Major Concepts from Overview ofInternational
Political Economy
Liberalism, Marxism, and Realism as Normative World Views versus Theories of
Positive Political Economy
Public Choice Theories
1)
2)
3)
4)
informe~m
ian voter
'C
e.
unmror
e diIan voter
special interest influence ("rent seeking")
scope for government autonomy
Understand free riding as an explanation for why political influence may not be
proportional to group size. Small well-organized producer groups will often have more
clout than large groups of consumers,
Concept of mixed motive games -incentives for both cooperation and conflict so capital
and labor are not the only relevant interest groups.
Domestic versus International and Statist versus Societal perspectives
Aspects of Statist emphasis
1)
2)
3)
4)
unified rational actor (President)
bureaucratic politics in executive branch
legislature
role of institutional structures
Additional Concepts
1) role of ideas and objectives
2) two level games
3) complex interdependence -degree of fungibility of power from one issue area to
another
4) mercantilism - power versus plenty and sources of power
5) encompassing groups and how they explain why Congress is more protectionist
than the President
bit?
1 r»/ / ,';'V ;;
Explairrhow an increase in protectionism can be a sign of a decrease rather than
increase in the relevance of the realist model -hint- separate the unitary rational actor
aspect of realism from the goals being pursued by the executive.
Distinction between Pareto optimal moves and potential Pareto optimal moves
without compensation,
Understand the relationships of these to economic efficiency and the "one dollar-one
vote" rule.