International Relations Concepts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which factor often limits a leader's flexibility in international negotiations?

Global public opinion

Economic sanctions

Domestic political constraints (correct)

International treaties

Why do states sometimes prefer war over beneficial bargains?

Commitment problems and information asymmetry (correct)

Effective communication channels

Mutual trust between states

Abundance of resources

What is a common reason for commitment problems in international agreements?

Equal military capabilities

Historical treaties

Guaranteed support from allies

Fear of losing strategic advantages (correct)

What distinguishes adaptation from mitigation in addressing climate change?

Adaptation consists of building defenses, while mitigation involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant issue arising from climate change efforts?

Collective action problem Signup and view all the answers

What type of wars occur to prevent an imminent threat?

Preemptive wars Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does China face despite its climate change measures?

Domestic hardships due to reliance on coal Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is TRUE about the bargaining model of war?

War can occur even when both parties would benefit from peace. Signup and view all the answers

What does the strategy of Tit-for-Tat primarily promote?

Long-term stable cooperation Signup and view all the answers

Which theorem suggests that a labor-abundant country would export textiles?

Heckscher-Ohlin Theorem Signup and view all the answers

What is a major challenge to achieving collective action on climate change?

High costs of action and differing interests Signup and view all the answers

What problem does climate change mitigation exemplify in terms of public goods?

The inability to exclude non-contributors from benefits Signup and view all the answers

According to the Stolper-Samuelson Theorem, what happens to the return on a country's scarce factor of production due to trade?

It decreases as trade increases Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect complicates the dynamics of the U.S.–South Korea alliance?

Security concerns involving North Korea Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of trade liberalization for laborers in capital-rich countries?

Reduced wages as capital owners benefit more Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason for political pushback against free trade?

Job losses in non-competitive industries Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason why attribution challenges can intensify the security dilemma in cyber capabilities?

The difficulty in identifying the source can lead to misjudgments. Signup and view all the answers

How does the ambiguity of intent in cyber activities contribute to the security dilemma?

Probing networks may be perceived as reconnaissance or aggression. Signup and view all the answers

Why are wars considered ex-post inefficient?

They lead to high costs in human lives and resources. Signup and view all the answers

What creates commitment problems between states during negotiations?

Trustworthiness of states to uphold agreements. Signup and view all the answers

What is a mechanism that can be used to enhance the credibility of threats?

Public commitments that raise the cost of backing down. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best exemplifies the concept of issue indivisibility?

Cultural or religious claims over Jerusalem. Signup and view all the answers

What were states miscalculating leading to conflicts, as illustrated by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait?

The capability of the international coalition. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following mechanisms effectively makes threats credible by increasing political costs?

Making public or international commitments. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Stolper-Samuelson theorem suggest about the effects of international trade?

It increases returns for the abundant factor while reducing returns for the scarce factor. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes protectionism?

It restricts trade through tariffs and quotas to protect domestic industries. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of fixed exchange rates?

They are pegged to another currency or a basket of currencies. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Impossible Trinity, which two aspects can a country choose to maintain?

Fixed exchange rate and free capital mobility. Signup and view all the answers

In labor-abundant countries, which group is likely to benefit from international trade?

Laborers. Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential negative effect of protectionism?

It can lead to retaliation from trade partners. Signup and view all the answers

What does Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) suggest about exchange rates?

They should align so that an identical basket of goods costs the same across countries. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor increases the returns of the abundant factor in a capital-abundant country during trade liberalization?

Increased capital availability. Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason democratic leaders are more successful in tying their hands compared to autocratic leaders?

Democratic political systems tend to have more transparency and scrutiny. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of sinking costs?

The deployment of U.S. troops in Europe during the Cold War. Signup and view all the answers

What role does audience cost play in democratic leadership?

It penalizes leaders for failing to meet commitments. Signup and view all the answers

What strategy involves escalating tensions to demonstrate resolve?

Brinkmanship Signup and view all the answers

How do autocratic leaders maintain credibility despite lower audience costs?

By implementing stricter laws against dissent. Signup and view all the answers

What was President Kennedy's significant action during the Cuban Missile Crisis that tied his hands?

Issuing a public ultimatum to the Soviet Union. Signup and view all the answers

What can the security dilemma lead to between states?

Unintended conflict due to misinterpretation of intentions. Signup and view all the answers

What was one major miscalculation made by Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War?

Underestimating the international response to his invasion. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Mundell-Fleming Trilemma state about exchange rate stability, monetary policy independence, and capital mobility?

