to the US economy in 2013?
Growth rates: Average growth rates 7-11% since 1979 (but trending downward in last few years); US since 89 -0.2 to 4.5% -nominal GDP (2013) approx. $9.2 trillion; US $16.8 trillion
Compare and contrast the readings by Ignatieff vs. Mueller and Stewart in regards to the magnitude and seriousness of the terrorist threat toward the US. Why does Ignatieff see the terrorist threat as so serious while Mueller and Stewart think it's overblown?
Ignatieff - terrorism is a serious threat -US is vulnerable to another major attack -terrorist groups could posses nuclear weapon -# of deaths from terrorism not the point -another attack could prompt the public to demand national security state and suspend civil liberties Mueller and Stewart - Massive overreaction in US to 9/11 -Policy implications: cut counter terrorism spending out of Afghanistan and Iraq, reorient American grand strategy -Alternative explanation: Al Qaeda lucky on 9/11 (limited risks to American citizens) (ineffective as organization: isolated in Pakistan and incapable)
Since globalization creates economic winners and losers, what are the political implications of globalization and how does this help explain the continuation of trade barriers that constrict national income? Who tends to win and hwo tends to lose in the domestic political conflict over trade policy?
Implications: -globalization tends to activate domestic political conflict because some groups win and some groups lose -some groups get huge income losses and give incentive to lobby for tariffs -this powerful reason is used to explain prevalence of barriers to trade that constrict national income Consumers loser because of a collective actions problem -institutions help to set rules by which winners and losers form trade hash out trade policy (ex: agriculture still receives heavy support bc disproportionately represented in the senate)
Why is the size of the constituency important in understanding the perspective of elected officials toward free markets and global competition?
Importance of constituency size: -congress represents small constituencies: more likely to have concentration of one sector in district that favors some form of protection -president responsible to national constituency: more likely to favor free trade than members of congress bc it increases national income
What is inflation? What are its negative consequences? What is deflation and why is it also bad? What is the optimum rate of price growth? How do you choke off inflation?
Inflation: rising prices Negative consequences: erodes value of... -savings bc reduces purchasing power -creditors' assets (loans) -high prices means ppl dont buy and economy slows Deflation: lowering of prices Negative consequences: if ppl think prices are falling, then they will wait to buy; if everyone waits, then economic activity collapses and firms go bankrupt and/or lay ppl off
How are interest rates set? Understand the interaction between demand (price level, GDP, and risk) and supply (fractional reserve banking central bank actions in the setting of interest rates
Interest rates set by interaction of demand -price level: as prices go up, need more money to make same quantity of purchases -aggregate economic activity (GDP): as GDP increases, more goods and services are sold; need more money to facilitate transactions -risk: can govs maintain sound economic policies? control inflation? repay debts? -safe to hold dollars in comparison to other countries Supply: fractional banking -banks as intermediaries: generate profits by lending money (eg mortgages) at higher rates than they borrow (deposits) -Have to hold some deposits as reserves: willingness to lend deposits shapes rate at which money supply expands (reserve rations: portion of deposits banks must hold on hand and what portion they can lend out) (expand money supplies through circulation of money)
How did the following issues play into the decision to invade Iraq: a) Iraq potentially possessing weapons of mass destruction b) historical antagonism (Iraq as a member of the "Axis of Evil" c) the idea of Iraq as a leverage point to democratize the whole Middle East region play into the decision to invade Iraq?
Iraq potentially possessing weapons of mass destruction -Saddam Hussein seeking to augment capabilities and would threaten allies in region -might give to terrorists -has used in the past (deterrence would not work) -Wolfowitz: settle on this because easier to sell domestically Historical antagonism: -might harbor terrorists Leverage point to transform and democratize Middle East -Democratic Iraq would put pressure on autocratic countries in region to liberalize Needed bold solution to long term (two generations) problem of terrorism
What were the key attributes of the initial campaign in Afghanistan? Explain the significance of NATO invoking Article 5.
It was difficult terrain, "place where empires go to die" US allies wit Northern Alliance, collection of groups in Northern Afghanistan fighting Taliban -Insert CIA and special forces to coordinate coalition and hold it together with funding and weapons -NATO invokes Art 5, attack on one is attack on all
What is the key source of shifts in the distribution of power?
Key source of shifts in distributions of military power (Paul Kennedy): differential rates of economic growth -economic productive capacity as foundation for military power
What are the limits of diffusion to regime change? Why uprisings like those witnessed by many Arab countries tend to "fizzle out" and not result in stable democracies?
