Living in Conflict Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is the issue with political science in explaining the war phenomenon?
it explains a great deal, but it also misses a lot and may distort our understanding as much as it informs it
How can we understand the experience of conflict without directly experiencing it?
must rely on the experiences of others, especially through their writings, interviews, photographs, etc.
What are important factors to consider when studying conflicts?
There are many differences between Conflict A and Conflict B, and between the experiences of different people living in each conflict
There are important differences between the way we live now and the way people lived in past conflicts
How does war affect technological innovation at the national level?
War accelerates technological innovation
What are the economic and environmental effects of war?
Damage to farms and other land
Labour loss (soldiers/civilians killed or disabled)
Capital loss (infrastructure like buildings, bridges, machinery destroyed)
How can war affect economic productivity?
War can lead to widespread declines in economic productivity, either permanently or temporarily
How does recovery from war differ?
Some countries recover quicker than others
What is John Maynard Keynes’ “scissors metaphor” in relation to the economic consequences of war?
As the scissors open, the gap between winners and losers widens
As they close, international economic chaos caused by losers leads to economic problems for winners, narrowing the gap
How did Norman Angell view the economic consequences of war for nations?
All nations lose economic power, but winners do not lose as much as the losers. This gap is expected to continue for a long time
What is the “Phoenix factor” proposed by Organski and Kugler?
The economic consequences of war are temporary, with a relatively quick recovery period (e.g., Germany after WWI, Germany and Japan after WWII)
How does inter-state war impact dynamics within a country?
Inter-state war can increase the likelihood of intra-state conflict, often due to higher taxes or a shift away from social programs
What happens to political leaders who lose or win a war?
Political leaders who lose a war are unlikely to survive in office, increasing the prospect of regime change
However, winning a war doesn’t guarantee success either (e.g. Churchill after WWII)
How are some leaders more likely to be removed from office after a war?
Democratic leaders are more likely to be removed from office than non-democratic leaders
Why is it important for leaders to anticipate their removal from office in relation to war?
If leaders anticipate removal, they may have little to gain and much to lose from international conflict, making them more willing to continue a war with little chance of success
How does war affect demographics?
significant increases in mortality rates of both soldiers and civilians
declines in marriage and childbirth
How did war impact women’s rights and gender roles?
The impact of women in World War I contributed to women gaining the right to vote in the United States in 1920, and they took on roles outside the home in factories and other positions
How do wars lead to different changes in the international system?
Although large wars tend to have large consequences, so too do small wars
Why was the Seven Weeks War in 1866 significant?
fundamentally changed the international order by providing the foundation for German hegemony in Europe
What were the consequences of the end of World War I?
Decline of British power
Germany lost all its colonies
Austria-Hungary broke up into several nations
Russia lost part of its empire and suffered a revolution
How did Germany recover after World War I?
The Phoenix Factor: Germany bounced back by the mid-to-late 1930s
What was the impact of World War II on the international system?
Emergence of the U.S. as a superpower
Decline of European colonial powers
Soviet power expanded into Europe, leading to the Iron Curtain
How did World War II affect neutral countries?
Previously neutral countries had to align themselves with the United States or the Soviet Union for survival
