GOV312L Exam 3 Study Guide
What is the power transition theory? What causes shifts in the distribution of power among great powers and how can they alter the larger international political order and heighten the risks of war?
(Basically, it's when a hegemon is challenged by a rising power, causing conflict that will lead to probable war for control of power) Peace and stability in great power relations from military, political, and economic dominance by one state (hegemony) Hegemon sets and enforces rules of the system Instability and war from power transitions (shift in the distribution of power that reduces or eliminates hegemon's supremacy) ---less capable of enforcing international order ---rising challenger tries to alter status quo order. ---Declining power may want to start a preventive war to stop another great power from rising and taking their place Link to the commitment problem ---Many great powers don't want to give up their place as a great power not only because it is a reduction of power, but also because it is hard to trust that the new rising great power won't disrupt the values and rules that the past great power has put in place (may disrupt international system)
What is the International Monetary Fund? What are its main functions? What is the 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 U.S. have so much influence within the IMF?
- Acts like a bank to oversee pool of capital created by member countries - Limits exchange rate fluctuations - Lender of last resort: help governments in exchange rate crisis stabilize reserves with loans - Has conditionality: demands conditions that change economic conditions in the country and enhance long term ability to repay ---loans as multiple disbursements so get partial money then must implement reforms before get more ---often imposes real pain: cut tariff barriers, cut budget deficits - Power stems from its willingness to lend when no one else will --good housekeeping seal of approval necessary for private capital to come back in - Voting power not equal and set by relative contribution to fund - US biggest shareholder so has lots of influence in terms of emergency loans or bailouts --Often relaxes conditions for strategic reasons
What are the main components of the Paris Climate Accord? How should it operate to limit the growth of carbon dioxide emissions?
- Agreement on the process by which states would submit voluntary reduced CO2 emission targets to keep average global temperature increase below 2.0 Celsius - Important: not legally binding emission targets - Work through politics of naming and shaming - Binding process for monitoring and reporting pledges on emission targets and progress upholding; need to make national plan public every 5 years and needs to be as strong or stronger than prior one
If trade makes states wealthier, why is there political resistance to globalization?
- Although specialization and globalization increase trade in the aggregate, they don't distribute the wealth evenly. - This uneven wealth distribution pushes some domestic groups to have backlash: ---Some groups see income gains like high tech and college graduates while some see income losses like the manufacturing sector ---Unskilled workers union protest against it because they are losing their jobs - Globalization tends to drive down returns on owners of scarce factors of production.
What is the basic scientific claim about the causes and extent of climate change? What are the main environmental consequences that scientists fear will result from climate change?
- CO2 in the atmosphere increasing exponentially. - CO2 is a heat trapping gas and levels have increased since the industrial revolution began. - Average global temperatures increasing at the current rate of CO2 emissions. - Causes droughts and changes in wind patterns. - Ocean levels rising and endanger coastal communities. - Hundreds or thousands of years away, but worries that we will hit a point of irreversible change, lots of heatwaves.
What is an exchange rate? How do shifts in exchange rates alter patterns of imports and exports? How can exchange rate changes influence trade policy?
- Captures the price at which one currency can be traded for another - helps relate two currencies in value - price of one currency in terms of another ! - Shape price of conducting international trade: ---When dollar appreciates, imports go up because the foreign products are cheaper/bought by more valuable $ and more units can be bought of a foreign currency ---exports go down because priced in $ and more expensive to foreign consumers ---opposite with depreciating: help exports and hurts imports (buys fewer units of foreign currency) - As $ appreciates ($ goes up in value & foreign currency falls), it can buy MORE units of a foreign currency so imports become cheaper - therefore imports go UP - As $ depreciates ($ goes down in value), it buys FEWER units of a foreign currency so imports are more expensive - therefore imports go DOWN - Can influence trade policy by responding to exchange rates ---US tariffs on China because they're manipulating their currency to be lower in value (makes Chinese exports more attractive)
According to the reading (Chapter 25: Globalization), what are the chief indicators of the increase of globalization since World War II? What is the comparative advantage and how does it contribute to aggregate economic gains for states from trade? How does trade contribute to the economic sources of order in the international system?
- Chief indicators: growth of imports and exports, integration of markets - Comparative Advantage: the gains from trade stem from differences in the efficiency of actors to produce certain products. Comparative advantage allows countries to specialize in certain asset production which maximizes their efficiency - Trade contribution to economic sources of order: specialization leads to an increase in a state's national income while the desire to acquire said economic gains push countries towards cooperation
What is the collective action problem? How might it be applied to the challenges of managing climate change? What are some of the political solutions to the collective action problem in the case of carbon dioxide emissions?