Limits -diffusion "outraces" supportive local conditions emulators underestimate obstacles to change -authoritarian states adapt and learn as well dictatorships take preemptive actions to head off diffusion -regime transition is easier than consolidation _mass protest can remove dictator but cannot build a democracy _building stable democracy is much more difficult than toppling authoritarian regime _ex. arab countries struggle to maintain democracy bc of prominent factors like hereditary monarchy and oil wealth that enable authoritarian regimes to resist regime change
What dilemmas did NATO face at the end of the Cold War?
Loss of mission-shouldn't end -needed to find new issues/interventions -NATO itself didn't want to disappear either
Compare and contrast the readings by Mayerfeld and Krauthammer on the use of torture in counter-terrorism. Waht are each of their views of the "ticking time bomb scenario"?
Mayerfeld (case against all torture) -TTB scenario is unrealistic, assumes that the terrorist will be guilty, many innocents are tortured because of uncertainty, requires that all torture will work but instead leads to false info because people say anything to make pain stop -torture can't be restricted to TTB scenario, and it is counterproductive because it alienates target populations and harms intelligence and military personnel tasked with carrying out torture Krauthammer (case for exceptions to ban on torture): terrorists bring torture on themselves -TTB is real and need only low threshold of certainty, TTB has happened -torture is a "moral duty" to save innocent lives -torture sometimes works -exceptions to ban on torture include TTB, slow fuse, and special training, and other conditions
Compare and contrast the two ethical positions presented in lecture concerning practical ethics and nuclear deterrence. Why do some claim that morality would prohibit the use of nuclear deterrence while others claim the opposite that morality would require the use of nuclear deterrence? In what ways does nuclear deterrence violate principles of the Just War Theory?
Morality prohibits nuclear deterrence -nuclear deterrence based on the hostage-holding scenario -threat to kill millions of innocent people whose freedom is wrongfully deprived -no goal is worthy enough to justify threatening to kill millions of innocent, uninvolved people Morality requires nuclear deterrence -based on consequences (utilitarian) -bloodless strategy - no one ever killed -abandoning the policy would result in death = great harm caused Just War Theory and nuclear deterrence -nuclear deterrence results in unjust conduct of war -violates principles of proportionality and discrimination
What are the presumed consequences of democracy for interstate relations?
More cooperation in trade -they trade more: join preferential trading agreements such as lower customs barriers at a high rate -engage in more international trade -foreigners invest more capital in democracies -more likely to join a military alliance with another democracy More likely to win wars Democratic peace: -claims that military conflict (low levels, including threat to use force and war) less likely between only two democratic states -democracies will be peaceful toward other democracies, but not peaceful to autocracies (so the war between US and Iraq/Russia is expected; US vs Canada is not
What was the negotiated settlement with the USSR concerning East and West Germany at the end of the Cold War? How did this settlement contribute to mistrust between the US and Russia after the Cold War ended?
NATO and Unified Germany -Negotiated between US and USSR to allow unified Germany into NATO -Understanding that NATO expansion would stop there (still wanted to expand)
What was the case for NATO expansion after the Cold War? How was Lord Ismay's original dictum about the goal of NATO ("to keep the Russian's out, the Americans in, and the Germans down") still relevant? How did "out of region" interventions for NATO play into arguments for NATO expansion?
NATO expansion -the original goal remains relevant (keep Russia out, US in, and Germany down) -Neo-containment of inevitably anti-western Russia (dont want to let Rusia become threatening again, so let's take care of it now -Keep American power bound by allies (US even stronger post cold war) -NATO could expand the zone of peace NATO as a more effective UN -Out of region intervention allow US and its allies opportunities to use multi-lateralism to enforce liberal internationalism
What actions have marked Obama's "resurgence" after the midterm elections in which his party lsot control of Congress? What is the anticipated Republican reponse?
Obama bounces back by making major environment and trade deals with China and also implementing major policy change on immigration by executive action Republican backlash - -threat to deny approval of new Attorney General nominee -may shut down the gov in next round of budget negotiations
How does mearsheimer's views of American grand strategy compare and contrast with Obama's grand strategy as articulated in his West Point speech?
Obama in Westpoint speech recommends local powers do the work? Are you r views consistent with Obama? M: Until just now. He recently decided to go to war against. Huge mistake for two reasons: -ISIS is not a threat -No winning strategy
What is Mearsheimer's perspective regarding America's war with ISIS? Should the US be at war with ISIS? Why or why not? Is ISIS a threat to key American national security interests? How does Iran figure in American plans to confront ISIS?
