Microcase   Instructions: You may find it works well to print out these Exercises so you can have the directions always in front of you. Click Here to print out this page. Click on the Microcase button to get to Online MicroCase, the software you need to complete this exercise. Enter your answers into the boxes below. If you'd like a print-out of your responses, click on the Submit button at the bottom of the page, and you will be taken to a printer-friendly page. If you have been instructed to submit your exercise online, enter both your and your instructor's name and e-mail address, then click the Email button at the bottom of the page. Your answers will be e-mailed immediately. Macintosh Users: If you have been instructed to submit your reponses to your instructor, you must enter your responses, then click on the Submit button at the bottom of the page to receive a printer-friendly version of your responses that you can then print and turn in to your instructor.     Many important international relations approaches exist to explain why conflict, cooperation, integration, and other phenomena occur. For instance, the "realist" school of thought has been a dominant approach to the study of international relations. It assumes sovereign equality among states (all are equal when signing treaties, for instance), but recognizes some states are more powerful than others in economic, military, diplomatic, and other measures. Realists also assume states cooperate only to the extent it serves their national interests. When they do cooperate, states will try to protect their interests by maximizing their power. This is often reflected in voting patterns within international organizations, where the more powerful states attempt to use such bodies to obtain desired foreign policy objectives. Let’s examine how equality and power are distributed in some key international organizations, beginning with the United Nations, so we can evaluate the realist claims. Within the United Nations, the General Assembly and Security Council are the most important decision-making bodies. Both bodies pass resolutions about major international issues, but real power is in the hands of the members of the United Nations Security Council. If a resolution does not gain approval in the Security Council, it is very unlikely to be effective. CLICK DATA FILE: UN MEMBERS CLICK TASK: Univariate SELECT PRIMARY VARIABLE: UN-GA&SC CLICK: [Continue] 1. As of 2003, how many states were members of the United Nations? 2. How many states were members of the United Nations General Assembly? 3. How many states were members of the United Nations Security Council? Let’s turn to a specific examination of the United Nations Security Council. On most issues, 60 percent of the Security Council members must vote "yes" to pass a resolution. In addition, any state that is a permanent member of the Security Council can "veto" a resolution simply by voting "no." CLICK: VARIABLES SELECT PRIMARY VARIABLE: UN SC CLICK: [Continue] 4. How many United Nations countries have either a "Non-Veto" vote or "Veto Power" in the Security Council? 5. What percent of United Nations countries have "No Vote" in the Security Council? % 6. What percent of United Nations countries have "Veto Power" in the Security Council? % 7. True or False: Based on the observations you have made, it is accurate to say that power in the United Nations is evenly distributed among the member states. Now let’s turn to another major international body, the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has played a key role in managing international economic affairs since the end of the Second World War. For instance, it loans money to countries that are experiencing financial difficulty. Each member state’s vote in the organization is based to a great extent on the percentage of the budget that it contributes. In other words, the share of the budget provided by a country determines the amount of influence that state will have on the decisions made by the IMF. CLICK: DATA FILES CLICK DATA FILE: GLOBAL02 CLICK TASK: Mapping SELECT VARIABLE 1: IMF MEMBER CLICK VIEW: Map CLICK: [Continue] 8. True or False: A majority of the world’s countries are members of the IMF. CLICK: VARIABLES SELECT VARIABLE: IMF VOTES2 CLICK VIEW: Map CLICK: [Continue] 9. How many states exercise less than one percent of the IMF’s votes? 10. How many states exercise four percent or more of the IMF’s votes? 11. Which of the following regions has the most states exercising four percent or more of the IMF’s votes? (Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, South America) 12. Which of the following regions has the most states exercising 0.49 percent or less of the IMF’s votes? (Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, South America) Now let’s examine which specific countries control the most influence in the IMF, and how concentrated that power is. CLICK: VARIABLES SELECT VARIABLE 1: IMF VOTES CLICK VIEW: Rank Table CLICK: [Continue] 13. Which country possesses the largest block of votes in the IMF? 14. What percent of the vote in the IMF is controlled by this country? % 15. Assuming that the top states vote alike, what is the fewest number of states needed to reach 50 percent of the vote in the IMF? 16. True or False: Based on the observations you have made, is it accurate to say that power in the IMF is evenly distributed among the member states. Now let’s examine the realist’s view of the international system by exploring the balance of power approach. One point made by proponents for the balance of power approach is if either one, or a couple, of large powers appear poised to completely dominate the international system, other states will band together to restore the balance and prevent domination. Let’s see how this worked in Europe during the Second World War when Germany threatened to dominate. Begin by examining both the alliances in Europe and the extent of German conquests in November 1942, when Germany was at the height of its control of territory. CLICK: DATA FILES CLICK DATA FILE: EUROPE CLICK TASK: Mapping SELECT VARIABLE 1: TERRITORY CLICK VIEW: Map CLICK: [Continue] 17. How many European countries were unconquered "Allies" at war with Germany in November 1942? 18. True or False: By November 1942 the majority of non-Axis countries in Europe had been conquered by the Axis powers. 19. How many European countries were neutral, as of November 1942? Now let’s examine some alliance changes during the Second World War. CLICK: VARIABLES SELECT VARIABLE 1: ALLIANCE CLICK VIEW: Map CLICK: [Continue] 20. How many European countries left the Axis Alliance led by Germany and joined the Allies? 21. How many European countries left the Allied Alliance and joined the Axis Alliance led by Germany? 22. How many European countries remained officially neutral during the entire Second World War? 23. Based on the observations you have made for this exercise, explain how the example of Europe in the Second World War either supports the realist argument that states will band together to prevent domination by one power, or how it does not? Now let’s explore the alliance structures developed in Europe after the Second World War, with a focus on Europe. CLICK: VARIABLES SELECT VARIABLE 1: CWALLIANCE CLICK VIEW: Map CLICK: [Continue] 24. How many European states were split members, meaning that they were divided between both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact? 25. How many European states were members of NATO? 26. True or False: The majority of European countries were members of the Warsaw Pact. 27. There is a division of opinion within the literature regarding the balance of power and whether a relatively equal balance leads to peace or war. Considering that war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact was avoided, and based on what you have observed about the balance between the NATO and Warsaw Pact alliances in Europe, which of these arguments do you believe is more accurate for the Cold War period in Europe and why?     Student Name:* Student Email:*   Professor Name:*   Professor Email:*         *required
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