- Collective action problem - multiple people benefit from a certain action or pool of resources, but this benefit has costs associated with it. It's then implausible that any individual can or will undertake and solve it alone. - CO2 Emission amount and clean air is a public good --> some nations are more apt and willing to deal with carbon emissions than others, but others benefit in the end. - Political solutions: International agreements, treaties, infrastructure change.
How and why has Democracy Promotion been a more or less important element within U.S. foreign policy over the years?
- Democracy promotion has been a major facet of most of the interventions of the United States for several decades. The existence of widespread democracy has bolstered American legitimacy and increased its military security. - The US knows there is a demonstration effect for democracy --> this encourages the US to promote democracy. - If the world has a similar political ideology to the US then the nations are more likely to support and comply with the US's goals.
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 shared democratic identity - help to explain, in particular, peaceful relations between democracies?
- Democratic Peace Theory suggests that military conflict is unlikely between two democratic states and that democracies will remain peaceful with other democracies but not with autocracies. - This is achieved through electoral constraints because it raises the political cost of war. If an unpopular war is waged, the administration will suffer through public opinion or jeopardize chances of reelection. - Institutional checks and balances (constraints on power) help solve the commitment problem that states face (prevent countries from pulling out) - shared democratic identity means that compromise is more likely and actors don't want to pursue aggressive FP that is unpopular
Which group of countries will be the recipients of foreign aid under the Paris Climate Accord? How did this aid help facilitate the construction of this international agreement? And how might this aid help countries fulfill their emission targets?
- Developing countries receive aid - Ease costs of alternative energies - Compensate for the costs of climate change - Helped include developing countries allowing their participation - Aid gives developing countries the chance to establish infrastructure
What is the political significance of the dollar's reserve currency status in the global economy?
- Dollar is a very stable currency, most transactions (esp. oil) are done in dollars. - This supplies money for global economy - Helps when flight of safety where buying US treasury bonds causing global liquidity and money supply - Ability to rely on foreigners to finance budget deficits helps fund domestic and foreign policies that Americans unwilling to fund through taxes - However, seems as if US could potentially be exploited for its global economic leadership
What is the Bretton Woods economic order? What were the main forces that served as an impetus for the U.S. to construct the Bretton Woods order? What are the main organizations that emerged from Bretton Woods?
- Emerges in final stages of WW2 where US supports creation of international organizations to ensure economic growth through international trade - Impetus from great depression and WW2: have collapse of economic cooperation; want to construct organizations to support reduction of trade barriers, political cooperation to sustain globalization, and have peace and economic growth - WTO, IMF, GATT as examples
According to the reading (Chapter 20: Global Governance), what are the incentives for global governance through international institutions? How are efforts at global governance confronted by the collective action problem? Once international agreements are established, what types of problems of compliance and enforcement do international organizations face?
- Externalities are costs or benefits that are felt by the parties outside of specific interactions and they have a distributional stake in the outcome of events such as new trade agreements, intervention by a third party. These incentives that global governance helps to mitigate the impact of negative externalities/reduce transaction costs. - Global governance tries to reduce something like carbon emission risk that everyone agrees in the benefits but no one wants to pay for it. Enforcement mechanisms are needed via institutions and organizations. - The problem with compliance and enforcement is that each state determines how to enforce it in their sovereign land, thus it is tough to have all parties comply with the international agreement. Ex: Paris Climate Agreement
What is an externality?
- Externality = costs or benefits that affect a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit - EX: air pollution from car is a negative externality --> the costs of air pollution are not compensated for by the driver or producer of the vehicle
Compare and contrast the different camps within the Democratic party on how it should respond to the Mueller Report. What is the argument of the "failed impeachment" theory? What is the argument of the "do your job" theory regarding impeachment?
- Failed impeachment theory: even though it might pass in democratic controlled house, it will most likely not pass in republican controlled senate, they will block the movement to remove Trump, and then it will look bad on the Democrats for 2020 election, would help Trump's campaign. - Do your job theory: it is congress's duty to investigate further into the possibility that there is an obstruction of justice, and if found, can help mobilize democratic party for 2020 election and discredit Trump and Republicans
What is the Ricardian model of trade? Describe the processes by which it suggests that trade and specialization can increase aggregate national income.
- Globalization helps to raise national income through specialization and trade ! - Illustrated by comparative advantage - Policy implication: states should eliminate trade barriers to max economic growth !
According to this module's reading, what is hegemonic stability theory and how does it relate to the provision of public goods and the free rider problem in international relations?
- Hegemonic stability theory - the international system is more likely to remain stable when a single nation-state is the dominant world power, or hegemon --> concentration of global economic activity in a single state stimulates high levels of trade internationally - The stable hegemon provides many public goods, such as carbon reduction or maintenance of FP initiatives, that other countries can free ride off of. Tariffs as well as FP initiatives can manage this free rider problem but must be done respectfully to not frustrate other countries.
How is the finding that there was no conspiracy linked to Mueller's decision not to bring charges on obstruction of justice?
