Which theory asserts that a communist takeover in one country would lead neighboring countries to fall as well?

Which theory asserts that a communist takeover in one country would lead neighboring countries to fall as well?

• A. Domino Theory
• B. Core-Periphery Model
• C. Von Thunen Agricultural Model
• D. Epidemiologic Transition Model

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is political contagion across borders in the context of the Cold War. This theory, known as the Domino Theory, argues that a communist takeover in one country would set off a chain reaction, with neighboring countries falling to communism as well due to fear of spread, regional power dynamics, and the belief that nearby nations would align with a successful neighbor. In practice, this thinking shaped policies of containment and justification for intervention, especially in Southeast Asia, where leaders worried that losing one country would make others more vulnerable. The other listed concepts focus on different phenomena: the Core-Periphery Model analyzes economic inequality and the flow of resources between core and peripheral regions; the Von Thunen model explains agricultural land-use patterns around a central market; and the Epidemiologic Transition Model tracks shifts in disease patterns and mortality as societies develop.

The idea being tested is political contagion across borders in the context of the Cold War. This theory, known as the Domino Theory, argues that a communist takeover in one country would set off a chain reaction, with neighboring countries falling to communism as well due to fear of spread, regional power dynamics, and the belief that nearby nations would align with a successful neighbor.

In practice, this thinking shaped policies of containment and justification for intervention, especially in Southeast Asia, where leaders worried that losing one country would make others more vulnerable. The other listed concepts focus on different phenomena: the Core-Periphery Model analyzes economic inequality and the flow of resources between core and peripheral regions; the Von Thunen model explains agricultural land-use patterns around a central market; and the Epidemiologic Transition Model tracks shifts in disease patterns and mortality as societies develop.