Deck 13: Moving Into Position: the Rising Powers

Question 1

Compare and contrast the economic and political reforms in Russia and China. Are there any general lessons to be derived from this experience? Explain.

Answer 1

No Answer.

Question 2

Explain several of the key weaknesses or vulnerabilities in the economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Answer 2

No Answer.

Question 3

Contrast scholars' interpretations of Russia's international goals.

Answer 3

No Answer.

Question 4

Describe Brazil's agricultural development policies and their effects on the environment.

Question 5

How are China and India's economic reform processes since the early 1990s different from those of Russia and Brazil? Focus on differences between the ends and means of development in these societies. For example, China aims to reform its market without a radical alteration in its political system. Is it possible to so dramatically change the market without changing the state in these societies? Explain.

Question 6

Compare and contrast the economic and political reforms in Russia and China. Are there any general lessons to be derived from their experiences? Explain.

Question 7

In what ways could it be argued that the rise of China poses threats to the liberal world order? Are these fears well-founded or not? Do you believe that the United States will likely remain a prosperous, dominant superpower in the future, especially given the challenges from China and Russia? Why or why not?

Question 8

How do realists view China? For what reasons might China's rise not be as threatening as realists predict?

Question 9

For what reasons do some scholars argue that a rising China is unlikely to threaten existing international norms or the liberal world order?

Question 10

What do critics of China claim are major weaknesses in its economic system and social policies?

Question 11

What kinds of evidence do economic liberals point to in support of their argument that the rise of China is economically good for the rest of the world?

Question 12

How do the interests of each BRICs country differ from those of the others? To what extent is China actually an economic threat to the other BRICs rather than an international ally?

Question 13

In what ways have the BRICs countries used state intervention to help economic development? In which BRICs countries has state intervention been least effective, and why?

Question 14

Which of these statements about military spending by Russia, China, India and the United States is incorrect?

A) In 2016 U.S. military spending was approximately three times higher than China's.
B) In 2016 U.S. military spending was approximately twice as high as Russia's.
C) Between 2000 and 2016, China's military spending grew at a faster rate than Russia's and India's.
D) From 2000 to 2016, Russia and India had roughly equal levels of military spending.

Question 15

Which of the following statements best characterizes the experience of economic and political reforms in China since the late 1980s?

A) China attempted to achieve economic reform without strong political backing.
B) China placed strong emphasis on economic reform while preserving existing political structures.
C) China implemented "shock therapy" to achieve change in both economic and political institutions.
D) China introduced democratic political reforms while preserving centralized economic structures.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best about Brazil is incorrect?

A) The 1990s are referred to as its Lost Decade.
B) Brazil has substantially increased manufacturing's share of GDP.
C) The Bolsa Família sharply reduced absolute poverty and improved health.
D) _{Brazil became one of the world's largest agricultural exporters after the 1990s.}

Question 17

Which of the following statements would a structuralist probably agree with?

A) In its singular pursuit of industrialization, the Chinese Communist Party has disregarded the health and safety of its own people.
B) Farmers are much better off in India today than 20 years ago.
C) Inequality between rural and urban dwellers in Brazil is falling.
D) Democracy in India and Brazil gives their governments more legitimacy than in China and Russia.

Question 18

Which of the following is closely associated with economic liberal policies?

A) Promotion of national champions
B) The Beijing Consensus
C) The Bolsa Família
D) None of the above

Question 19

Which statement applies to all four countries: Russia, Brazil, India, and China?

A) Corruption is a serious problem.
B) Manufacturing is the main engine of growth.
C) Decades of economic reforms have not been accompanied by much political reform.
D) They embrace free trade and foreign investment.

Question 20

Which of the following is not identified as a characteristic of contemporary Russia?

A) authoritarianism
B) centralization of political power
C) demographic dividend
D) important role of the siloviki in politics

Question 21

Which characterizes India more than China?

A) reliance on exports of manufactured items
B) the "back-office" of the world
C) relatively good physical infrastructure
D) sustained high growth rates for the last 25 years

Question 22

Which of the following best characterizes China?

A) It has embraced economic liberalism.
B) It was hurt much more than the OECD countries by the global financial crisis.
C) It has a much lower level of inclusive wealth than the United States.
D) The CCP has significantly reduced control over the media and related technology.

Question 23

Which scholars believe it will be a long time before China can close the gap with the United States in military and economic capabilities?

A) Stephen Brooks and William Wohlforth
B) Rosemary Foot and Andrew Walter
C) Shahar Hameiri and Lee Jones
D) Thomas Friedman and Helen Wang

Question 24

Which statement about China's Belt and Road Initiative is incorrect?

A) It involves building energy and transportation networks in Central Asia.
B) It involves upgrading ports or building new ones in the Indian Ocean region.
C) India and Vietnam have major misgivings about the Initiative.
D) Local contractors in Central Asia and Southeast Asia finance and build most of the new infrastructure that is part of the Initiative.

Question 25

Which of the following Chinese policies would a realist probably consider least threatening to established Western powers?

A) China's policy in the South China Sea
B) China's Belt and Road Initiative
C) China's establishment of the AIIB
D) Purchase of U.S. and European companies by Chinese investors

Question 26

Which is not a key characteristic of India before 1990?

A) the embrace of foreign direct investment
B) protection of infant industry and stifling of the private sector
C) promotion of a "Green Revolution"
D) a significant role for state planning in the economy

Question 27

The 2016 policy implemented by Indian Prime Minister Modi which was justified as a means to tackle corruption and tax evasion is called

A) Operation Car Wash.
B) Structural adjustment.
C) Fiscal austerity.
D) Demonetization.

Question 28

Which of the following is the most apt description of India in terms of its relationship to the global economy?

A) It is deeply integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative.
B) Export growth has been driven by services rather than labor-intensive manufacturing.
C) It is running a large balance of payments surplus with the OECD countries.
D) It has a model of growth combining open markets and authoritarian politics.

Question 29

Which observation would an economic liberal most likely make about China and India?

A) Open trading systems lead to rapid growth and rising consumption.
B) Neither has a fundamental interest in an open, rules-based international economic system.
C) Their rapid growth will hurt the United States in the long run.
D) _{One of them-but not both-can emerge as a major political-military player in the world.}

Question 30

Place in order the countries most closely associated with these respective things: Operation Car Wash, Belt and Road Initiative, Green Revolution, Eurasian Economic Union.

A) Brazil, Russia, India, China
B) Brazil, China, India, Russia
C) Russia, China, India, Brazil
D) China, Brazil, India, Russia