1. What triggered the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008?
a) High oil prices
b) Collapse of the housing market in the U.S.
c) Trade wars
d) Natural disasters
Answer: b) Collapse of the housing market in the U.S.
2. Which institution is often considered the “lender of last resort” during financial crises?
a) World Bank
b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
c) Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
d) European Central Bank (ECB)
Answer: b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
3. What is the term used to describe the practice of banks lending more money than they actually hold in reserves?
a) Fractional reserve banking
b) Full reserve banking
c) Over-leveraging
d) High-frequency trading
Answer: a) Fractional reserve banking
4. Which financial instrument was primarily associated with the 2008 financial crisis due to its high risk?
a) Treasury bonds
b) Mortgage-backed securities
c) Corporate bonds
d) Government bonds
Answer: b) Mortgage-backed securities
5. What was the primary cause of the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997?
a) Currency devaluation
b) Stock market collapse
c) Banking sector failures
d) High inflation
Answer: a) Currency devaluation
6. Which country was the first to experience a major banking crisis during the 2007-2008 global financial crisis?
a) Japan
b) United Kingdom
c) United States
d) Greece
Answer: c) United States
7. What role did credit default swaps (CDS) play in the 2008 financial crisis?
a) They helped stabilize the market
b) They were used to insure against defaults but exacerbated the crisis
c) They were regulated to prevent risk
d) They were primarily used for government securities
Answer: b) They were used to insure against defaults but exacerbated the crisis
8. Which U.S. regulatory act was enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis to improve financial regulation?
a) Glass-Steagall Act
b) Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
c) Sarbanes-Oxley Act
d) Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
Answer: b) Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
9. What is the term for the phenomenon where financial institutions become too big to fail?
a) Moral hazard
b) Systemic risk
c) Too-big-to-fail
d) Financial contagion
Answer: c) Too-big-to-fail
10. Which global organization monitors and assesses global financial stability?
a) World Trade Organization (WTO)
b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
c) World Bank
d) United Nations
Answer: b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
11. What term describes the widespread withdrawal of bank deposits due to fears of insolvency?
a) Bank run
b) Currency devaluation
c) Capital flight
d) Debt crisis
Answer: a) Bank run
12. Which of the following is a common consequence of a financial crisis?
a) Increased employment
b) Economic recession
c) Stable prices
d) Rising stock markets
Answer: b) Economic recession
13. What was the main cause of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis?
a) Rising oil prices
b) Excessive government debt and deficits
c) Decline in tourism revenue
d) Trade imbalances
Answer: b) Excessive government debt and deficits
14. Which country was the epicenter of the 2010-2012 European Sovereign Debt Crisis?
a) Italy
b) Ireland
c) Spain
d) Greece
Answer: d) Greece
15. What does the term “financial contagion” refer to?
a) The spread of financial crises from one market or country to another
b) The positive economic growth due to financial reforms
c) The rise in consumer confidence
d) The stabilization of financial markets
Answer: a) The spread of financial crises from one market or country to another
16. Which of the following is a key measure often taken to combat a financial crisis?
a) Increasing interest rates
b) Reducing government spending
c) Implementing monetary and fiscal stimulus
d) Decreasing government debt
Answer: c) Implementing monetary and fiscal stimulus
17. What was the role of Lehman Brothers in the 2008 financial crisis?
a) It was a major lender to small businesses
b) It was a key player in the mortgage-backed securities market and its bankruptcy triggered the crisis
c) It was a government institution providing bailouts
d) It was a major buyer of government bonds
Answer: b) It was a key player in the mortgage-backed securities market and its bankruptcy triggered the crisis
18. Which economic theory emphasizes the need for government intervention during a financial crisis?
a) Classical economics
b) Monetarism
c) Keynesian economics
d) Supply-side economics
Answer: c) Keynesian economics
19. What is “quantitative easing”?
a) A method of reducing government spending
b) A monetary policy used to stimulate the economy by increasing the money supply
c) A technique for reducing interest rates
d) A strategy for cutting taxes
Answer: b) A monetary policy used to stimulate the economy by increasing the money supply
20. Which country implemented a large-scale bank rescue program known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the 2008 financial crisis?
