Punishments in the form of economic or diplomatic limits are known as

• A. International sanctions
• B. Embargo
• C. Tariffs
• D. Boycott

Answer: (A)

Restrictions imposed by one country on another to persuade or coerce behavior are sanctions. Sanctions target a state’s economic interests or diplomatic relations, aiming to pressure compliance without using force. They cover economic moves like trade limits, asset freezes, or financial restrictions, and diplomatic steps such as reducing or cutting off formal ties, expelling diplomats, or restricting travel. This broader idea fits best because it explicitly describes state-imposed penalties that affect a target’s economy or diplomatic standing.

An embargo is a specific form of sanction focused on a broad prohibition of trade with a country, so it’s a type of sanction rather than the general concept. Tariffs are taxes on imports used mainly for domestic policy or revenue rather than punishment of another state. A boycott involves non-government actors choosing not to engage with a country or its products, which is not the official state-to-state instrument described by the term.