- If there was no underlying crime, there could not have been an obstruction of justice.
What are the unique characteristics of the demand for oil? What does it mean that oil has "inelastic" demand and few substitute goods? How does this affect the demand for oil?
- Inelastic - demand is not strongly responsive to shifts in price, and for which there are few substitutes at similar prices. - Demand remains constant
What are institutions? What is the difference between institutions and organizations? What are some examples of institutions in domestic and international politics?
- Institutions are humanly devised constraints that structure incentives and interactions among nations, like a rulebook (shapes how organizations act). - Organizations are entities that are actors, basically the kid who will use the rulebook to figure out how to play. - Organizations ACT. Institutions CANNOT ACT (Rules that are followed) - Domestic: don't speed, don't steal, win the majority of electoral votes to become President - International: sovereignty, chemical weapons taboo
Understand, explain, and give examples of how international institutions/organizations shape international politics.
- Institutions as rules that structure behavior - Provide information about how states might act; and how to define appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Additionally, they allow for the cooperation among states. - Facilitate interstate cooperation: ---Mitigate collective action problem ---Reduce transaction costs associated with reaching settlements ---Sometimes help enforce agreements Institution regulate behavior. Rules that are designed to minimize conflict in the international system. Ex. sovereign rights - one state recognizes another state's sovereign rights and both agree not to violate each other's territorial borders.
What does globalization in financial terms look like?
- Integration of national markets into the global economy... - Movement of capital across boundaries; help foreigners invest in the US economy ! - Lend money to US government purchase treasury bonds; make cars in the US with foreign companies - Help to run budget deficits and spend more than take in by taxes
What is interstate cooperation? What are some of the primary impediments state face when trying to reach cooperative settlements with each other?
- Interstate cooperation is the agreement to create policies that ultimately result in the same goals. ---For example, multiple countries agreeing to enact sanctions against a specific country who is developing nuclear weapons. - Primary impediments to reach settlements include: ---collective action problem (when everyone agrees about the benefits of a common goal, but no one wants to pay to get that goal) ---free rider problem (many actors would rather avoid costs that come with reaching a cooperative statement) ---enforcement ---transaction costs that harm the exchange or coordination of states ---disagreements of the form of cooperation that results in coordination problems.
Briefly describe Israel's proportional representation (PR) electoral system and how that system affects the formation of a government after elections are held.
- Israel votes for party representation in the parliament (Knesset) - representation is proportional to the number of votes that a party receives - Minimum threshold of 3.25% of national vote to obtain seats - There is usually no party majority, which forces the parties to form coalition governments to select their prime minister - Majority is 61 seats
How did wars between Israel and its Arab neighboring states lead to the expansion of territory controlled by the Israeli state and the conflict between Israel and Palestinians?
- Israelis fought its Arab neighbors off. In doing so, it grabbed more territory, and now controls the land. - Jews accept plan, but Arabs saw as more colonialism trying to steal land; declare war on Israel to establish unified Arab Palestine. - Israel won, but pushed past borders taking West half of Jerusalem and part of land in Palestine; create refugee population of Palestine's that create interest in neighboring countries to retake Palestinian territory from Israel so refugees can leave state and return - In 1967, Israel and neighboring Arab states fought another war; Israel won and seized Golan heights from Syria, West Bank from Jordan, and Gaza and the Sinai peninsula from Egypt - Israel in charge of governing Palestinians now; imperial power responsible for them
How does oil compare with other natural resources in terms of its share of energy consumption? What sorts of consequences occur when oil prices go up?
- Key energy resource because about 33% of total global energy consumption and 37% of total energy consumption in US - Significant portion of global trade (15%) - When oil prices go up: gas prices go up, can induce global recession, transfers wealth from key oil-importing countries (US, Europe, Japan, China) to oil-exporting countries (Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela)
How is international migration a part of the broader phenomenon of globalization? How does the international flow of labor through international migration create winners and losers within domestic economies?
- Movement of labor across national borders also increases economic growth in the aggregate - Creates income distributional effects, creating economic winners and losers ---high tech wants to employ high skilled workers to lower costs ---agriculture, construction, and service want to employ low skilled workers to keep costs down ---benefit consumers too through lower prices and can increase economic growth; migrants also increase demand for goods, spurring economic growth - Costs are borne by workers and taxpayers by pushing labor supply up in certain sectors causing real wages to drop; can also present a cost through increased demands for social services like schools, public safety, and health care that are paid by taxes
Why did Mueller come to no conclusion on whether President Trump obstructed justice through his actions to interfere with the investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russians?
- Mueller doesn't fully exonerate Trump - Justice department rules prohibited indicting a sitting president - No underlying crime-no conspiracy, then no obstruction - Aides may have saved Trump from legal trouble by disobeying his orders, which could have been considered obstructing to justice
What are the Cold War origins of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (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"?