a) United Kingdom
b) Japan
c) United States
d) Germany
Answer: c) United States
21. Which financial crisis is often associated with the bursting of the dot-com bubble?
a) Asian Financial Crisis
b) 2008 Financial Crisis
c) 2000-2002 Tech Bubble Crash
d) Latin American Debt Crisis
Answer: c) 2000-2002 Tech Bubble Crash
22. Which factor contributed to the Latin American Debt Crisis of the 1980s?
a) High levels of inflation
b) Excessive borrowing from foreign banks
c) Decline in commodity prices
d) Political instability
Answer: b) Excessive borrowing from foreign banks
23. What is a “debt crisis”?
a) A situation where a country or organization cannot meet its debt obligations
b) A period of low interest rates
c) A time of economic growth and stability
d) An increase in government savings
Answer: a) A situation where a country or organization cannot meet its debt obligations
24. Which financial crisis led to the creation of the Eurozone and the single currency, the Euro?
a) European Sovereign Debt Crisis
b) 2008 Financial Crisis
c) Latin American Debt Crisis
d) Asian Financial Crisis
Answer: a) European Sovereign Debt Crisis
25. What is “moral hazard” in the context of financial crises?
a) The risk of investing in new markets
b) The increased risk-taking behavior resulting from the expectation of bailouts
c) The potential for ethical behavior in financial markets
d) The chance of market volatility
Answer: b) The increased risk-taking behavior resulting from the expectation of bailouts
26. What does the term “liquidity crisis” refer to?
a) A lack of physical cash in the economy
b) Difficulty in obtaining short-term funding
c) A drop in real estate values
d) A sudden increase in interest rates
Answer: b) Difficulty in obtaining short-term funding
27. Which of the following was a major response to the 2008 financial crisis by central banks?
a) Raising interest rates
b) Tightening credit standards
c) Lowering interest rates and implementing quantitative easing
d) Cutting government spending
Answer: c) Lowering interest rates and implementing quantitative easing
28. What is a “bank bailout”?
a) The sale of distressed bank assets
b) Government or central bank support to a failing bank
c) A financial product designed to protect bank investments
d) The closure of a bank branch
Answer: b) Government or central bank support to a failing bank
29. Which country experienced a major financial crisis in 2001, leading to a default on its debt?
a) Brazil
b) Argentina
c) Mexico
d) Turkey
Answer: b) Argentina
30. What is “systemic risk”?
a) The risk associated with individual financial institutions
b) The risk of a widespread financial collapse affecting the entire system
c) The risk of small-scale financial disruptions
d) The risk associated with personal finance management
Answer: b) The risk of a widespread financial collapse affecting the entire system
31. Which regulatory body is responsible for overseeing and regulating the financial markets in the United States?
a) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
b) Federal Reserve
c) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
d) World Bank
Answer: a) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
32. What is “toxic debt”?
a) High-quality government bonds
b) Debt that is unlikely to be repaid, often due to the issuer’s financial instability
c) Loans with very low-interest rates
d) Corporate bonds with investment-grade ratings
Answer: b) Debt that is unlikely to be repaid, often due to the issuer’s financial instability
33. What economic event is often described as a “black swan” due to its rarity and severe impact?
a) Regular market fluctuations
b) A predictable recession
c) A highly unexpected financial crisis
d) A minor market correction
Answer: c) A highly unexpected financial crisis
34. Which of the following was a major cause of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008?
a) High levels of government savings
b) The collapse of major technology companies
c) The bursting of the U.S. housing bubble
d) The increase in global trade tensions
Answer: c) The bursting of the U.S. housing bubble
35. What role did credit rating agencies play in the 2008 financial crisis?
a) They provided accurate assessments of risk
b) They failed to adequately assess the risk of mortgage-backed securities
c) They reduced the ratings of all financial assets
d) They prevented the crisis through regulation
Answer: b) They failed to adequately assess the risk of mortgage-backed securities
36. Which financial institution’s failure was a pivotal moment in the 2008 financial crisis?
a) Bank of America
b) Lehman Brothers
c) Goldman Sachs
d) Morgan Stanley
Answer: b) Lehman Brothers
37. What is a “financial bubble”?
a) A period of steady economic growth
b) An economic situation where asset prices are driven to unsustainable levels
c) A situation of stable interest rates
d) A time of low market volatility
Answer: b) An economic situation where asset prices are driven to unsustainable levels
38. What term describes the situation when financial institutions become increasingly interconnected and the failure of one can lead to widespread problems?
