Number of results to display per page
Search Results
5002. The U.S. Dollar and Prosperity: Accidents Waiting to Happen
- Author:
- Reuver Brenner
- Publication Date:
- 07-2006
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Cato Journal
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Development in the rest of the world depends on the United States because America continues to be the engine of the world economy and the U.S. dollar is the main reserve currency. In this article, I examine the prospects of America remaining an economic superpower and the dollar maintaining its status as a reserve currency. I also show that unless the United States succeeds financial markets and development around the world will suffer. During the last decade, the U.S. dollar has experienced wide fluctuations. The dollar’s real effective exchange rate relative to the seven major currencies varied from about 80 in 1995 to 120 in 2001, and back to 90 in 2005 (BIS 2005: 91). The dollar was up roughly 30 percent relative to commodity prices between 1997 and 2001. Then, between 2002 and the end of 2004, the dollar fell by about 30 percent relative to gold and commodities. During the first 10 months of 2005, all hard currencies (except the Canadian and Australian dollar) were down by another 15 percent relative to gold. Nevertheless, the bond market still expects a stable dollar over the long haul, as reflected in long-term interest rates. The relative stability of the long-term interest rates offers comfort because the world depends on a predictable value of the dollar. The havoc its demise as reserve currency would provoke is hardly imaginable. The significant upward movement in the U.S. dollar during the late 1990s brought financial, political, and social havoc in countries that either pegged their currencies to the dollar or had currency boards, Argentina’s case being the most prominent. Later, the decline in the dollar between 2002 and 2004 has brought about much antagonism in trade relations around the world and cries for protectionism. Even with the dollar’s volatility around a downward trend since 2002, the euro did not displace the U.S. dollar as the world’s main reserve currency—and will not do so unless drastic events happen, which I do not foresee.1 One such drastic event would be an utter mismanagement of the U.S. dollar. Another would be the European Central Bank (ECB) announcing that it was moving toward targeting the price of gold to manage the euro. The ECB would then become a supranational monetary institution independent of all political pressures. Anchoring the euro to the price of gold would reflect changes in global demands for euro liquidity, functioning as a reserve currency. The reason I do not expect the euro to replace the U.S. dollar as the main reserve currency, unless either of these two events happens, is that the euro is the very first paper currency not backed either by a strong government or by gold. It is a unique experiment. For the euro to become a reserve currency, the eurozone would have to run persistent trade deficits, allowing surplus countries to build up their euro reserves. To achieve that outcome, however, the eurozone countries would have to radically reform their fiscal and regulatory policies, to encourage far more domestic entrepreneurship and consumption than they presently do. This scenario does not seem to be in the cards. Indeed, as Europe’s population gets older, meaningful reform becomes less likely, and I do not see any chance for a strong European government to emerge and tackle the situation. Aging baby boomers, who dominate Europe’s voters, prefer the status quo. In sum, the chances of the euro becoming a serious alternative to the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency are slim, or nonexistent. The Federal Reserve would have to seriously mishandle monetary affairs for this to happen.
- Topic:
- Currency, Economic Development, and Dollar
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus and United States of America
5003. Global Imbalances and Financial Reform with Examples from China
- Author:
- Raghuram G. Rajan
- Publication Date:
- 07-2006
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Cato Journal
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- I will focus on a familiar issue, the problem of global current account imbalances, and will describe how financial sector reform can help narrow them, using examples from China. The United States is running a current account deficit approaching 6.25 percent of its GDP and over 1.5 percent of world GDP. To help finance it, the United States pulls in 70 percent of all global capital flows. Clearly, such a large deficit is unsustainable in the long run. The current situation has its roots in a series of crises over the last decade that were caused by excessive investment, such as the Japanese asset bubble, the crises in emerging markets in Asia and Latin America, and most recently, the IT bubble. Investment has fallen off sharply since, with only very cautious recovery. This is particularly true of emerging Asia and Japan. The policy response to the slowdown in investment has differed across countries. In the industrial countries, accommodative policies such as expansionary budgets and low interest rates have led to consumption- or credit-fueled growth, particularly in Anglo-Saxon countries. Government savings have fallen, especially in the United States and Japan, and household savings have virtually disappeared in some countries with housing booms. By contrast, the crises were a wake-up call in a number of emerging market countries. Historically lax policies have been tightened, with some countries running primary fiscal surpluses for the first time, and most bringing down inflation through tight monetary policy. With corporations cautious, and governments abandoning the grandiose projects of the past, investment has fallen off. Instead, exports have led growth. Many emerging markets have run current account surpluses for the first time. In emerging Asia, a corollary has been a buildup of international reserves.