- NATO chief function was to provide military security to western Europe against possible soviet attack during cold war. 1) Keep Russians out --> containing communist threat 2) Americans in, providing necessary hegemon and commitment to defending Eastern Europe 3) Germans down, maintaining peace - Western Europe wanted to make sure that the Americans helped provide security against the Soviet Union (Americans in and Russians out), and to ensure that Germany would not re-establish its military power over the European continent (keep the Germans down).
Briefly describe the historical context that led to the creation of Israel. How did British imperialism and the experience of World War II influence this process?
- Nazi anti-semitism created the motivation for a Jewish state - Britain had its sphere of influence in Palestine and made a Jewish mandate there - Tensions between Jewish and Arabs because of immigration creating violence so the British limit their immigration so Jews fight against Arabs and to resist British rule. - Holocaust caused more Jews to flee to Palestine and Jews to want a state of their own for national security - British rule collapsing so forced to withdrawal so reshape order. - Basically, WWII tensions and British rule spurred present-day conflict between Arab and Jews - Israel took control over Palestine land and kicked them out after a war with Arabs - UN approved a plan to split Palestinian territory into 2: Jewish state with Israel and Arab state with Palestine - Jerusalem: special international zone; neutral city
Describe how President Trump's approach to Israel differs with the policies of President Obama and other previous administrations. How have these policy changes affected Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his approach to the Palestinian issue?
- Obama was critical of new settlements in West Bank - Israeli government strongly opposes Iran Nuclear accord negotiated by Obama - Trump tightens relationship with Israel ---withdrawal from Iran Nuclear Accord ---move US embassy to Jerusalem (now capital of Israel) ---Netanyahu sees this as a green light to expand ---recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights ---shift politics to the right ---This has played into US domestic politics with 2020 election ---Make two state solution harder if Netanyahu go against it now and enforce sovereignty
What are the important characteristics that make the international oil market unique? Why is it important that oil is traded in a single open market?
- One single, unique global oil market --> everyone is connected (Trade contracts are for delivering oil at specific date) - Important because oil trade factors into energy independence debates meaning if the US imports less oil, there still can be a price shock because of the Middle East, China, and Russia
What is OPEC? How much oil does it control? How does it operate to manage oil prices? What is the special role of Saudi Arabia? What has OPEC done in response to the US shale oil revolution and how has the "price war" initiated by Saudi Arabia and OPEC affected global oil prices and US oil production?
- Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (primary oil producers in the world) - Members: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela - key supplier 80% of proven global reserves - Operates like a cartel: limit global supply by setting production quotas to push global prices up - Saudi is a SWING PRODUCER --> large reserve capacity and changes production levels to stabilize the global economy - OPEC has manipulated the market to US shale oil production -> worked to reduce production and it worked -> US still has a reserve and now shifted FP from Middle East to Asia
What types of international behavior does power transition theory expect from global powers that are ascendant versus global powers that are in decline? What is the commitment problem in this situation and how does it help to explain the incentives for declining powers to launch a preventive war against rising powers?
- Powers that are in decline will unleash a preventive war and want to maintain the current status quo political order. The ascending power does not have the legitimacy to build partnerships or alliances. - The commitment problem is amplified because states are uncertain if they should commit to the dominant state or the rising power to secure safety in a future political order. - This commitment problem to a rising state over uncertainty incentivizes a current but declining global leader to seek a preventative war because more states will back them.
From a strategic perspective, what are the pros and cons of considering impeachment for Democrats and their electoral prospects in 2020?
- Pros: mobilizes Democratic base, keeps attention on flaws of Trump, provides cover for Democratic presidential candidates. - Cons: Distracts from bread and butter issues that need to be highlighted in 2020, could backfire if Trump is seen as a victim of obsessive Democratic attacks.
How might international economic organizations, like the WTO and the IMF, facilitate economic cooperation among states and higher levels of international trade?
- Providing enforcement mechanisms - deter states from cheating or lying - WTO has judicial panel and IMF uses conditionality to enforce - Help reveal information about states interests - joining an IO signals FP interests --Monitor compliance - countries have to report and IO have experts that make sure that countries hold up their end --Reducing distributional challenges - varying ability to solve this problem based on how much power a nation has (US has a lot of influence in the IMF because they give a lot of money to reserve pool but the WTO is more neutral because of the judicial panel
What are remittances? How do remittances help to redistribute wealth from wealthy countries to poorer ones?
- Remittance: money sent from migrants to family and friends back to their home country - largest transfer of capital across international borders - unlike foreign aid, remittances are: unconditional, cannot be withdrawn, provide social insurance, credit, and investment in countries that lack such, and avoid corruption by avoiding government structures
What is a Nationally Determined Contribution?