a) Financial contagion
b) Systemic risk
c) Moral hazard
d) Liquidity crisis
Answer: b) Systemic risk
39. What did the Basel III international regulatory framework aim to address?
a) Currency exchange rates
b) Financial stability and bank capital requirements
c) Global trade agreements
d) Tax policies
Answer: b) Financial stability and bank capital requirements
40. What is “securitization” in finance?
a) The process of converting assets into securities
b) The act of repaying debt
c) The buying and selling of currencies
d) The management of financial risks
Answer: a) The process of converting assets into securities
More MCQS on International Relations
- Future of International Order MCQs
- Post-Globalization Trends MCQs
- Impact of Social Media on IR MCQs
- Populism and Nationalism MCQs
- Non-State Actors and Global Governance MCQs
- Changing Nature of Sovereignty and Borders MCQs
- New Forms of Warfare (Hybrid, Asymmetric) MCQs
- Global Health Governance Post-COVID-19 MCQs
- Space Politics MCQs
- Artificial Intelligence and International Relations MCQs
- Regional Organizations and Cooperation MCQs
- Oceania and Pacific Islands MCQs
- Arctic Politics and Geopolitics MCQs
- Post-Soviet States and Russia MCQs
- South Asian Security Dynamics MCQs
- Latin American Politics and U.S. Relations MCQs
- African Politics and Development MCQs
- European Integration and Brexit MCQs
- Asian Politics and Rise of China MCQs
- Middle Eastern Politics and Conflicts MCQs
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) MCQs
- Cultural Diplomacy MCQs
- Ethnic Conflicts and Genocide MCQs
- Religion and International Politics MCQs
- Technology and International Relations MCQs
- Gender in International Relations MCQs
- Environmental Politics and Climate Change MCQs
- Global Health Issues MCQs
- International Migration and Refugees MCQs
- Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention MCQs
- Small States’ Foreign Policies MCQs – International Relations IR
- Great Powers’ Foreign Policies MCQs – International Relations IR
- Geopolitics MCQs
- Crisis Management and Resolution MCQs – International Relations IR
- Foreign Policy Tools (Economic, Military, Diplomatic) MCQs – International Relations IR
- Soft Power and Public Diplomacy MCQs – International Relations IR
- Diplomacy and Negotiation MCQs
- Comparative Foreign Policy MCQs – International Relations IR
- Domestic Influences on Foreign Policy MCQs – International Relations IR
- Decision-Making Theories MCQs – International Relations IR
- Resource Politics (Oil, Water, etc.) MCQs – International Relations IR
- Debt and Development MCQs – International Relations IR
- Regional Economic Integration MCQs – International Relations IR
- Economic Sanctions MCQs
- Global Financial Crises MCQs
- Multinational Corporations and Global Capitalism MCQs – International Relations IR
- Foreign Aid and Economic Assistance MCQs – International Relations IR
- Development and Underdevelopment MCQs – International Relations IR
- Trade Policies and Agreements MCQs – International Relations IR
- Globalization and Economic Interdependence MCQs – International Relations IR
- Climate Security MCQs – International Relations IR
- Intelligence and National Security MCQs – International Relations IR
- Military Strategy and Warfare MCQs – International Relations IR
- Civil Wars and Intrastate Conflicts MCQs – International Relations IR
- Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding MCQs – International Relations IR
- Human Security MCQs – International Relations IR
- Cybersecurity MCQs – International Relations IR
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism MCQs
- Nuclear Proliferation and Arms Control MCQs
- International Security MCQs
- Global Governance MCQs
- Transnational Corporations (TNCs) MCQs
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) MCQs
- International Law and International Courts MCQs
- NATO and Security Alliances MCQs
- European Union MCQs
- World Bank MCQs
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) MCQs
- World Trade Organization (WTO) MCQs
- United Nations MCQs
- National Interest MCQs – International Relations IR
- Hegemony and Power Transition MCQs – International Relations IR
- Balance of Power MCQs – International Relations IR
- Game Theory in IR MCQs – International Relations
- Postcolonialism MCQs – International Relations IR
- Feminist International Relations Theory MCQs – International Relations IR
- Marxism and Critical Theories MCQs – International Relations IR
- Constructivism MCQs – International Relations IR
- Liberalism and Neoliberalism MCQs – International Relations IR
- International Relations MCQs