Countries must prioritize one at the expense of the others. Signup and view all the answers

Why do some states impose capital controls despite the benefits of capital mobility?

To manage domestic financial stability. Signup and view all the answers

How does high capital mobility affect a state's ability to conduct independent monetary policy?

It ties domestic interest rates to global markets. Signup and view all the answers

Why might democracies prefer floating exchange rates over fixed exchange rates?

To maintain flexibility in addressing domestic economic needs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of implementing capital controls?

Deterred foreign investment. Signup and view all the answers

How do autocracies typically influence their exchange rate systems?

By often favoring fixed exchange rates for consistency. Signup and view all the answers

Which country is cited as having managed to retain monetary control through the management of capital flows?

India Signup and view all the answers

In what year did Malaysia implement capital controls to shield its economy during the financial crisis?

1998 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Security Dilemma

Definition: A state's actions to increase its security can cause other states to feel less secure, leading to an arms race or conflict.
Example: The Cold War arms race between the US and the Soviet Union, where each side's actions were perceived as threats, escalating tensions.
Solutions: Transparency, confidence-building measures, and international cooperation can help mitigate the security dilemma.

Audience Costs

Concept: Political costs a leader incurs if they back down from a threat or commitment to their domestic audience.
Democracy vs. Autocracy: Democracies face higher audience costs due to accountability to the public; autocracies' leaders are less constrained.
Implications: Audience costs increase the credibility of a leader's threats.

Alliances

Definition: Agreements between states to cooperate for mutual defense or common interests.
Credibility: Alliances are credible if the commitment to mutual defense is clear and the costs of abandonment are high. This discourages potential adversaries.
Risks: Abandonment (a powerful ally failing to support a weaker state) or entrapment (being drawn into a conflict unnecessarily).

Cooperation and Compliance

Tit-for-Tat: Cooperate initially, then mirror the other party's actions in subsequent interactions (cooperation or defection), promoting cooperation.
Bargaining: Negotiate over resources or policies, making concessions based on expected outcomes.
Public Goods: Non-excludable benefits that everyone enjoys, but no one can be excluded from (e.g., climate change). This creates the free-rider problem.
Collective Action: Difficulty in achieving cooperation due to differing national interests, domestic political constraints, and the free-rider problem,

International Trade

Heckscher-Ohlin Theorem: Countries export goods using their abundant and cheap factors of production (e.g., labor or capital) and import goods intensive in scarce factors.
Stolper-Samuelson Theorem: Trade benefits abundant factors (e.g., capital owners in capital-rich countries), harming scarce factors (e.g., low-skilled laborers).
Protectionism: Restricting trade through tariffs, quotas, or subsidies to protect domestic industries from foreign competition.

Currency and Exchange Rates

Fixed vs. Floating: Fixed exchange rates peg a currency to another currency or basket; floating rates fluctuate based on market forces.
Impossible Trinity: A country cannot simultaneously have a fixed exchange rate, monetary policy autonomy, and capital mobility.
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP): Exchange rates should reflect differences in price levels between countries in the long run.

Domestic Politics and International Relations

Democratic Peace Theory: Democracies rarely fight each other due to shared norms and institutional constraints.
Gambling for Resurrection: Leaders facing domestic crises might initiate wars to rally public support.
Selectorate Theory: Leaders focus on maintaining the support of their winning coalition (necessary for survival).
Two-Level Games: Leaders negotiate at the international and domestic levels simultaneously; domestic constraints affect international negotiations.

Bargaining Model of War

Definition: Explains war as a failure to reach an agreement over a disputed issue, due to factors like miscommunication or a lack of trust.
Commitment Problems: States struggle to credibly commit to future agreements due to potential shifts in the balance of power.

Climate Change

Collective Action Problem: States may avoid costly investments in climate change mitigation due to the free-rider problem.
Adaptation vs. Mitigation: Adaptation involves adjusting to climate change impacts; mitigation aims to reduce its causes.

Security Dilemma (Further Detail)

Information Asymmetry: When states have unequal information about opponent's resolve, they may miscalculate the chance of success leading to war.

Audience Costs (Further Detail)

Democracies tend to have higher audience costs than autocracies. Their need for public support creates constraints on their actions.

Alliances (Further Detail)

Risks of Entrapment (being pulled into a conflict not directly involving the state) or Abandonment (ally failing to support the state).

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Description

Test your understanding of key concepts in international relations, including the security dilemma, audience costs, and alliances. This quiz covers definitions, implications, and examples that illustrate these complex topics. Perfect for students looking to deepen their knowledge in political science.