Pat: Hast the recent struggle against ISIS shifted your views? -Mearsheimer: At this point ISIS threat is inflated -local powers in the middle east should deal with it -the more the US tries to control ISIS, the more they will point their guns at us. Going after them is the reason they attack us. (Israel and Syria conditions in reality does not pose a threat to US What if ISIS topples Iraq? Is that worrying? -No, ISIS cannot attack Iraq because Iran will stop it -But for now, assume that ISIS does somehow attack iraq. To sell the oil in Iraq, ISIS needs international relations, which will be hard for ISIS
Compare and contrast pessimistic and optimistic perspectives on how nuclear proliferation will affect international security
Pessimist: More state with nukes means more risk as they're not as stable as the US -Scot Sagan -New entries to the nuclear club, may not have responsibility and integrity (they could sell to third parties) -Israel is scared of Iran getting nukes - vulnerability during stage of weapons development may heighten preventative war Optimistic: More nukes mean limiting aggression because they are so destructive -Kenneth Waltz -nukes generate tremendous caution in crises, deterrence limits aggression -security second strike capabilities is easy, just hide and bury them (terrorists and commies can never know if they really got all our nukes) -limits violence in war so they they don't escalate too much fear retaliation by nuke. you shoot our soldiers, we nuke you -states maintain control on nukes
How are terrorist groups different from other types of threats to US national interests?
Power differential -terrorist groups tend to be weaker than states Goals -if they aren't states, their goals are limited. For example, often terrorist groups do not try to control territory because land isn't what they are focused on (besides ISIS) Deterrence -hard strategy to use because they are often hard to find if they don't have set boundaries like a state Strategies/tactics -states have concrete goals, but terrorist groups seem to be devoted for ideologies
How does the power transition theory apply to US-China relations? According to your Zoellick reading, how is the US trying to manage the transition of a rising China? How does this argument compare to the Goldstein reading and interview?
Power transition theory US-Chine -Current potential shift in power between China and US due to China's increase in economic growth over the last 30 years Zoelick -US should manage the transition of a rising China by seriously considering whether China and US share common systematic interests, including specific policies -US needs to consider how economies and security interconnect in todays FP Goldstein -China is a real and present danger -danger of a crisis involving 2 nuclear armed countries is a tangible, near term concern -mutual economic interests and resistance of nuclear weapons makes conflict less likely, but there is a small opportunity for crisis and the consequences could be very devastating -Political leaders in US can't talk about adjusting global leadership roles when there is constant talk of the US being #1 and indispensable -There is much uncertainty and lack of knowledge in the US about how internal politics in China function ex: how much power and influence does the Chinese military have on political issues
What is quantitative easing and how did it play a big role in the recovery of the 2008 economic crisis?
Quantitative easing: fed purchase of US treasury bonds (fed gov IOUs) and mortgage backed securities (bundles of loans backed by home mortgages) to push down long term interest rates (eg 30 year mortgage) Key role in responding to 2008 financial crisis: -federal reserve balance sheet (total assets and liabilities) went from $900 billion in sep 2008 to 4.5 trillion in nov 2014
If trade makes states wealthier, why is there resistnace to globalization? Understand the Heckscher-Ohlin model of trade theory and the domestic distributional consequences of globalization. Give examples:
Resistance to globalization due to distributional consequences: some gain and some lose Heckscher-Ohlin model tells that trade and globalization after the size of the pieces of that pie -Trade helps to create jobs in sectors that rely disproportionately on resources that the US possesses in abundance (ex: job creation in financial and high tech services bc we intensively use high-skilled labor (ppl with college degree)...by earning a college degree you are enabled to gain from globalization -jobs are lost in sectors that rely disproportionately on resources that are scarce in the US (ex. unskilled labor in manufacturing) Globalization redistributes wealth -groups that get the short end of the stick are more likely to lobby to limit imports
According to Robert Dahl (cited in lecture), what are the three categories of "procedural minimal" conditions for democracy? What are the central benefits of democracy?
Robert Dahl argues that competitive elections are the basis of democracy But there are more conditions that need to be met: Public Contestation: -multiple parties competing in elections and the right to people to receive information and assemble to hold free and fair elections -electoral competition -individual freedoms Inclusion: -civil rights and liberties guaranteed, but also equal and universal participation -this precondition is difficult to meet even for US (Quiz answer: American democracy is only existent from the 1960s Voting Rights Act) Democratic Sovereignty: -If unelected bodies like military make the decisions, then the country is not a democracy Ex: Iran
How does a shared identity among democracies contribute to compromise between such states?
Shared democratic identity other democracies: externalizing norms of conciliation and compromise -public support is less when the enemy is also a democracy
What is a state? What are the major functions of states? Why do we have states, that is, what political dilemma (according to Thomas Hobbes) do states and state sovereignty resolve?