- Set nationally and voluntary, and not negotiated internationally to set agreement on reduction goals of CO2 emissions - how much each country will cut emissions as pledged by them (- Not strong enough yet: all current pledges would still leave 2030 emissions too high to stay under 2-degree mark)
How has the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank changed the political reality in that contested region of occupied territory? How do Israeli settlements in the West Bank complicate a potential "two-state solution" to the Israel-Palestinian conflict?
- Settlements on the West Bank complicate a two state solution by posing the threat of having to displace the Israeli citizens who reside on the West Bank, as well as the troops they have to protect them. - Israeli settlements make 2-state solution harder because they would have to be evicted from a potential Palestinian state in this area
What is the shale oil revolution? What does it mean for the US to be energy independent and how does the shale oil revolution affect American energy independence? How has the shale oil revolution affected the global price of oil and how have lower oil prices affected geopolitics, especially in the Middle East?
- Shale oil revolution = USA discovering it can use technology to extract oil via fracking - The US has become one of the largest producers of Oil - Allows the US to rethink foreign policy in the Middle East - Saudi Arabia fought back against the US by flooding market and allowing prices to fall so low that it became unprofitable for American Shale production. US production has since reduced and supply has been controlled. Prices have gone up recently. - Stimulates technology and create economic independence for the US.
What are the domestic distributional consequences of globalization? Which groups win and lose from globalization inside the United States?
- Some see income gains and some income losses WIN: International trade creates jobs in sectors that rely disproportionately on resources that the US possesses in abundance: -drives down costs of these factors and makes goods that rely on them as inputs cheaper -considers factor endowments like scarcity and abundance in the US relative to ratio in other countries ---High tech and college graduates ! LOSE: Jobs lost in sectors that rely disproportionately on resources that are scarce in the US. ---Manufacturing sector ! - Political implications: activates political domestic conflict (because some groups win and some lose); explains the prevalence of barriers to trade that constrict national income
What is the TPP? Why did President Trump formally withdraw the United States from the TPP in 2017? Why did he consider rejoining the TPP in 2018?
- TPP = Trans-Pacific Partnership - Goal: 12 countries that border the Pacific Ocean in a pact to deepen economic ties between the 12 nations by slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth and also economic policies and regulation (reduce China's economic influence in Asia via trade barrier reduction and influencing labor) - Trump withdrew because of American first strategy, to slow globalization and job loss to China in the US. -> US lost jobs - Considered joining because of South China Sea issues and China Tariff war (China targets economic sectors important to Trump's voting base), TPP will have new markets to sell agricultural products to that before were sold to China. Also, Dem and Rep worried that the TPP would move their jobs to Asian countries
Describe the contours of supply and demand on the global oil market? Who are the big players? How has new exploration in North America, such as shale oil, changed things?
- The Great Recession of 2008 decreased demand for oil in developed countries such as US, Europe, and Japan. - BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries are moving in the opposite direction in terms of demand; increased development in these countries increased demand for oil. - The price of oil is determined by the intersection of supply and demand. - Supply up: new investments in production capacity stimulated by upward price shocks associated with 9/11 and Iraq War - OPEC key supplier: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Russia, North America - Big growth in production capacity in North America (shale boom for US; shale reserves in North Dakota and Texas; create economic independence for US)
What is the Paris climate accord? How might it operate to reduce carbon emissions and limit the increase in average temperatures? How did it navigate the tension between developed and developing countries?
- The Paris Climate Accord is an agreement between 190 both developed and developing countries that aims to reduce carbon emissions, give developing countries a route out of poverty, and mitigate climate change. - limits increase in global temperature per country by 2 degrees Celsius from pre-Industrial Revolution levels - It gave developing countries $100 billion for development that is not an industrial revolution (to appease developing countries) while also maintaining that they reduce carbon emissions (to appease developed countries). - Each nation sets its own goals and publicly states the policies -> compliance through shaming -> set policies every 5 years
According to this module's reading, what is the Mundell-Fleming Trilemma? How does it create trade-offs in a country's exchange rate policies?
- The tension between monetary policy autonomy, exchange rate stability, and capital mobility - States that although governments often want monetary policy autonomy, exchange rate stability, and capital mobility, they can't simultaneously possess all 3 - Must choose 2 based on relative trade-offs involved - Sometimes give up monetary policy autonomy in smaller countries because manipulating interest rates would in turn put pressure on the value of their currency, offsetting the peg (fix currency to that of larger country) - Usually comes to choice for governments between fixed or floating exchange rate; often dictated by a trade-off in exchange rate stability vs. preservation of monetary policy autonomy --political implications of this are also determined by understanding who wins and loses from various exchange rate arrangements
What is a trade deficit? How are trade deficits related to foreign capital inflows and investment in the United States?