- Topic:
- Financial Crisis, Reform, Finance, Economy, and Deficit
- Political Geography:
- China, Asia, North America, and United States of America
5004. Trends in Competitive Balance: Is there Evidence for Growing Imbalance in Professional Sport Leagues?
- Author:
- Arne Feddersen and Wolfgang Maennig
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg
- Abstract:
- The concept of competitive balance is a central aspect in the literature of sports economics. A popular argumentation of sport functionaries is that dominance of one or a few teams could lead to unequal incomes for the clubs, restrictions in the clubs’ ability to improve sporting performance and ultimately to a loss of attractiveness and loss of income for the league. Following this line of reasoning and alleging a negative trend in competitive sports functionaries often try to implement regulations in team sport leagues. The aim of this paper is to analyze for eight different leagues if there is such a trend existing. For an empirical test for trends in competitive balance of four European soccer leagues (ENG, ESP, GER, ITA) and four US Major Leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL), OLS regressions with a constant were carried out. For the entire observation period from 1969/70 to 2003/2004, of 48 trends ascertained, only 12 could be observed as being significantly positive (i.e. growing imbalance) with 19 significantly negative (i.e. growing balance). The remaining 17 trends were insignificantly different from zero.
- Topic:
- Economics, Sports, Soccer, Competitive Balance, and Sports Leagues
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Global Focus, and United States of America
5005. Complications of American Democracy: Elections Are Not Enough
- Author:
- Demetrios James Caraley
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DEMETRIOS JAMES CARALEY discusses the major features critical to the working of our democratic institutions: free elections, separation of powers with checks and balances, and government limited by constitutional guarantees. He looks at some evidence that suggests our democracy may be shifting to an “elective despotism” of the majority—something that Jefferson declared “was not the government we fought for.”
- Topic:
- Elections, Democracy, and Institutions
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5006. Why the Bush Doctrine Cannot Be Sustained
- Author:
- Robert Jervis
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ROBERT JERVIS argues that despite some successes, the Bush Doctrine cannot be sustained because it has many internal contradictions, requires more sustained domestic support than is possible, makes excessive demands on intelligence, places too much faith in democracy, and is overly ambitious. It will, however, be difficult to construct a replacement foreign policy.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Intelligence, Democracy, and George W. Bush
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5007. What Political Institutions Does Large-Scale Democracy Require?
- Author:
- Robert A. Dahl
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ROBERT A. DAHL examines the political institutions necessary for a democratic country. He argues that a large-scale democracy requires the following political institutions: elected officials; free, fair, and frequent elections; freedom of expression; alternative sources of information; associational autonomy; and inclusive citizenship.
- Topic:
- Elections, Democracy, Citizenship, Freedom of Expression, and Institutions
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus and United States of America
5008. The Implications of Leadership Change in the Arab World
- Author:
- Daniel Byman
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DANIEL L. BYMAN addresses how changes in leadership in the Arab world will affect the region’s politics and relationship to the United States. He pays particular attention to identifying which factors hinge upon individual leaders, which are related to particular regimes, and which are inherent to the interests of the state in question.
- Topic:
- Politics, Leadership, and Regionalism
- Political Geography:
- Arab Countries and United States of America
5009. What Was the Cold War about? Evidence from Its Ending
- Author:
- John Mueller
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- JOHN MUELLER assesses the rhetoric and actions of important international actors and concludes that the Cold War essentially ended in the spring of 1989. This suggests that the Cold War was principally about an ideological conflict and not about the military, nuclear, or economic balance or about Communism as a form of government -issues that would be resolved later.
- Topic:
- Cold War, History, Conflict, and Ideology
- Political Geography:
- Soviet Union and United States of America
5010. What Are Nuclear Weapons For? Recommendations for Restructuring U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces
- Author:
- Sidney D. Drell and James E. Goodby
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Arms Control Association
- Abstract:
- This report is aimed at revising the current US defense strategy towards Russia to more closely represent the recent policy shift towards cooperation. It advocates the reduction of the U.S. strategic arsenal to 500 operationally deployed nuclear warheads and 500 responsive forces. Such a force would be composed of existing warheads and require no new nuclear weapons while maintaining the diversity of force that protects against common failure modes. The report concludes that the United States can enhance its national security by strengthening the nonproliferation regime.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Arms Control and Proliferation, National Security, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- Russia and United States of America
5011. A Case for Government-Sponsored Monitoring of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis in the United States
- Author:
- Aaron D. Levine
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a modified version of in vitro fertilization in which individual embryos are screened for specific genetic characteristics prior to implantation, provides a powerful way for parents suffering from infertility to increase their chances of having healthy children. In its various forms, PGD allows parents to screen for gender, providing a means for avoiding X-linked diseases, chromosomal abnormalities, such as translocations and aneuploidies, and single-gene disorders. Beyond these standard uses, PGD could potentially be used to select for any genetic trait, and this aspect of the technology has raised concerns that it may be used either intentionally or unintentionally for eugenic purposes. At present, reproductive medicine is only loosely regulated in the United States and new technologies, such as PGD, are almost entirely unregulated. This paper argues that given the lack of consensus regarding the ethical acceptability of PGD and embryo selection techniques, the government has an interest in gathering and reporting data on the use of PGD in the United States. Taking a proactive role now, rather than allowing the use of PGD to continue growing unscrutinized, will give society the chance to make thoughtful and deliberate decisions about its use.
