Introduction To International Political Economy 3rd Edition David N. Balaam, Michael Veseth - Solutions

Review the box on UNEP. Discuss the factors and conditions that have compelled international organizations to increasingly play a larger role in dealing with environmental problems, and also what conditions and factors limit their effectiveness.
Examine each of the three case studies (global warming, deforestation, and ocean dumping) in terms of:a. the source of the problem—political, economic, social?b. the major actors and their interests in the problem.c. potential solutions to the problem, noting the tension between issues related to
The authors assert that environmental problems have become increasingly global in scope. What factors—political, economic, and social—contributed most to this trend? Explain. (Note: The category economic includes such items as trade and finance and also the role of knowledge and technology.)
Outline and discuss the tragedy of the commons and the prisoners’ dilemma.In what ways do these concepts contribute to our understanding of environmental problems?
Pick a single country or number of countries in a region of the world and study the nature of their hunger problems. Are they more political, economic, or social in nature? Explain.
Discuss some of the proposed solutions to the hunger problem. Which do you favor, or not favor? Explain.
After reading the entire chapter, discuss the extent to which you feel the hunger problem can be overcome. What are the major political-economic fault lines or dilemmas one has to consider if the problem is to be solved?
Outline the dominant themes and concepts applied to the hunger problem from the perspective of each of the major approaches to IPE: mercantilism, liberalism, and structuralism.
Do the same as in question 1 for the political-economic “food first” thesis about hunger.
Outline the overpopulation/lack of production thesis about world hunger and discuss some of the consequences of this argument for dealing with the hunger problem. Whose problem is it? What is being done about it? What should be done about it?
Are you convinced that Saudi Arabia will continue to dominate OPEC?Why? Explain.
Outline the impact that U.S., Russian, and Saudi Arabian relations can have on oil prices, and vice versa.
“The best policy for the United States to adopt if it wants to keep Russian nuclear weapons out of (say) transnational terrorist hands might be to persuade Saudi Arabia to raise the price of oil.” What is the logic behind this statement?
“In today’s world one must be very rich to be insulated from the forces of global markets, media, and culture.” Explain what this quote means and its relevance to the IPE of oil today.
One of the points of this chapter is that OPEC (especially Saudi Arabia) has two ways to exercise its economic power: by raising prices (as in the 1970s)and by lowering them. Explain who would gain and who would lose in each case (higher prices and lower prices).
What four economic factors have changed in the world oil market that make it more difficult or more costly for OPEC to raise oil prices? Explain how each contributes to OPEC’s weakened economic influence.
One weakness of a cartel such as OPEC is that it is subject to the prisoners’dilemma problem. State the prisoners’ dilemma problem in general and explain how it applies to the specific case of OPEC.
List and discuss the four themes of this chapter, providing specific examples to illustrate each theme.
How would an international agreement on governance of foreign direct investment benefit TNCs? How would such an agreement benefit states? What prevents such an agreement from being realized? Explain.
How have reactions to TNCs changed in the last half century? Why? Explain briefly.
What is right and what is wrong with the following statement: “Most TNCs invest in less developed countries because of the low wages that they can pay there.”
Why do TNCs engage in foreign direct investment (FDI) when there are good reasons why they might be less efficient than foreign firms? Explain several factors that contribute to the decision by TNCs to establish operations abroad.
What are transnational corporations (TNCs) and how are they different from other business firms?
Technology was mentioned at several points in this chapter. List the ways that technology affects the human connections discussed in this chapter.Based on this list, try to determine whether technology is making human connections more or less important in IPE today.
Define what a network is and explain how the diasporas, terrorism, and hawala transactions are examples of networks. How does the existence of these networks affect the distribution of wealth and power in IPE?
Travel and tourism is the largest industry in the world. What factors about tourism make it an attractive option for the state? How does tourism create risks for the state? Why is it necessary to be concerned about “sustainable”tourism? Explain.
Discuss the different factors that cause international migration. Are they all economic factors, such as low income or joblessness? How do political and social factors influence migration flows?
Discuss how international migration is viewed by liberals, mercantilists, and structuralists. Which perspective most closely fits your own viewpoint?
Micro-finance is a very promising development tool. Explain briefly how micro-credit programs such as the Grameen Bank work. Why are microcredit banks more successful in stimulating development in some cases than regular banks? Explain, citing specific aspects of the micro-credit system.
The chapter’s author argues that developing countries need good government more than they need less government or more government. What are the characteristics of good government with respect to economic development?Explain. (Hint: Consider some of the factors discussed in the last section of
Briefly trace how the issues regarding economic development have changed since the early postcolonial days of the 1950s and 1960s. In particular, discuss the tensions between the UNCTAD and the NIEO, between importsubstitution industrialization and export-oriented growth, and between the advocates
What four forces have shaped the development process for LDCs? How do these forces create tensions within LDCs and between LDCs and industrial nations? Explain.
How serious is the problem of global poverty today? Explain, citing data from this chapter.