- Trade Deficit: Imports > exports in a given year - higher capital inflows to finance imports - Trade deficit helps US economic growth because countries rely on the big trade deficit to invest - A trade deficit indicates a healthy investment climate in the US
What are the three different distributional struggles related to the problem of climate change?
1. Within Society - Winners and losers with energy policy change 2. Among Countries - Each country is prepared differently to assess and meet the needs of climate change 3. Across Generations - Nothing will change for us, but definitely could for our grandchildren
What is the tragedy of the commons? Why is it rational for individuals to overuse public goods? How does this phenomenon help to explain the difficulty of managing the sustainable use of commonly held public property? Know some examples.
- Tragedy of commons - a situation in a shared-resource system where individual users in their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their collective action. (Overuse of public goods, hard to restrict their use) --- Divergence between private benefits and social costs --- Resource gets depleted - Examples: oil fields, common grazing lands, overpopulation, fisheries, atmosphere - Another example: factory upstream dumps pollutants in river which is key water source for city so people getting sick but also depend on factory for job and if change factory becomes less profitable and out of business and if city pays it can subsidize production; hard because absence of property rights over river so creates externalities
Describe some important steps in the emerging trade war between China and the United States
- Trump imposed new tariffs on steel and aluminum (didn't exempt China). China retaliated. - Trump threatens to impose 25% tariffs on up to 1300 Chinese products (machinery, mechanical appliances, electrical equipment), China equally threats back - China targeting sectors that are important to Trump's political base like blue collar manufacturing and agriculture in red state
Describe the contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians during the 2016 campaign. What did Trump campaign officials hope to gain from their contacts with Russians? Explain the reasons why Mueller and his team cleared the Trump campaign of conspiracy despite these contacts.
- Trump's team sought damaging and embarrassing material on Hillary Clinton - Collusion doesn't have a legal standing in this case so really looking at crime of conspiracy - Finds evidence Trump campaign officials sought fruits of crimes committed by Russians interfering in 2016 election, but not directly request it. - Russia definitely interfered in the election to aid Trump, but it was decided that the contacts between Trump and Russia did not meet the legal criteria for conspiracy b/c Trump election officials did not direct or request Russian entities to commit crimes.
According to the reading by Glaser and Kelanic, why should the United States consider halting its physical protection for oil sales from the Middle East?
- US doesn't need to be energy independent because oil market is global - No regional hegemon that threatens majority oil control and if a war did occur, it wouldn't disrupt the shipping equipment - Biggest threat: Iran disrupting strait of Hormuz traffic (unlikely but most probable) - Goal of US: reduce commitments and build SPR (strategic petroleum reserve) for a pseudo-energy independence - Cutoff no longer poses a serious threat to US and well cushioned against all but the worst oil disruptions and has options for further reducing its vulnerability on economic side
What are the main differences between voluntary and forced migration?
- Voluntary Migration --> comes from legal and illegal (undocumented) moving into a state; largely motivated by self-gain (like a job) - Forced Migration --> comes from displacement due to war, natural disaster, or persecution; displaced refugees and people that have been trafficked (sex or labor); involuntary movement
Using the module's reading, describe historical waves of democracy and the possible causes of these waves such as demonstration effects, neighborhood effects, the conditionality of international organizations, and the influence of hegemons
- Wave I: 19th century to WWI: sought to leverage American participation in WWI to expand the number of democracies in the world. Supported self-determination and empowered local groups demanding democratic rule and independence. --(Reverse wave: between WWI and WWII due to failed League of Nations and great depression) - Wave 2: Post WWII to 1970s: Democracy promotion took back seat to containing communism. US allied itself w/ authoritarian regimes and even undermined democratically leaning but left-sided gov because feared it would be influenced by Soviets. --(Reverse Wave: Latin America in the '60s and '70s) - Wave 3: 1970's with Spain, Portugal, and Greece with no noticeable reverse wave since the CW ended shortly after (big reason why communism collapsed was b/c of internal pressure from citizens for more freedom and democracy.) - Large scale socioeconomic changes normally create waves of democracy promotion through a common cause behind many social movements. Additionally, ideological shifts commonly occur at the same time in multiple places. ---Demonstration effects occurred in the fall of the Berlin Wall and mass demonstrations in Tunisia in which other countries try to model revolutionary politics after events that have a large following. ---Neighborhood effects create waves of democracy b/c states tend to emulate the level of democracy in neighboring states. ---Conditionality of international organizations has incentivized states to become democratic in order to join attractive economic and military orgs like the EU and NATO. International hegemons can build democracies in nations with aid like the Marshall Plan.
How can global capital markets discipline or influence the economic policy of governments?
- When foreign capital holders lose confidence in government's monetary policy causes them to sell assets denominated in that currency --currency depreciates - government can reassure investors by raising taxes or cutting government spending, offering higher returns like pushing interest rates up, but these push the domestic economy into recession. - International capital markets can sharply constrain country's monetary policy limiting discretion of elected officials and forcing them to push their economy into recession to reassure creditors
What are some critiques of the democratic peace theory?