- Topic:
- Government, Science and Technology, Medicine, Reproductive Health, and Genetics
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5012. Revisiting Goldwarter v. Carter: The Executive’s Right to Rescind Treaties in Light of President Bush’s 2002 Termination of the ABM Treaty
- Author:
- Howard A. Wachtel
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- This paper examines the constitutional power of the President to terminate treaty obligations. It centers on President Bush’s recent renunciation of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union. It focuses on the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches in light of the Goldwater v. Carter and Kucinich v. Bush decisions. The paper is divided into six sections: (1) the international legal ramifications of unilateral executive treaty rescission; (2) the role of standing; (3) the impact of the political question doctrine; (4) arguments for and against permitting the President to terminate treaties; (5) a discussion of the process that should be used to terminate treaties, as between the President and Congress; and, finally, (6) an examination of alternative strategies that Congress may employ when the President chooses to rescind a treaty. The paper concludes that the decision to terminate a treaty should not be one-sided, and that joint action from both branches should be required whenever the United States wishes to relieve itself of treaty obligations.
- Topic:
- Nuclear Weapons, Treaties and Agreements, and Nonproliferation
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5013. Decision-Making in Endangered Species Management
- Author:
- Jonathan C. Borck
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- This paper examines decisions made by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, to protect species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to fund their recovery. Using a data set that includes scientific, economic, and political variables on vertebrates from 1989 to 1997, this paper estimates a variety of regression models of the listing and funding decisions. Although required by law to consider only scientific factors such as species’ vulnerability in its decision-making, FWS appears instead to favor visceral characteristics, such as species’ taxonomic class and size. Both criteria are defensible. Nonetheless, the paper recommends that FWS and its partner agencies acknowledge and try to resolve the inconsistencies between their legal obligations and their actual behavior to ensure more effective implementation of this important piece of environmental legislation.
- Topic:
- Environment, Legislation, Animals, Decision-Making, Biodiversity, and Endangered Species
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5014. Taxing Business-to-Consumer Interstate Remote Retail Sales: Economics v. Jurisprudence in the Battle Over Tax Jurisdiction
- Author:
- Jeptha Nafziger
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Retail sales and use taxes constitute a major component of state and local tax bases, providing critical funds for many public programs. The continued and increasing significance of nontaxed remote retail sales—interstate sales of goods by firms without sufficient presence in the destination jurisdiction—has put the long-term solvency of these tax bases and the public programs they fund in jeopardy. To a considerable extent, this problem is attributable to the oft-criticized “nexus” standard, a legal concept that limits a jurisdiction’s ability to tax remote transactions based on constitutional and stare decisis grounds. This paper offers a summary of the jurisprudence that has yielded the current nexus interpretation, an economic critique of its underlying principles, and several recommendations that could serve as policy alternatives to the status quo.
- Topic:
- Economics, Business, Tax Systems, Jurisdiction, Retail, Consumer Behavior, and Jurisprudence
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5015. Combating Proliferation: Addressing the Russian Nuclear Threat
- Author:
- Amy M. Seward
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Fifteen years after the initiation of U.S. threat reduction programs in the former Soviet Union and some four years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, more than half of Russia’s vast stockpile of weapons-usable fissile materials remains to be secured, and is thus vulnerable to diversion by terrorists for use in a nuclear device. This paper assesses the state of fissile material security in Russia today, taking as a case study the security of nuclear materials involved in the operations of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. Recommendations are made drawing on the successes and shortcomings of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Material Protection Control and Accounting Program at the Fleet’s naval facilities. This analysis leads into a broader examination of the effectiveness and adequacy of U.S. nonproliferation efforts in keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists.