State: units within the international system, "country" -not like Delaware or Iowa because they are federal subunits of the US -political organization with set boundaries -nation vs state ~often fused together but nation is a group of ppl that share common characteristics (religion, culture, history...) while state is a territorial or legal entity (has borders, government, legal status) -functions ~promote security from external threats ~promote domestic public order ~provide public goods (firefighters, police, etc) We have states because -it is lesser evil than authoritarian rule -Hobbes, in Leviathan reading justification: state sovereignty provides an escape from the state of nature (the natural interaction b/w human beings - men war with men) -states keep order
Describe and explain the Taiwan issue and its relationship to contemporary China and US-China relations. What are the historical origins of the Taiwan issue? What is the One China policy? What is the US position on Taiwan and the One China policy?
Taiwan exists in a weird status - independent and democratic -it's a quasi ally of US -But US and many nations do not recognize Taiwan as completely independent US recognized the nationalist government Taiwan as completely independent Nixon reduced this by moving the US slightly away from Taiwan in the 1960s This continued contention today revolves on whether Taiwan is a part of mainland China -US wants peace in this issue mainly. So US pivots back and forth between the mainland and Taiwan depending on who is trying to change to status quo -One China policy: only one state of China although there exists two governments that call themselves China
What did Condoleezza Rice argue regarding American efforts to promote democracy? How does her argument from 2000 coincide with the idea that great powers rather than democracy per se promote peace?
The US should refrain from nation building, and focus on relations with China and Russia -her ideas were correct - agrees with great power theory -we cannot set up a democratic government and then "set them loose" - ineffective (Ex. Iraq)
According to the Micklethwait and Woolridge reading, what have been the three and a half revolutions in the history of the state? What do innovations in the state mean for Western democracy? Do western democracies fall short in the provision of public goods compared to successful authoritarian states like China?
Three and half revolutions in history: 1. Society accepts some restrictions on its freedoms to ensure public safety from external threats 2. Movement towards great efficiency in governance in the 19th century -liberal revolution reduced corruption and size of state 3. Concerns about the plight of the poor and their disenfranchisement -states responsibilities include public goods like education, healthcare, etc... Half: Backlash against expansion of state authority In total, critiques inefficiencies of governments in Western societies -declining political participation and increasing budget deficits States like China are more efficient in delivering public goods like pensions, but is it necessary to restrict political participation to achieve these gains?
What is deterrence
To discourage attack through threat of retaliation (nuclear weapons), may not be able to prevent attack, but can retaliate to where you dont want to attack in the first place.
According to your Lieber and Press reading, why won't states give nuclear weapons to terrorists?
Too much risk: -the terrorist groups cant be trusted not to turn against the government that gave them the weapons -there is only a short list of govs known to be connected to terrorists so determining the source of the attack is easy - threat of international punishment -as the number of deaths resulting from an attack increase, the rate of attribution goes up - again the threat of international punishment goes up
What is Clauswitz's idae of total war and how is the idea of total war associated with mutually assured destruction?
Total war is a war so terrible, where both sides are assured massive amounts of destruction, that the war itself no longer serves the purpose of protecting the state
According to Mearsheimer interview, how is the current crisis in Ukraine at least partly the West's fault? In what ways does the current crisis in Ukraine put stress on NATO and the credibility of its security commitments in Europe? How is it tied to the rise of Chine?
US has pursued a policy to peel away countries of Eastern Europe away form Russian influence -duo to EU, NATO expansion, promote democracy -they have told us that NATO expansion is not tolerable -we still persisted, so they reacted by taking Crimea -Ukrainians will suffer Future of NATO -If China continues to rise, it will turn economic might to military might. NATO will try to contain rising China, meaning taking attention away from Russia and focusing on China -China will be such a formidable threat, so we might have to abandon Europe
How does Mearsheimer view American domestic politics playing into the conflict with ISIS?
What role did domestic politics play in pushing Obama? How do we curb this in the future? -The national administration is addicted to war -neo-conservatives on the right and neo-liberalists on the left both like war -the children of senators are not fighting directly in the war. No cost for them. -Also wars are a good show on TV
What are the central tenets of Wilsonianism?
Wilson was at the forefront of placing democracy ideals in front of democracy strategies He had three principles (some were erroneous at times) 1)democracy is superior to all other forms of government 2)democracy is a universal value (even in a poor country) 3)the US has a moral obligation to spread democracy Omar Encarnacion: Using military force has not been a good idea in enforcing democracy is the bottomline
What is nuclear proliferation?
more countries getting nuclear weapons, or increasing their stockpiles