- While established democracies tend not to fight one another, countries with undergoing democratic transitions from authoritarian to democracy tend to be more likely to experience war - Additionally, people point to alternative explanations for the peace after WWII. Namely, the common enemy of the Soviet Union meant that democracies were on the same side in terms of foreign policy decisions. Some believe great power settlements, not democracy, stabilized peace post WWII.
How do trade and globalization shape political relations and order in the international system?
- Within the international system, trade creates an underlying issue for politics. ---For example, the US gets much of its oil from Afghanistan, but has issues with their government. The US has to almost "play nice" in order to continue trade. ---Similarly with China, another major trading partner of the US. In order to maintain our economy, the US has to consider the politics between us and China. - Creates anti-globalization political pressure
How can power transition theory be used to understand the evolution of the maritime disputes in the South China Sea?
- china building man-made islands with sand and is claiming the sea, the U.S. doesn't like the claims -attempts by China asserting itself in the region knowing full well the U.S. power in the region and its alliance with SK and Japan, and world trade in the South China Sea - China has been ascending in power, trying to change the global status quo, and the US fears China will take over too much of the area and conflict with world trade. The US is then sending ships near the islands to scare China off. Many believe this will lead to a war for the US to protect the islands. Neither really want a war though and enjoy the stability of the post-WWII economy.
What is democracy? Describe Robert Dahl's three "procedural minimal" conditions of democracy.
- free and fair competitive elections have become a catalyst for democracy. Dahl's minimum: 1. Public contestation (civil rights and liberty) -- individual freedoms and electoral competition/multiple parties participate. Citizens can freely express themselves and receive info from the media. 2. Inclusion -- universal suffrage, universal and equal participation of all segments of the society 3. Democratic sovereignty -- elections must result in elected officials to carry out political influence. (so if it was made by unelected bodies like military or religious authority, then it is not .democratic)
Discuss the global patterns of international migration. What are the countries with the largest inflows of international migration and which countries have the largest inflows of refugees?
- general trend for voluntary migration: less developed country → more developed one - The US, Saudi Arabia, and Germany are the top receiving countries - India, Mexico, Russia, and China are top sending countries - Not the case with refugees where developing countries like Turkey bear the main burden - The US has the largest migrants by raw numbers, but not by share of total population (more like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Canada)
Why is there a gap between public opinion regarding the preferred levels of immigration and immigration policies adopted by democracies? How does the collective action problem help to explain this gap?
- immigration has close ties to partisanship--democrats tend to be more relaxed about immigration policies and therefore immigrants tend to align with democratic ideals - collective action problem here: powerful interests experience concentrated benefits from immigration while the costs are distributed widely across less organized interests - politicians tend to keep immigration out of their agenda unless forced upon by themselves or by public pressure (Trump, for example)
Describe some of the efforts by the United States to promote democracy around the world. What are the political challenges associated with American efforts to promote democracy? What are the benefits and drawbacks associated with promoting democracy around the world?
-After WWI: Wilson sought to leverage American participation to expand democracies. Transition in Germany and supported self-determination for former colonies. -Cold War: took a backseat to containing communism. The US would support regional autocracies that had a mutual enemy of the Soviet Union. -End of the Cold War: Collapse of communism showed the US they could spread democracy and have greater security within the United States. -After Cold War: right after the Clinton admin justified intervention in Yugoslavia b/c of human rights abuses and wanting to spread democracy. - Democracy promotion huge portion of neoconservatism --> middle east presence to counter the threat of terrorism after 9/11. There are skeptics of the promotion of democracy by force and military. - Pros: Bolsters legitimacy and increases military security/DPT (creating more cooperation and partnerships for trade → peace) - Cons: Some are skeptical that the promotion of democracy is by force and military. Promoting democracy mainly means intervening in third world problems.
Describe the main indictments and convictions produced by the Mueller investigation.
-Collusion (conspiracy) was not found. -Obstruction of justice was not found based on the fact there was no collusion since not enough evidence. Barr exonerated (released) Trump, Mueller did not, he just claims not enough evidence - 34 individuals and 3 companies - 26 were Russian nationalists and 3 companies were in Russia - 6 were former Trump advisors.
How does international migration intersect with national security? According to your reading for this module, how does international migration present challenges for national security but also resources that can enhance a country's security?
-Negative stereotypes over immigrants reinforce closed/restrictive national security policies - International migration can also provide resources that enhance national security. Countries can improve relations with other countries by accepting their migrants EX: - post 9/11 concerns--US population is fearful over terrorist strikes, which prompts government to quell that fear by establishing the Department of Homeland Security
According to your reading for this module, how does international migration affect the demographic composition of countries? How do these demographic changes create conflict within countries over issues of national identity?