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, Nuclear Weapons, Nonproliferation, and Threat Assessment
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Eurasia, North America, and United States of America
5016. Reforming the Cotton Trade Order? An Analysis of Cotton Subsidies and Implications for Sustainable Development
- Author:
- Christine M. Makori
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Cotton is the most widely produced cash crop in the developing world. It supports the livelihoods of numerous households in these countries and occupies a significant position both economically and politically. However, in the recent past, this sector has experienced a pricing crisis mainly attributed to subsidies of developed nations. This article analyzes the effects of cotton subsidies (the most controversial agricultural commodity in the ongoing trade negotiations) on sustainable development, focusing on the impacts of U.S. subsidies on four West African countries. Given that these support systems have political motivations, the article briefly surveys political challenges to subsidy reforms. In conclusion, the article makes specific recommendations to the WTO and national governments to promote free trade, enhance economic efficiency, and support the global fight against poverty.
- Topic:
- Sustainable Development Goals, Trade, WTO, Subsidies, and Cotton
- Political Geography:
- Africa, West Africa, and United States of America
5017. American Nationalism and U.S. Foreign Policy from September 11 to the Iraq War
- Author:
- Paul T. McCartney
- Publication Date:
- 09-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- PAUL T. MCCARTNEY examines how the Bush administration drew upon nationalist imagery first to interpret the terrorists attacks of 11 September 2001 and then to frame the war against Iraq. He demonstrates how President Bush drew on both enduring elements of American identity and security concerns following September 11 to provide normative justification for the Iraq invasion. He concludes that the exceptionalist dimension of American nationalism that underpins the Bush doctrine is outdated and dangerous to current foreign policy interests.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Nationalism, 9/11, and Iraq War
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and United States of America
5018. The Debate over North Korea
- Author:
- Victor D. Cha and David C. Kang
- Publication Date:
- 07-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- VICTOR D. CHA AND DAVID C. KANG debate the strengths and weaknesses of an engagement policy to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons program. From different perspectives, the two authors analyze common misconceptions about North Korean intentions and strategies as well as debate the merits of a harder-line approach taken by the United States toward the reclusive regime. Whether one views Pyongyang’s intentions with greater skepticism (Cha) or greater flexibility (Kang), the authors argue that some form of engagement, not military preemption, is advisable.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Nuclear Weapons, Weapons, and Engagement
- Political Geography:
- Asia, North Korea, and United States of America
5019. Presidential Selection: Complex Problems and Simple Solutions
- Author:
- Judith A. Best
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- JUDITH A. BEST analyzes the electoral vote system in terms of six complex and interdependent goals for presidential elections and concludes that the current system, although not perfect, meets them all. She then examines six alternative plans for presidential selection and concludes that they would deform, rather than reform, our presidential elections.
- Topic:
- Politics, Domestic Politics, and Presidential Elections
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5020. Presidential Selection: Electoral Fallacies
- Author:
- Jack N. Rakove
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- JACK N. RAKOVE examines the conventional arguments made on behalf of preserving the state-based system of presidential elections and concludes that the familiar defenses of the electoral college are fallacious. If one person-one vote is the fundamental norm of modern democracy, there is no persuasive rationale that can legitimate the leveraging effect of the “senatorial bump” on the voting weights of differently sized states.
- Topic:
- Elections, Democracy, Presidential Elections, and Electoral College
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5021. Misperceptions, the Media, and the Iraq War
- Author:
- Steven Kull, Clay Ramsay, and Evan Lewis
- Publication Date:
- 01-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- STEVEN KULL, CLAY RAMSAY, and EVAN LEWIS examine the prevalence of misperceptions related to the Iraq war among the American public: that weapons of mass destruction and evidence of close links between Iraq and al Qaeda had been found and that world public opinion approved of the United States going to war with Iraq. Such misperceptions were powerful predictors of support for the war, and their prevalence varied dramatically according to respondents’ primary source of news.
- Topic:
- Weapons of Mass Destruction, Public Opinion, Media, and Iraq War
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and United States of America
5022. Outsourcing Post-Conflict Operations: Designing a System for Contract Management and Oversight
- Author:
- Blake W. Mobley
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Over the past ten years the United States has relied on private contractors to support military forces and rehabilitate national infrastructures in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Though contractors are essential to such post-conflict operations, the U.S. government’s management and oversight of outsourced support remains critically deficient. As the United States builds its institutional capacity for long-term post-conflict reconstruction, it will need to outsource tasks to specialized private firms and non-profit organizations more strategically, efficiently, and transparently. This paper assesses the ramifications of post-conflict outsourcing in four sections. The first section provides a brief history of outsourcing in military and reconstruction operations. The second analyzes the benefits of private contracting arrangements. The third considers pitfalls of the current U.S. outsourcing system, which include inefficiencies as well as more serious security threats. The final section concludes with policy recommendations to improve management systems in the context of post-conflict operations.