How are China's reform experiences different from those of Russia and Eastern Europe? Focus on differences in both means and ends. China aims to reform its market without a radical alteration in its political system. Is it possible to change the market so dramatically without changing the
Compare and contrast the economic and political reforms in Russia and East-ern Europe. Suggest factors that have made Eastern Europe's reforms more successful, at this point, than those in Russia. Are there any general lessons to be derived from this experience? Explain.
What are the essential characteristics of the classical socialist system? How does the system differ from market socialism and from capitalism? How do the roles of state and market differ among these three systems of political economy? Explain.
What is the "classical socialist system" and how does it differ from "commu-nism"? What nations adopted the classical socialist system at different times during the twentieth century? Which nations currently employ this system?Explain.
Explain the interrelationships encompassed by the iron triangle. How do these relationships reinforce one another when the economy is prosperous? How do they undermine each other when the economy is stagnant or in recession?
How were Japan's economic and political bubbles related? Use the problems of Japan's banking system as a lens through which to view both bubbles.
Discuss Peter Drucker's theory of bureaucracy. What role does the bureaucracy play that is different from the role of elected political leaders? What trade-offs are associated with placing decision-making authority in the hands of insulated and unelected bureaucrats versus elected politicians who
In what respects was the international environment different during the period of Japan's economic rise and during the period of its economic decline?
Are Japan's mercantilist proclivities a product of its culture (and thus unlikely to change), or are they more a result of the effect of external forces on Japan? Cite evidence from this chapter to support your view.
When thinking about a new Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), many trade experts are high on NAFTA as a model for this new project. Do you agree or disagree with them? Explain, using references and examples from the chapter readings.
Outline some of the basic reasons economic liberals support NAFTA and struc- turalists do not. What do you think would be the mercantilist take on NAFTA?
Suppose that the voters of a nation decided to put domestic environmental concerns ahead of all other factors in making public policy. How would this affect the nature of their economic and political relations with other countries and with the global markets? How does this illustrate Lindblom's
Charles Lindblom contends that business leaders have a "privileged posi-tion" in democratic political systems, giving their interests undue weight in political decisions. Where does this power or influence come from? How can it be used? Think of other examples today.
The theme of this chapter is that markets can sometimes constrain the choices of the state, limiting the realm of democratic decision making. The market can be like a "prison." How does this theme apply to NAFTA? How do the supplemental agreements of NAFTA illustrate this theme? Explain.
What is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)? What nations are parties to this agreement? What did they agree to do? What is the signif-icance of NAFTA today?
Do you think that Europe can be united? Explain what it would mean to be united and why you take your position.
Discuss the political economy of the euro. What are the likely economic effects of the euro? What are its likely political effects? How is the euro supposed to solve the EU's political problems? Explain.
What is the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)? Explain how and why the CAP illustrates the theme of this chapter and also how it creates tensions both among EU members and between the EU and its international trading partners.
The widening and deepening of the European Union has increased economic gains but intensified political pressures. Discuss the political problems, citing specific examples where possible.
Explain the difference between static efficiency and dynamic efficiency. How is each important to the integration process? Explain.
The theme of this chapter is the tension between the uniting force of markets and the dividing force of the state. Discuss the ways that markets bring the citizens of different countries together and the economic benefits that integration creates. Discuss the political, cultural, and historical
What is the European Union (EU)? How has it evolved over the last 50 years?Discuss both its broadening and its deepening. What is its importance today?
Describe any two elements of the U.S. Trade Law the United States uses uni- laterally to enforce intellectual property rights.
Discuss the product life cycle phenomenon, with emphasis on the role of technology and knowledge in this process. What issues regarding IPRs are raised by the product life cycle business pattern? Explain.
Trade-related intellectual property rights (TRIPs) were a controversial issue raised in the GATT's Uruguay round. Explain what TRIPs are and discuss briefly the issues raised in these GATT negotiations.
What three trends have become apparent over the last 20 years regarding the role of knowledge and technology in IPE? Explain.
What are intellectual property rights (IPRs) and why are they important in today's global markets? Briefly compare and contrast the mercantilist, liberal, and structuralist views of IPRs.
Outline and discuss what you think the global security structure will look like in the next decade in terms of:a. polarity (the number of regional or global hegemons and their allies).b. what types of military, economic, or social issues will generate security problems.c. how much nation-states
Outline and discuss the way in which economic forces such as technology and different economic policies generate but also help solve security problems at each level.
Outline and discuss some of the main structural features of the new global security structure.
The prisoners' dilemma illustrates an important conflict between individual and group interests. Discuss the meaning and significance of the prisoners'dilemma and explain how it applies to the debt crises.
What is the Mundel trilemma? Explain briefly the three basic policy choices that it presents and the problems inherent in each.
What are the seven stages of a bubble and how do these stages apply to the Mexican peso panic? How can a lender of last resort prevent the collapse of an investment bubble?
