Description: FREE SHIPPING UK WIDE Optimal Imperfection? by David M. Rocke, George W. Downs Domestic politics matters has become a rallying cry for international relations scholars over the years, yet the question still remains: Just how does it matter? This book argues that an important part of the international impact of domestic politics springs from the institutional responses to its many uncertainties. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description "Domestic politics matters" has become a rallying cry for international relations scholars over the past decade, yet the question still remains: Just how does it matter? In this book, George Downs and David Rocke argue that an important part of the international impact of domestic politics springs from the institutional responses to its many uncertainties. This impact is due not so much to the errors in judgment these uncertainties can cause as to the strategic and institutional consequences of knowing that such errors are possible. The heart of the book is its formal analysis of how three kinds of domestic uncertainty have shaped international relations through their influence on three very different institutions. One chapter deals with the decision rules that citizens create to cope with uncertainty about the quality of their representation, and how these can lead to the paradoxical "gambling for resurrection" effect. Another chapter describes the extent to which the weak enforcement provisions of GATT can be understood as a mechanism to cope with uncertain but intermittent interest group demands for protection.The third chapter looks at the impact of uncertainty on the creation, survival, and membership of multilateral regulatory institutions, such as the Montreal Protocol and EU, when some states question the capacity of other states to meet their treaty obligations. Notes Optimal Imperfection? is a wonderful book that makes a major contribution to establishing the scientific foundations for the study of international affairs. After reading Downs and Rocke, international relations scholars will have to take a long, deep breath. -- Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Hoover Institution In this highly creative book, Downs and Rocke in effect turn the study of international relations on its head. The authors, addressing for the first time in a formal and systematic manner the crucial and central role played by uncertainty and domestic politics in the foreign affairs of states, provide an innovative resolution to one of the most important issues in the study of international institutions and of international affairs in general. -- Robert Gilpin, Princeton University Back Cover "Optimal Imperfectionis a wonderful book that makes a major contribution to establishing the scientific foundations for the study of international affairs. After reading Downs and Rocke, international relations scholars will have to take a long, deep breath."--Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Hoover Institution "In this highly creative book, Downs and Rocke in effect turn the study of international relations on its head. The authors, addressing for the first time in a formal and systematic manner the crucial and central role played by uncertainty and domestic politics in the foreign affairs of states, provide an innovative resolution to one of the most important issues in the study of international institutions and of international affairs in general."--Robert Gilpin, Princeton University Flap " Optimal Imperfection? is a wonderful book that makes a major contribution to establishing the scientific foundations for the study of international affairs. After reading Downs and Rocke, international relations scholars will have to take a long, deep breath."-- Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Hoover Institution "In this highly creative book, Downs and Rocke in effect turn the study of international relations on its head. The authors, addressing for the first time in a formal and systematic manner the crucial and central role played by uncertainty and domestic politics in the foreign affairs of states, provide an innovative resolution to one of the most important issues in the study of international institutions and of international affairs in general."-- Robert Gilpin, Princeton University Author Biography George W. Downs is the Professor of World Politics of Peace and War in the Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. David M. Rocke is Professor in the Graduate School of Management and the Graduate Group in Statistics at the University of California, Davis. Downs and Rocke are the coauthors of Tacit Bargaining, Arms Races, and Arms Control. Table of Contents List of Figures ix List of Tables xi Preface xiii 1 The Impact of Uncertainty 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Realism and Early Rational Choice 9 1.3 The Psychological Tradition 13 1.4 The Institutionalist Tradition 19 1.5 Recent Research 23 1.6 Conclusion 25 2 Game Theory and Uncertainty 27 2.1 Modeling Uncertainty 27 2.2 Games of Incomplete Information 28 2.2.1 Introduction 28 2.2.2 Bayesian Updating 31 2.2.3 Signaling and Reputation 35 2.3 Principal-Agent Models 41 2.4 Trigger Strategies 44 2.5 Conclusion 54 3 Gambling for Resurrection 56 3.1 Introduction 56 3.2 The Theory 59 3.3 The Executives Dilemma 67 3.4 Gambling for Resurrection 68 3.5 Conclusion 71 3.6 Appendix: Optimal Bayesian Policies 72 4 Optimal Imperfection: GATT and the Uncertainty of Interest Group Demands 76 4.1 Introduction 76 4.2 Modeling Trade Treaties 77 4.3 