- Topic:
- Security, Management, Outsourcing, Military Contractors, and Post-Conflict
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5023. Too Good to be Legal? Network Centric Warfare and International Law
- Author:
- Erik Dahl
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- America’s military today faces new challenges that appear resistant to conventional solutions. The concept known as Network Centric Warfare (NCW) promises to use speed, precision, and information technology to win conflicts more quickly with minimal force. But many of the advantages that look beguiling to a commander can create problems for a military that focuses too much on speed and effects, at the expense of deliberation and law. This article argues that both the U.S. military and the American public will lose if new tools and technologies make war seem too easy. It calls for a reassessment of NCW in light of international law and offers recommendations to help guide that effort.
- Topic:
- International Law, Science and Technology, War, and Military
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5024. Targeting the Leadership of Terrorist and Insurgents Movements: Historical Lessons for Contemporary Policy Makers
- Author:
- Lisa Langdon, Alexander J. Sarapu, and Matthews Wells
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- In a world where the struggle against terrorism and insurgent movements has become the top priority for many policy makers, there is a growing need for research that examines what happens to militant movements after the death or arrest of a leader. Do groups tend to disband, schism, or become more radical? What characteristics of a group make it more susceptible to certain changes after the loss of a leader? Using thirty-five case studies drawn from more than forty countries, this paper analyzes the effect that the death or arrest of a leader has on social, political, and religious movements. Its conclusions are drawn from an analysis of the groups’ characteristics and an assessment of the effects the loss of a leader had on the survivability and evolution of the movement. The analysis provides some guidance for policy makers focused on incapacitating leadership as part of a broader effort to combat terrorist and insurgent movements.
- Topic:
- Terrorism, History, Insurgency, and Leadership
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5025. Eastward Bound: The Strategy and Politics of Repositioning U.S. Military Bases in Europe
- Author:
- Todd W. Fields
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- This article examines the strategic rationale and political implications of the U.S. Department of Defense’s proposal to reposition U.S. military bases in Europe. The Pentagon’s plans call for a withdrawal of U.S. bases and personnel from Germany and the creation of various smaller, more flexible bases in Central and Eastern Europe. While the removal of U.S. forces from Germany is appropriate given the absence of an imminent security threat to Europe, revamping the European basing structure in the midst of current trans-Atlantic tensions presents formidable political challenges. Given the impact that base realignment is likely to have on U.S. relations with Germany, Russia, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United States must exercise a deft diplomatic touch—balancing the pursuit of its strategic interests with the preservation of its regional relationships and alliances.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Politics, Military Strategy, and Military Bases
- Political Geography:
- Europe, North America, and United States of America
5026. Negotiating Survival: The Problem of Commitment in U.S.-North Korean Relations
- Author:
- Steven Grunau
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- Rational accounts of the causes of conflict provide an important framework to examine the dispute between the United States and North Korea over the latter’s nuclear weapons programs. Because North Korea depends on these weapons to ensure its survival, it is unwilling to irrevocably surrender its nuclear potential—and associated bargaining leverage—in exchange for U.S. security guarantees that could be withdrawn at any time. Arguing that neither confrontation nor engagement is likely to succeed in eliminating the North Korean threat, this paper advocates a longer-term strategy of integration as having the potential to alleviate some of the tensions in the bilateral relationship. By establishing alternative sources of economic and political power while simultaneously exposing Pyongyang to the pacifying influences of international interdependence, integration policies could gradually reduce North Korea’s threat, and perhaps eventually create the necessary conditions to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Nuclear Weapons, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Asia, North Korea, North America, and United States of America
5027. Litigation as a Tool for Development: The Environment, Human Rights, and the Case of Texaco in Ecuador.
- Author:
- Elizabeth C. Black
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Public and International Affairs (JPIA)
- Institution:
- School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Princeton University
- Abstract:
- As the process of globalization continues into the twenty-first century, ensuring that transnational corporations are held accountable for their work abroad will be one of the greatest challenges faced by development specialists. In the current context, litigation in U.S. courts is an increasingly important tool in assuring that the people of underdeveloped nations do not suffer from the exploitation, pollution, and cultural degradation that has marked such countries’ “progress” in the past. This paper examines the case of María Aguinda et al. v. Texaco Inc., in which a group of indigenous Ecuadorans have sued the U.S.-based petroleum giant in response to environmental and human health damages resulting from its work in Ecuador in the 1970s and 1980s, in order to provide an example of one way in which litigation can foster development. In the context of the Aguinda case, this paper presents several specific recommendations for developing the legal means by which corporations can be held accountable on an international level beyond the U.S. court system.
