POLI/INTL 105 Spring 2018

Review Sheet: EXAM 1:

            The following list of terms is really just an outline of the lectures I've given. It will also include some terms selected from the readings; these are terms that I think are particularly important aspects of the reading (Which is a polite way of saying, if you are not doing the reading, you better start doing the reading). The readings support things we've talked about in class, explain them, and flesh out some concepts. Terms that are dealt with primarily in the readings will be designated with an (*).

            This looks big, BUT remember most of these are things that can be defined in one sentence; they are bits and pieces of larger ideas and concepts. And if you've been in class and have done the readings there should be nothing new here.

The test consists of 60-75 multiple-choice questions; the number will depend on how far we get with the material. It is designed to take you about 60 minutes, though usually when I give tests of similar length and content most people don't need all the time I allow. You will have the entire class period for the exam.

List of terms:

The nature of the International System:

Civilization Timeline

Know the categories from the first PPT slide, but you don’t need to know the details from slides 2-4

Computer revolution (you should know the details from this)

Early conclusions of the new era

            Who is empowered?

            Impact on nation-states (countries)

A definition of the international system

*The English school

*the world as anarchy

the world as institutionalizing

Domestic Politics (DP) vs. International Politics (IP):

DP as hierarchy

For IP, two views

1. *anarchy: might makes right

2. institutionalization: world is evolving toward nation-state cooperation through institutions

DP compared with IP: 

1. Central Authority:

DP: Centralization of power

Clear authority and responsibility and hierarchy

IP: no central authority:

every nation for itself: anarchy

*sovereignty

*self-reliance or self-help

relying on your capability

*might makes right

On the other hand: institutionalization

*laws, treaties, institutions (UN, WTO)

Do powerful states create an informal central authority?

2. Conflict Resolution and Force:

DP:      regulated conflict, political and legal processes

Force is illegitimate except by authorized officials

IP:       

Anarchy: conflict unregulated, resort to self-reliance, the use of force. If you win the war your use of force was legitimate. 

Institutionalization: few interstate wars; old enemies are now allies; nations do cooperate; join international institutions; and sign treaties; powerful make rules for resolving conflict, rules to create justice, trend toward negotiation not violence

Basic Points:

            Anarchy vs. institutionalization

            The international system is evolving

*The security dilemma

Ideas:  

*Realism

Propositions about realism

*the state is the only actor that matters

1. *the goal -- power 

2. *morality, ideas, domestic politics?

3. *cause of the quest for power?

*human nature

*anarchy

4. *foreign policy?

5. *and peace achieved through?

A. *Balance of power

B. *Polarity

C. *alliances

6. *Unipolarity will not last

Definition of power

Traditional views: hard Power 

Power as capabilities

Soft power 

Sharp power

*Idealism or Liberalism 

1. *more than competition exists in the international system

1. the system is not anarchic, but cooperative

2. common interests?

3. morality, ethics, values

1. Democracy

2. Human rights

4. *commerce – free trade

5. *global marketplace

6. *interdependence

7. desire for predictability and stability

8. *law

9. *institutions

*Immanuel Kant

International Law

            *Hugo Grotius

            *Sovereignty

            Voluntary participation

            Choosing cooperation over rivalry

                        Because states feel it is in their interest to cooperate

            Treaties

The enforcement problem

The participation problem

*The English School as a form of Idealism/Liberalism

Constructivism

*Alexander Wendt

1. *nation-states are not all alike

2. *political culture influences foreign policy

3. *form of government influences foreign policy

4. *history, political context matter

5. *domestic politics matters

*states have an identity that shapes the way they interact with other states

Examples: 

Russian foreign policy

Chinese foreign policy 

US foreign policy

*Feminist Theory

*under-representation of women in decision making in nation-states

*Does gender shape perspectives on international events

*Traditional view: Nation-State security matters

*Widening view of security or insecurity: security includes individual concerns

*Core role of women in development 

Evolution of the International System:

1. Age of Empires

Eventual European (western) domination of the world

*imperialism

example of Africa during and after colonial era

importance of industrial revolution in European dominance

2. Creation of Nation-State system

Holy Roman Empire

Rise of nationalism and Protestantism Reformation in Europe

*Thirty Years War: Catholics vs. Protestants

*Treaty of Westphalia or Peace of Westphalia (1648)

*sovereign states

power in the hands of the state (individual monarchs), not religion or empire

* self-determination

Napoleon's challenge to the system and defeat

*French revolution impact on the world: Nationalism

*European imperialism

3. *Concert of Europe

*Congress of Vienna

*Multipolar system

*polarity

*alliances

Great Powers (5)

*Balance of Power

*Rules of Balance of Power

*England's role

*Prussian/German challenge to Balance of Power

*WWI

*Origins of WW I

4. Interwar period and WWII

*Changes in power balance/fate of the old great powers -- England, Germany, France, A-H, Russia 

*Treaty of Versailles

*League of Nations

            *Woodrow Wilson

            *The failure of the League

            *based on international law

            *Goal: to keep the peace

*1920s' economic boom and the Depression

*Japanese/Italian/German aggression

*Munich agreement of 1938 and appeasement

*Axis vs. Allies: WWII

5. Cold War

Superpowers

1. *Bipolar Balance of Power

            *US containment of the USSR

*dividing the world/collecting allies

*NATO

*Warsaw Pact

2. Regional Conflict 

*Decolonization

*Non-aligned movement (NAM)

*spheres of influence

divided nations

proxy wars

*Korean war, Vietnam war

*In what parts of the world?

Rules (2)

nations asked to choose sides; competition for allies

3. *Nuclear Weapons

deterrence

mutual assured destruction

4. *Ideology

A. *Liberal-democracy vs. communism

Gorbachev and the end of the Cold War

*perestroika and glasnost

*The collapse of the USSR and its future

*Collapse of Cold war international system

*New World Order       

6. After the Cold War

US Unipolar power

*shift of power away from US and Europe to Asia

*China as challenger

            *Colonization of China

*Mao Zedong and the hardline communist era (1949-1976)

*controlled economy

*poverty

*repression

*Communist Party dictatorship

*1978 economic reforms

*capitalism

            *Deng Xiaoping

            *Dictatorship still

            *Communist party: one party control of China

            *repression in China

            *State capitalism

*government deeply involved in the economy, but to make profit

            *Rapid transformation since 1978

*wealth!!!!

            *Foreign policy: regaining what it lost

            *Xi Jinping (who is he?)

            *China fears encirclement

*India as a US ally

*Independence from England 1947

*Gandhi (who was he?)

*1991 economic reforms

*capitalism

*Still heavy government regulation

*form of government today?

            *India’s partial transformation

*rapid economic growth

*still massive poverty

            *Indian foreign policy: non-alignment, equality

            *Narendra Modi (who is he?)

            *India sees China as its biggest threat

Russia

            Global ambition

            Regional power

            Resource dependent economy