Treaty Maintenance under Perfect Information 79 4.3.1 Reversionary Strategies 79 4.3.2 Reciprocity and Tit-for-Tat 85 4.4 Interest Group Uncertainty 87 4.5 Asymmetric Preferences 91 4.6 Coping with Nontariff Barriers: U.S. Section 301 93 4.7 Conclusion 99 4.8 Appendixes 101 4.8.1 Assumptions 101 4.8.2 Proof of Proposition 4.1 101 4.8.3 Proof of Proposition 4.2 102 4.8.4 Proof of Proposition 4.3 104 5 Willing but Maybe Not Able: The Impact of Uncertainty about State Capacity 105 5.1 Introduction 105 5.2 An Environmental Model 107 5.2.1 Enforcement Ill 5.2.2 Trigger Strategy 112 5.3 Capacity Uncertainty and Change 114 5.3.1 Capacity Uncertainty 114 5.3.2 Capacity Change 117 5.3.3 Equilibrium Behavior 119 5.4 The Effects of State Capacity Uncertainty 121 5.5 Informational Issue-Linking and a Multivariate Model 123 5.6 Conclusion 125 5.7 Appendixes 127 5.7.1 Normal Mixture Distributions 12 5.7.2 Proof of Proposition 5.1 127 6 Conclusion 130 6.1 Domestic Uncertainty and Institutions 130 6.2 Policy Prescriptions 138 Bibliography 143 Index 155 Review "George Downs and David Rockes new book on the intersection of domestic politics and international relations is an important and exciting contribution to the burgeoning game theory literature on the subject. Moving beyond the two-level game metaphor both in terms of analytical rigor and in terms of subject matter, it focuses on how uncertainty about aspects of a states domestic politics can affect international behavior and institutions."--Andrew Kydd, Political Science Quarterly Promotional Optimal Imperfection? is a wonderful book that makes a major contribution to establishing the scientific foundations for the study of international affairs. After reading Downs and Rocke, international relations scholars will have to take a long, deep breath. -- Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Hoover Institution In this highly creative book, Downs and Rocke in effect turn the study of international relations on its head. The authors, addressing for the first time in a formal and systematic manner the crucial and central role played by uncertainty and domestic politics in the foreign affairs of states, provide an innovative resolution to one of the most important issues in the study of international institutions and of international affairs in general. -- Robert Gilpin, Princeton University Long Description "Domestic politics matters" has become a rallying cry for international relations scholars over the past decade, yet the question still remains: Just how does it matter? In this book, George Downs and David Rocke argue that an important part of the international impact of domestic politics springs from the institutional responses to its many uncertainties. This impact is due not so much to the errors in judgment these uncertainties can cause as to the strategic and institutional consequences of knowing that such errors are possible. The heart of the book is its formal analysis of how three kinds of domestic uncertainty have shaped international relations through their influence on three very different institutions. One chapter deals with the decision rules that citizens create to cope with uncertainty about the quality of their representation, and how these can lead to the paradoxical "gambling for resurrection" effect. Another chapter describes the extent to which the weak enforcement provisions of GATT can be understood as a mechanism to cope with uncertain but intermittent interest group demands for protection.The third chapter looks at the impact of uncertainty on the creation, survival, and membership of multilateral regulatory institutions, such as the Montreal Protocol and EU, when some states question the capacity of other states to meet their treaty obligations. Review Quote George Downs and David Rockes new book on the intersection of domestic politics and international relations is an important and exciting contribution to the burgeoning game theory literature on the subject. Moving beyond the two-level game metaphor both in terms of analytical rigor and in terms of subject matter, it focuses on how uncertainty about aspects of a states domestic politics can affect international behavior and institutions. -- Andrew Kydd, Political Science Quarterly Details ISBN0691016259 Author George W. Downs Year 1997 ISBN-10 0691016259 ISBN-13 9780691016252 Format Paperback Imprint Princeton University Press Subtitle Domestic Uncertainty and Institutions in International Relations Place of Publication New Jersey Country of Publication United States DEWEY 327.101 Illustrations 12 figs. 6 tables Birth 1946 Language English Media Book Publisher Princeton University Press Short Title OPTIMAL IMPERFECTION REV/E Edition Description Revised Pages 176 Translated from English DOI 10.1604/9780691016252 UK Release Date 1997-03-06 Publication Date 1997-03-06 NZ Release Date 1997-03-06 US Release Date 1997-03-06 Alternative 9780691044606 Audience Professional & Vocational AU Release Date 1997-05-13 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! 30 DAY RETURN POLICY No questions asked, 30 day returns! 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ISBN-13: 9780691016252
Book Title: Optimal Imperfection?
Number of Pages: 176 Pages
Language: English
Publication Name: Optimal Imperfection?: Domestic Uncertainty and Institutions in International Relations
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication Year: 1997
Subject: Government
Item Height: 235 mm
Item Weight: 312 g
Type: Textbook
Author: David M. Rocke, George Downs
Item Width: 152 mm
Format: Paperback