- Topic:
- Development, Environment, Globalization, Human Rights, Business, Accountability, Corporations, and Litigation
- Political Geography:
- South America, North America, Ecuador, and United States of America
5028. Promoting U.S. Economic Growth and Security Through Expanding World Trade: A Call for Bold American Leadership
- Author:
- Research and Policy Committee of the Committee for Economic Development
- Publication Date:
- 06-2003
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Conference Board
- Abstract:
- This report presents a leadership vision of a strong and open global trading system, and urges the United States and its trading partners to adopt vital policy reforms, including delinking agricultural subsidies from prices and production while opening agricultural markets everywhere, and eliminating all tariffs and non-tariff barriers in both manufacturing and services.
- Topic:
- Security, International Trade and Finance, Leadership, Economy, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- North America, Global Focus, and United States of America
5029. Understanding the Bush Doctrine
- Author:
- Robert Jervis
- Publication Date:
- 09-2003
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ROBERT JERVIS argues that the Bush doctrine presents a highly ambitious conception of U.S. foreign policy. Based on the premise that this is a period of great threat and great opportunity, the doctrine calls for the assertion and expansion of American power in service of hegemony. He concludes that this assertion and expansion is not likely to succeed.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Hegemony, Iraq War, and George W. Bush
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5030. Shoring up the Right to Vote for President: A Modest Proposal [with Panel Discussion]
- Author:
- Alexander Keyssar
- Publication Date:
- 07-2003
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ALEXANDER KEYSSAR argues that the 2000 presidential election has made clear the desirability of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing to all American citizens the right to vote for president and to have those votes determine each state’s vote in the electoral college. Tracing certain features of the history of suffrage in the United States, he maintains that such an amendment would make the Constitution consistent with the now broadly based consensus (not present at the nation’s founding) that voting is a right that inheres in all citizens. THE PANELISTS (D. Caraley, L. Greenhouse, S. Issacharoff, R. Pildes, G. Pomper, J. Rakove, R. Shapiro, R. Smith) discuss the points raised by the Keyssar article. They end up with consensus on the need for a constitutional right to vote for president, but have some differences on additional aspects of reforming the system.
- Topic:
- Constitution, Domestic Politics, Voting Rights, Presidential Elections, and Electoral College
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5031. Terror, Terrain, and Turnout: Explaining the 2002 Midterm Elections
- Author:
- Gary C. Jacobson
- Publication Date:
- 03-2003
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- GARY C. JACOBSON argues that the results of the 2002 congressional election were consistent with past midterm elections as referenda on the administration and the economy, although the terrorist attacks of September 11 profoundly affected the referendum's substance. The modest Republican victory was a consequence of the post- September 11 rally in support for President George W. Bush, redistricting (in the House), and higher turnout among Republican loyalists. There was no evidence of any national shift in public sentiment toward the Republican party.
- Topic:
- Elections, Domestic Politics, 9/11, Political Parties, and George W. Bush
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5032. Limits of American Power
- Author:
- Joseph S. Nye Jr.
- Publication Date:
- 01-2003
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- JOSEPH S. NYE, JR. discusses the paradox of the United States having unparalleled military power, yet being unable to impose its will unilaterally on either its allies or its antagonists. He explains clearly why America must adopt a more cooperative engagement with the rest of the world.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Military Affairs, and Engagement
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5033. Al Qaeda, Military Commissions, and American Self-Defense
- Author:
- Ruth Wedgwood
- Publication Date:
- 09-2002
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- RUTH WEDGWOOD critically examines the U.S. detainment of al Qaeda prisoners and others accused of visa violations or of being enemy combatants. She explains that “In a world where terrorist action flirts with catastrophic weapons, the competing paradigms of crime and war may provide no more than analogies. Fitting the law to this unwanted new world thus will require tact, judgment, and the weight of a heavy heart.”
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Military Affairs, Al Qaeda, and Detention
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5034. CIA's Strategic Intelligence in Iraq
- Author:
- Richard L. Russell
- Publication Date:
- 07-2002
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- RICHARD L. RUSSELL examines the strengths and weaknesses of American intelligence during the Gulf War in gauging Iraqi political intentions and military capabilities. He finds that overall strategic intelligence served policy makers well, but that some shortcomings, particularly in human intelligence collection, need to be corrected if the United States is to successfully deal with Iraq in the post-September 11 world. The role of the CIA was diminished after the war, even though he finds that the CIA’s estimates were more accurate than those of the Defense establishment.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Intelligence, 9/11, Gulf War, and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Middle East, and United States of America
5035. An Interim Assessment of September 11: What Has Changed and What Has Not?
- Author:
- Robert Jervis
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ROBERT JERVIS argues that contrary to much conventional wisdom, terrorism has not weakened most states, understanding the “root causes” of terrorism is not a firm foundation for policy, the concept of a war on terrorism is flawed, and American policy is likely to be more unilateral than multilateral.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Terrorism, and 9/11
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5036. The Soft Underbelly of American Primacy: Tactical Advantages of Terror
- Author:
- Richard Betts
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- RICHARD BETTS argues that the September 11 attacks were a response to American primacy and then applies offense-defense theory to explain the intense advantages that terrorist groups have in launching offensive strikes and in exploiting the defenses that a nation can put up in this era of globalization and asymmetric warfare.
