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POLS 203  FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS
Winter 1994   Professor Karen Litfin

Three of the following essay questions will appear on the final exam.  You
will be asked to choose two of them on which to write.  The exam will include
short identifications in addition to the two essays.  Bring a blue book!

     1)	Write an essay comparing the causes of World Wars I and II, with an
 	emphasis on the ways in which the "lessons" of those two great wars
 	has shaped international relations since 1945.  In your estimation,
 	is World War III as likely possibility?  Why or why not?

     2) Realists might argue that the declining utility of force does not
 	undercut their view that world politics is primarily about state
 	power.  National power, they might say, is increasingly about wealth,
 	and economics is no less competitive than military preparedness.  
	They could point to protectionist policies and the rise of regional
 	trading blocs to support their claims.  Do you agree or disagree? 
 	Argue for your position.

     3) "Functionalism suggests that greater harmony among nations may come
 	about through international cooperation on "functional" issues.
  	Environmental degradation has provided just such an opportunity,
 	resulting in an unprecedented increase in environmental treaty-making
 	in recent years."  Discuss and comment.  Do you agree or disagree 
	with the statement?  Why?  

     4) Many scholars argue that the presence of multinational corporations
 	(MNCs) is beneficial to developing countries.  They claim that MNCs
 	contribute to the economic development of those countries, producing
 	greater wealth for the citizens of those countries.  They also claim
 	that MNCs serve as a force for international peace and the spread of
 	democracy.  What is your own view?  Be sure to support it with
 	evidence and reason.

     5) "In the short run, realists may be right that world politics is about
 	state power.  But in the long run, their perspective is untenable. 
 	A world of nuclear-armed states would not survive for long; nor would
 	a world of unsustainable growth.  The trend is clear:  politics is
 	increasingly about the human interest, not the national interest.
  	We are only now seeing the beginning of this inevitable trend.
  	Ultimately, all of our fates are tied together here on spaceship
 	earth; collective security, not national security, is our unavoidable
 	destiny."
	Discuss and comment.  Do you agree or disagree?  Provide arguments,
 	not just opinion.