28
Chapter 5
Critical Perspectives
Multiple-Choice
1) Marx wrote that
a) capitalism was a dynamic, expansive system with a mission to
spread development around the world.
b) technological advances resulted from natural human drives for
economic progress.
c) capitalism was hindering progress in such countries as India and
China.
d) capitalism had survived longer than expected because of
imperialism.
2) Dependency theorists and Raúl Prebisch basically agreed that
a) LDCs should adopt socialist policies.
b) DCs in the core will never permit LDCs in the periphery to achieve
genuine, autonomous development.
c) LDCs should cut off contact with DCs in the core.
d) LDCs face major structural obstacles to development.
3) Unlike the Cardoso-Faletto strain of dependency theory, the André
Gunder Frank strain
a) argued that the development of capitalist economies required the
underdevelopment of the periphery.
b) examined the relationship between external and internal processes
of domination.
c) gave primacy to external factors.
d) argued that only dependent development could occur in the
periphery.
29
4) Differences between structural Marxists and neomercantilists include the
fact that neomercantilists view the state as
a) providing some benefits to the working class.
b) furthering the national interest.
c) adopting policies opposed by some capitalists.
d) somewhat autonomous.
5) Neo-Gramscians
a) view the capitalist class as maintaining hegemony by coercion.
b) tend to be economistic.
c) view the capitalist class as maintaining hegemony with a good deal
of consent.
d) predict that the semiperiphery will bring about the downfall of the
dominant class in the long term.
6) Unlike dependency theory, world–systems theory
b) underestimates the important of domestic factors in development.
c) uses the – concept.
d) views development as possible for LDCs, even if it is dependent
development.
7) Constructivists
a) engage in the systematic, objective testing of hypotheses.
b) are concerned with social facts as well as material facts.
c) generally reject material reality, because its meaning depends on
ideas and interpretation.
30
d) believe that agents are more important than structures.
8) Feminist theorists
a) believe that those who ignore gender distinctions reinforce unequal
economic relations.
b) are striving to increase their influence by developing a more unified
perspective.
c) believe that historical materialists are attuned to feminist interests
unlike mainstream liberals and neomercantilists.
d) believe that the main IPE perspectives can avoid downgrading the
role of women by being gender neutral.
9) Public goods are
a) excludable and rival.
b) nonexcludable and nonrival.
c) excludable and nonrival.
d) nonexcludable and rival.
10) One of the most important IR mainstream debates today involves:
a) Constructivism
b) Environmentalism
c) Neo-Gramscianism
d) Feminism
11) Marx
a) claimed that Western imperialism served a useful purpose in
countries with the Asiatic mode of production.
b) claimed that countries with the Asiatic mode of production had to
go through the feudal and capitalist modes before progressing to
communism.
c) based his studies of the Asiatic mode on several years of experience
in these countries.
d) viewed Western imperialism as even worse than the Asiatic mode
of production.
12) Common property goods are
a) excludable and rival.
b) rival and not excludable.
c) excludable and not rival.
d) not rival and not excludable.
13) Hobson and Lenin agreed that imperialism resulted from
a) the dominance of monopolies and finance capital.
b) low wages and underconsumption by workers.
c) the basic nature of capitalism.
d) the division of territories around the globe.
14) The greens often
a) call for tradable pollution permits to induce firms to produce
environmental products.
b) argue that economic growth causes global environmental problems.
c) call for government involvement as well as market-based solutions
to improve environmental conditions.
d) support IMF and World Bank finance to help LDCs promote
sustainable development.
32
15) World-systems theorists
a) devote considerable attention to hegemony in a cultural sense
b) believe that states are not meaningful actors apart from their
position in the world-economy.
c) criticize classical Marxists for being too economistic
d) see the world as being divided into the core and the periphery.
True-False
1) Feminist theorists generally agree that the gender equality problem should
be addressed by including more women in our major institutions.
2) The most vehement critics of critical theorists are usually mainstream
liberals and neomercantilists.
3) Historical materialists tend to agree with liberals that globalization is a
pervasive force in the world.
4) World-systems theory is more economistic than Gramscian analysis
5) Structural Marxists have similarities with liberals, and instrumental
Marxists have similarities with neomercantilists.
6) Hobson and Lenin disagreed on the causes of imperialism, but they
offered similar methods for ending imperialism.
7) All of the following theoretical perspectives have liberal as well as critical
variants: environmentalism, feminism, and constructivism.
Fill in the Blank
1) The dominant theoretical approach to development among Latin
American intellectuals during the 1960s was .
2) A network of professionals with recognized expertise and policy relevant
knowledge in a particular issue area is an .
3) Marxists that view the state as being subject to direct political pressure
from the capitalist class are called .
4) Goods such as air, water, and outer space that are rival but nonexcludable
are called .
5) Raúl Prebisch argued that LDCs in the periphery suffer from declining
with DCs in the core because of their dependence on
primary product exports.
6) The Gramscian concept of a _______________ refers to the congruence
between state power, institutions, and ideas.
34
7) .
Essay
1) What are the similarities and differences between world-systems theory
and dependency theory? How did world-systems theorists address some of
the criticisms directed at dependency theory?
2) What are the differences between public goods, private goods, common
property goods, and club goods? In what ways do public goods and
common property goods present collective action problems?
3) What are the main features of neo-Gramscian analysis, and how is it
similar to, and different from classical Marxism?
4) How does the constructivist approach differ from the rationalist approach
to IPE?
5) What are the similarities and differences between Marxism, dependency
theory, and world-systems theory?
6) In what ways do neomercantilists, liberals, and historical materialists fail
to adequately address gender issues in IPE? How do feminist scholars think
we should remedy the problem of inattention to gender issues in IPE?
7) What are the similarities and differences between neomercantilist, liberal,
and critical environmental theorists?
8) Despite the differences between the critical perspectives, what criticisms
are made in general about them? How valid are the criticisms in your view,
and why?
9) Do you think that historical materialism is passé as a result of the breakup
of the Soviet bloc and the end of the Cold War? What evidence can you
give to support your position?
10) What are the similarities and differences between liberal and critical
constructivists; and between liberal and critical feminist theorists?