The financial structure has become increasingly globalized in recent years.Compare and contrast the mercantilist, liberal, and structuralist viewpoints of the finance structure. Which of these perspectives do you find most per-suasive? Explain.
Suppose that the Japanese yen were to appreciate relative to the U.S. dollar.How would this event affect each of these people:• A Japanese auto worker (making cars to sell in the U.S.)?• A U.S. auto worker (making cars that compete with Japanese imports)?• A U.S. farmer who exports apples to
The U.S. dollar depreciated dramatically relative to the Japanese yen in 1995. What impact would this event likely have on consumers and busi-nesses in each country? Is a falling dollar good or bad for the United States?Explain.
Explain the difference between a hard currency and a soft currency. What disadvantages does a soft currency nation have when engaging in interna-tional trade? Explain.
What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF)? The IMF recommends what specific policies to nations that experience persistent current account deficits? How would these policies affect the United States if they were im-plemented there? Explain.
The United States has recently experienced the condition of a current account deficit and a capital and financial account surplus. Explain the meaning and significance of this condition for the United States. Is this combination of cur-rent account and capital and financial account balances an
How have the United States and other nations used trade as a tool to achieve foreign policy objectives? Be specific and give examples. Research some other examples.
Outline and discuss the most important features of the WTO. Are you hopeful the WTO will be able to continue to liberalize international trade? Why? Why not?
Outline and discuss the most important issues of the GATT Uruguay and Doha rounds.
Which of the three IPE approaches best accounts for the relationship of the Northern industrialized nations to the Southern developing nations when it comes to trade? Explain and discuss.
Outline the basic ways that mercantilists, economic liberals, and structuralists view trade. (Note: Think about the tension between the politics and economics of trade.)
Discuss and explain the role of trade in the international production structure. Why is the issue of trade so controversial?
Apply the postmodern critique to List's view of the role of the state and Marx's view of class relations.
How would the feminist critique of IPE approach mercantilism, liberalism, and structuralism? Explain.
Is the green critique of IPE only about the environment, or does it extend further? How does green IPE view capitalist industrialization, for example, differently from the way a mercantilist, a liberal, or a structuralist views it?
How does the rational choice critique explain the existence of tariffs and other mercantilist policies? How does this critique explain liberal policies such as trade barrier reduction? What determines whether a nation is liberal and mercantilist from this point of view?
How does George Ritzer's analysis of the "McDonaldization" of society reflect the structuralist viewpoint?
Explain Antonio Gramsci's theory of intellectual hegemony as means of achieving social order and compare it with the liberal theory of hegemonic stability discussed in chapter 3.
Outline the essential characteristics/features of Marxism, dependency theory, and the modern world system approach.
What are the distinguishing features of imperialism in Lenin's analysis? Why did he call it "the highest form of capitalism"?
Compare and contrast Marx's and Lenin's views of capitalism. How and why did their views differ? Be specific and give examples from the chapter.
After reading the chapter, compare and contrast structuralism with mercantilism and liberalism in the following areas:a. the dominant actorsb. political versus economic motivation behind actor behaviorc. the role of the state in the economy
Compare and contrast the liberal perspective on IPE with the mercantilist perspective in terms of the following factors: level of analysis, view of human nature, attitude toward power, notion of the proper role of govern-ment, and view of the nature of the international system.
Explain the relationships between liberalism and neoliberalism. How are they similar? How are they different?
The term "liberal" in IPE means something different from what it means in everyday political discussions. Explain the difference and briefly explain how and why the term took on its current meaning.
John Stuart Mill and John Maynard Keynes thought that government could play a positive role in correcting problems in the market. Discuss the specific types of "market failures" that Mill and Keynes perceived and the types of government actions they advocated. If Mill and Keynes favored some state
How do liberals such as David Ricardo view international trade? Why do they hold this opinion? Explain how the Corn Laws debate in nineteenth-century Britain illustrates the conflict between mercantilist and liberal views of international trade.
Compare and contrast the liberal view of competition, as found in Adam Smith's invisible hand, with the mercantilist view of competition. What ac-counts for the differences between the two views? Explain.
Explain Adam Smith's concept of the invisible hand. What roles do self-interest and competition play in the invisible hand?
Adam Smith and Václav Havel are both liberals in the sense in which this term is used in IPE. Explain what views Smith and Havel share regarding the market, the state, human nature, and power.
Is economic globalization a threat? Make a brief list of the positive and negative potential effects of a more global economic system, and explain the basis for your opinion.
Would you agree or disagree with the assertion that, in today's world, economic security is more at risk than is military security? Explain.
How is it possible for a state simultaneously to be a member of the World Trade Organization, which promotes free trade and open markets, and also provide subsidies to domestic firms to help them compete with foreign producers?
What is the difference between benign mercantilism and malevolent mercantilism in theory? How could you tell the difference between them in practice? Explain.

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Introduction To International Political Economy 3rd Edition David N. Balaam, Michael Veseth - Solutions

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