- Topic:
- Globalization, Terrorism, 9/11, and Asymmetric Relations
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5037. Ending Welfare As We Know It: A Reform Still in Progress
- Author:
- Demetrios James Caraley
- Publication Date:
- 01-2002
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DEMETRIOS JAMES CARALEY summarizes the political and social dynamics that brought about the repeal of Aid to Families of Dependent Children (AFDC) and analyzes the effects of the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program over its first four years. He considers possibilities for further changes in cash assistance for poor families during the program’s necessary reauthorization in 2002.
- Topic:
- Reform, Domestic Politics, Public Policy, Welfare, and Social Services
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5038. Impact of Patents on Access to HIV/AIDS Drugs in Developing Countries
- Author:
- Joan-Ramon Borrell and Jayashree Watal
- Publication Date:
- 05-2002
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
- Abstract:
- This paper uses sales data on HIV/AIDS drugs in a sample of 34 low and middle income countries between 1995 and 1999 to assess empirically the impact of patents on unsubsidized access to a new drug therapy. There can be two possible effects of patents on access to new drugs in developing countries. On the one hand, patents may constrain access to new drugs through less competition and higher prices. On the other hand, patents may promote access to new therapy by encouraging innovators to launch new drugs in low and middle-income countries soon after introducing them in high-income countries. The net effect is theoretically ambiguous and, therefore, it is an empirical matter to evaluate. Our main finding is that patent rights do have a negative effect on unsubsidized access to HIV/AIDS drugs. Between 1995 and 1999, switching all HIV/AIDS drugs from a patent regime to a no patent regime would have actually increased access to therapy at least by 30%. However, we also find that the negative impact of patents on access differs strongly over time, and across countries with different income levels. Patents hurt access most in the early period from the date the drug is launched in the US, and in the countries of our sample with the relatively higher per capita income levels.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Health, Developing World, Drugs, and Patents
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus and United States of America
5039. Strange Victory: A critical appraisal of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Afghanistan war
- Author:
- Carl Conetta
- Publication Date:
- 01-2002
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Project on Defense Alternatives
- Abstract:
- Why the inadvertent effects of the war are now overtaking the intended ones. Includes appendices addressing: the war’s impact on the humanitarian crisis; the missing political framework for American action; the source of power and the strategy of the Taliban; and the limits of the Bonn agreement and the challenges facing the interim government.
- Topic:
- Government, Treaties and Agreements, War, Taliban, Conflict, Humanitarian Crisis, and Operation Enduring Freedom
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, South Asia, North America, and United States of America
5040. Hegemon on the Offensive: Chinese Perspectives on U. S. Global Strategy
- Author:
- Yong Deng
- Publication Date:
- 09-2001
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- YONG DENG examines Chinese perceptions of and reactions to the U.S. global power status and grand security strategy after the cold war. He shows that conflict between the United States and China is structural and has been on the rise. The author believes there is a real danger of an escalation of balancing and counterbalancing unless a mechanism of peaceful change is devised.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, National Security, and Hegemony
- Political Geography:
- China and United States of America
5041. A House and Senate Divided: The Clinton Legacy and the Congressional Elections of 2000
- Author:
- Gary C. Jacobson
- Publication Date:
- 03-2001
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- GARY C. JACOBSON asserts the 2000 election and its bizarre aftermath in Florida accurately reflected the configuration of partisan politics that crystallized during the Clinton administration: close partisan balance in Congress and in the electorate; distinct regional, cultural, and ideological divisions between the parties' respective electoral coalitions; and a sharp partisan polarization among political elites, echoed, though more faintly, in the broader public. The trends that produced this political configuration predated the 1990s, but they accelerated during the Clinton years, and Clinton himself was a catalyst in their development.
- Topic:
- Elections, Domestic Politics, Political Parties, Polarization, and Bill Clinton
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5042. Why Americans Deserve a Constitutional Right to Vote for Presidential Electors
- Author:
- Demetrios James Caraley
- Publication Date:
- 03-2001
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DEMETRIOS JAMES CARALEY argues that the Constitution needs to be amended to give Americans the constitutional right they believed they had but the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore denied--the right to vote for and select the president.
