US Foreign Policy Exam Flashcards
US foreign policy exam cards — realist explanations of the Cold War, Hamilton’s economic statecraft, and core IR theories.
14 cards· by GuruOwl
Make a deck like this from your own PDF — free.
Try it- 01According to realists, what accounts for the onset of the Cold War? (both B and C style answers)Structural factors: bipolar distribution of power after WWII and the security dilemma between the US and USSR — mutual fear and power competition, not primarily ideology alone. (Exam keys often combine power vacuum in Europe + bipolar rivalry.)cold-warrealismgsc-priority
- 02What policies did Alexander Hamilton pursue to build the American economy?Assumption of state debts, creation of a national bank, funding the public debt, excise taxes, and protective tariffs / encouragement of manufactures — to establish public credit and a stronger commercial/financial state.hamiltonearly-republicgsc-priority
- 03What is classical realism’s core claim about international politics?States pursue power and interest in an anarchic system; human nature / drive for power makes conflict recurrent.realism
- 04What is neorealism (structural realism) focused on?System structure — anarchy and the distribution of capabilities — as the main driver of state behavior, more than human nature.realism
- 05What is liberal internationalism (US foreign policy sketch)?A tradition favoring international institutions, free trade, democracy promotion, and rules-based order to reduce conflict.liberalism
- 06What was containment in the early Cold War?US strategy (Kennan and successors) to prevent Soviet expansion through political, economic, and military means without necessarily rolling back existing Soviet control.cold-war
- 07What was the Marshall Plan?US economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII — to stabilize economies, reduce communist appeal, and create markets.cold-war
- 08What is NATO?North Atlantic Treaty Organization — a collective defense alliance formed in 1949 among North American and Western European states.cold-waralliances
- 09What is isolationism in US foreign policy history?A preference for avoiding permanent alliances and entanglement in European wars — strong in the 19th century and interwar period, never absolute.traditions
- 10What was Washington’s Farewell Address warning about?Permanent foreign alliances and partisan divisions — often cited as a root of US isolationist/non-entanglement tradition.early-republic
- 11What was the Monroe Doctrine (1823)?A US policy opposing new European colonization or interference in the Americas, while pledging non-interference in European affairs.19th-century
- 12What is soft power (Nye)?The ability to shape preferences of others through attraction — culture, values, policies — rather than coercion or payment.power
- 13What is the difference between unipolarity, bipolarity, and multipolarity?Unipolar: one dominant power; bipolar: two; multipolar: several major powers roughly balancing.structure
- 14Why do realists argue ideology alone is insufficient to explain the Cold War?Because great-power rivalry is expected under bipolar anarchy regardless of ideology; similar structural conflict could arise between any two superpowers.cold-warrealism