-the majority population of receiving countries feel threatened that their values and concerns will be drowned out by the migrants' own values and concerns EX: - US is largely Christian and some Americans feel threatened by a Muslim immigrant population - In the US, debate over English as primary language and national identity rooted in Anglo-Protestant culture. This is echoed in West Europe, as the majority of people surveyed think it's very important that residents speak the national language, be it English, German, French, Dutch, etc. - In Europe, largely over concerns over Muslim immigration - strong public sentiment that knowing national language and identifying as Christian is important to national identity -Created issue for 2016 election: small group that switched votes from Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016 worried about losing social/racial/cultural dominance and wasn't about economic anxiety.
What are the two main dilemmas facing NATO and how has the Trump administration addressed these dilemmas?
1) European countries shirking responsibilities- not enough military spending 2) The US becoming a reluctant hegemon Trump wants America first --> He thinks NATO suggests Europe is relying too heavily on the US for security
What are the two main political bodies of the UN? How can they confer legitimacy? Which states have the most power within these political bodies?
1. General Assembly: all members can sit in the general assembly; rarely achieve consensus 2. Security council: US, UK, Russia, China and France (Has the most power because on security council) are 5 permanent members who have veto power. There are 10 additional members that rotate. -legitimacy comes from the fact that the UN reflects the global public opinion and makes it easier to secure alliances → people are more likely to approve of war if the UN also endorses it -legitimacy is allowed by reducing political costs of implementing policy (UN approval can sway public opinion in favor of a policy, easier for gov. to enact, since they are permanent and have veto power)
What is polarity? How does the distribution of power between great powers influence their relations? What is the difference between unipolar, bipolar, and multipolar systems and how does each affect relations between great powers?
Counts the number of great powers in the international system -Multipolarity - alliances between great powers -Bipolarity - two main powers, like the U.S. and Soviet Union basically perf examples -Unipolarity - one power in control, smaller can't push back (U.S.) Helps set the threat that each power poses to the others, influences coalitional dynamics as well as the risks associated with coalitional realignment. Unipolar: one hegemon, like the United States. The absence of other powers capable of challenging the military and economic dominance of a single great power. Threatening because they must have a balance of power in which they don't exploit weaker states and force them into regime change, etc. Bipolar: two strong states like the Soviet Union and the United States during the cold war. This bipolarity reduces the risk of abandonment and leaves the state to look domestically in order to be able to sustain its positioning. Multipolar: alliances (4+ countries according to the reading) like in ww2. The alliances are more fluid and politically significant than other systems. Higher risk of great power war, more commitment problems, neutrality is destabilizing to the great powers.
What is the GATT? What is the WTO? How do these organizations differ? What are some of the norms, principles, and rules associated with the GATT and WTO? How does the dispute settlement mechanism in the WTO support international trade?
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade: -multilateral org designed to support reduction of trade barriers on a reciprocal basis -provided a series of rules that guide negotiating rounds during the cold war -No enforcement capabilities and disputes handled on bilateral basis The World Trade Organization: -institutionalized a dispute settlement mechanism with established procedures for filing grievance, investigating complaints, and punishing -ensure states uphold existing trade concessions negotiated -judicial panel can enforce these obligations by authorizing compensation to injured parties in form of trade sanctions; plaintiff has a lot of discretion on where to impose tariffs -keeps global economy open by punishing states pursuing protection -ineffective over the last decade in securing further trade liberalization because limited support in developed world - The dispute settlement mechanism supports international trade by remedying the weaknesses of GATT because defendants are required to participate when complainants file disputes unlike GATT
Who were the two largest parties in the 2019 Israeli election and what were the main ideological and policy platforms?
Likud: - led by current prime minister Netanyahu - right leaning - Trump support - big on security and improving ties with US - believe Palestinians shouldn't have a state Blue and White: - led by Gants (rival) - left leaning (kinda centrist) - nationalist issues such as international lobby sidestepped to recognize Golan Heights and Jerusalem so similar issues to Netanyahu. - They are interested in representing all citizens on all parts of the religious and political spectrum.
According to the Urpelainen reading, what are the pros and cons of the Paris climate accord?
Pros: - Includes both developed and developing countries - Is voluntary - Addresses the needs of developing countries Cons: - Has a slight challenge in executing the accord, there is no enforcement mechanism - Needs to deepen, current members alone will not completely mitigate climate change. This is a good first step, but only a first step.
Describe the trade-offs associated with participation in international organizations and national sovereignty.
The authority given to international organizations runs the risk of limiting domestic sovereignty of states such as how the WTO decides what forms of policies are justified or unjustified. The trade-off between cooperation among states and sovereignty is the central tension between the two. Tension/trade-off: sovereignty v. gains from cooperation