- Topic:
- Elections, Constitution, and Domestic Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5043. After the Storm: U.S. Policy toward Iraq since 1991
- Author:
- Daniel Byman
- Publication Date:
- 01-2001
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DANIEL BYMAN argues that criticism of U.S. policy toward Iraq is often overstated and fails to appreciate the accomplishments of the Bush and Clinton administrations. The author discusses which mechanisms have proven particularly effective but also analyzes the room for improvement in U.S. policy.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, National Security, Politics, Clinton Administration, and George H. W. Bush
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Middle East, North America, and United States of America
5044. Making the Grade 2000: Second Annual Review of Fissile Material Control Efforts
- Author:
- Kevin O'Neill
- Publication Date:
- 04-2000
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Science and International Security
- Abstract:
- A little over a year ago, ISIS initiated an annual review of fissile material controls covering a broad spectrum of initiatives. To do so, 19 separate initiatives were identified and assessed. Based on this assessment, grades were awarded on a scale of A, B, C, D, and F, where an “A” is excellent and an “F” is failing. Numerically, an “A” corresponds to a numerical grade of four, and an “F” to zero. The results of the first review were disappointing. Only 12 of the 19 initiatives received a passing grade of “C” or higher. The average grade of the initiatives was a “C”-showing an unfortunate level of mediocrity across the fissile material control agenda. In ISIS’s 2000 review, we found that the outlook is worse today than it was a year ago. Rather than make progress during the past 12 months, the overall fissile material control agenda fared poorly. The average grade of the identified initiatives fell from a “C” to a “C-minus.” This overall finding is borne out if one looks at the individual grades assigned to each of the 19 identified initiatives. ISIS judged that five initiatives remained essentially static, nine received lower grades, and five initiatives received higher grades.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, Weapons, and Fissile Material
- Political Geography:
- Russia and United States of America
5045. Effective National Security Advising: A Most Dubious Precedent
- Author:
- Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
- Publication Date:
- 09-2000
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- ARTHUR SCHLESINGER, JR. argues that the Eisenhower heavily-layered national security apparatus did not produce a coherent foreign policy and did not save the administration from gross errors. He believes that future presidents would benefit from a more flexible approach--such as those of FDR and JFK--to the conduct of foreign affairs.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, National Security, and American Presidency
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5046. Effective National Security Advising: Recovering the Eisenhower Legacy
- Author:
- Fred I. Greenstein and Richard H. Immerman
- Publication Date:
- 09-2000
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- FRED I. GREENSTEIN and RICHARD H. IMMERMAN provide an account of the impressively rigorous process of national security policy planning in the Eisenhower presidency. They commend it as a model for the next administration.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, National Security, History, and American Presidency
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5047. Economic Insecurity, Prejudicial Stereotypes, and Public Opinion on Immigration Policy
- Author:
- Peter Burns and James G. Gimpel
- Publication Date:
- 07-2000
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- PETER BURNS and JAMES G. GIMPEL examine mass attitudes toward immigration policy in the United States, asking whether widespread restrictionist sentiment is stirred more by economic insecurity, by negative ethnic stereotypes, or by some combination of the two. For some, prejudice is rooted in economic insecurity, but prejudice also has roots that are quite independent of economic fears. Anti-immigrant sentiment will not disappear simply because economic conditions improve.
- Topic:
- Immigration, Public Opinion, Economic Security, and Stereotypes
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
5048. Getting into the Black: Race, Wealth, and Public Policy
- Author:
- Dalton Conley
- Publication Date:
- 01-2000
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- DALTON CONLEY examines the causes and consequences of the black-white asset gap in the United States. He argues that it is wealth, more than any other measure of socio-economic well being, that captures the nature of racial inequality in the post-civil rights era. Conley discusses policy implications that may be used to address such "equity inequity."
- Topic:
- Race, Inequality, Public Policy, and Wealth
- Political Geography:
- United States of America
5049. The United States and South Korean Democratization
- Author:
- James Fowler
- Publication Date:
- 07-1999
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- JAMES FOWLER draws on interviews with State Department officials and recently declassified documents to analyze the role of the United States in South Korea's democratization, concluding that U.S. public pressure on the Korean government played a critical role in determining the timing of the transition.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Democratization, and Bilateral Relations
- Political Geography:
- South Korea and United States of America
5050. Defining Moment: The Threat and Use of Force in American Foreign Policy
- Author:
- Barry M. Blechman and Tamara Coffman Wittes
- Publication Date:
- 03-1999
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Political Science Quarterly
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- BARRY M. BLECHMAN and TAMARA COFMAN WITTES examine the uses of military threats and military interventions in the Bush and first Clinton administrations. Based on case studies and interviews with U.S. decision makers, they conclude that domestic and international political constraints are preventing U.S. leaders from making threats decisive enough to persuade foreign leaders to comply with U.S. demands.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Politics, Military Intervention, Bill Clinton, and George H. W. Bush
- Political Geography:
- United States of America