PLS 140 MIDTERM

A failed state is characterized by __________. a. stability b. collapse of state sovereignty c. the two-turnover test d. economic development

b. collapse of state sovereignty

The term "judicial activism" refers to a court's tendency to __________. a. strike down laws b. defer to the legislature c. follow a liberal ideology d. seek out controversial cases

a. strike down laws

Name three purposes of constitutions.

First it creates a national government consisting of a legislative, an executive, and a judicial branch, with a system of checks and balances among the three branches. Second, it divides power between the federal government and the states. And third, it protects various individual liberties of American citizens.

States with which type of government regularly use organized terror and violence against citizens to maintain control and achieve goals? a. Socialism b. Oligarchy c. Totalitarianism d. illiberal democracy

Totalitarianism

The ability of courts to decide if laws are constitutional is called __________. a. judicial review b. court activism c. federalism d. code law

a. judicial review

Identify three current challenges for states. (Hint: Challenges from above or below)

- IMMIGRATION -OPIOIDSs -CLEAN ENERGY

Provide 3 advantages of using comparative methods to study politics.

-compare and contrast different component parts of countries' political systems -can be used to compare political systems of different countries and also it can be used to compare political systems over time. - makes the study of politics more structured and conclusions derived with this method are more precise.

Define a federal system. Provide one advantage and one disadvantage to organizing a government in this manner.

A federal government is a system that divides up power between a strong national government and smaller local governments. Benefit- Increasing Citizen Participation Disadvantage- Allows for Inequalities Between the Different States for example, some states spend more.

Define a single-member district plurality (SMDP) electoral system. Provide one advantage and one disadvantage.

An area is divided into a number of geographically defined voting districts, each represented by a single elected official. Benefit- Ensure geographic representation Disadvantage- must be redrawn on a regular basis to maintain populations of relatively equal size

Define the concepts of "nation" and "state." Which one normally develops first? Why?

Nation - a population with sense of self, shared history, culture, and often language State - governmental structure, usually sovereign and powerful to enforce its rule over a specific territory States typically create nations, not other way around

Define "public goods." Provide 2 examples of public goods that governments provide.

Public goods are economic products that are consumed collectively, like highways, sanitation, schools, national defense, police and fire protection.

__________ has grown in the political cultures of most advanced democracies. a. Cynicism b. Optimism c. Ideological rigidity d. Religious evangelism

a. Cynicism

In what way does the U.S. Constitution differ from most other constitutions? a. It is shorter and more vague than most other constitutions. b. It contains many more rights and liberties than other constitutions. c. Unlike other constitutions, the U.S. Constitution has never been amended. d. The U.S. Constitution contains more economic rights such as right to work and minimum pay.

a. It is shorter and more vague than most other constitutions.

Which of the following viewpoints is most consistent with elite political culture? a. Running for office is viable and realistic. b. Voting is a waste of time. c. The political bureaucracy is impossible to navigate. d. Politicians are all lawyers who will say whatever they think you want to hear.

a. Running for office is viable and realistic.

Political institutions represent established and durable patterns of __________ in a country. a. authority b. dissent c. instability d. anarchy

a. authority

A subset of society that is organized and active but is neither controlled by the government nor focused on private concerns such as the family is called: a. civil society b. public goods c. the autonomous state d. lobby group

a. civil society

A written document outlining the structure of a political system is a __________. a. constitution b. precedent c. referendum d. statute

a. constitution

Political __________ are structures of power that are sometimes spelled out in constitutions but which have often simply evolved over time. a. institutions b. parties c. regimes d. cultures

a. institutions

Which feature of democracy may still exist in an authoritarian regime? a. periodic elections b. freedom of the press c. majority decision making d. protection of minority rights

a. periodic elections

A process of devolution involves __________. a. shifting some powers from central government to component units b. limiting the role of the government in economic affairs c. consolidating power within a central government d. the government playing a larger role in regulating the economy

a. shifting some powers from central government to component units

Governments often engage in overt socialization through __________. a. Families b. Education c. peer groups d. international organizations

b. Education

Which condition suggests that a state's elections are rigged? a. Socialist candidates almost always win. b. Elections are held more than once a year. c. The ruling party wins several consecutive elections. d. The regime controls most or all of the press in the country.

b. Elections are held more than once a year.

Which of the following best describes Britain's Constitution? a. It is a brief document very similar to the U.S. Constitution. b. It is a series of documents and customs that provides considerable flexibility. c. It is one long but detailed document. d. It is an oral tradition that has been passed down over generations.

b. It is a series of documents and customs that provides

The nation is: a. a political unit with sovereignty b. a cultural and often linguistic grouping of people who feel they belong together c. a country d. a state that contains two or more distinct ethnic groups

b. a cultural and often linguistic grouping of people who feel they belong together

One benefit of a system with frequent alternation in power is __________. a. a guarantee of economic growth b. effective control over corruption c. peaceful use of civil disobedience d. high citizen engagement in politics

b. effective control over corruption

A media that is critical of its nation's government is typically indicative of a __________. a. healthy economy b. high degree of democracy c. small amount of inequality d. successful one-party regime

b. high degree of democracy

If British citizens believe their government's rule is rightful, they believe the government __________. a. has authority b. is legitimate c. is sovereign d. is powerful

b. is legitimate

Which of these is the most significant cause for democratic failure? a. religious diversity b. lack of a middle class c. a large number of interest groups d. an elite-based educational system

b. lack of a middle class

Single-member districts produce winners on the basis of __________. a. bipartisanship b. plurality c. minority rule d. unanimity

b. plurality

Studies of __________ look for basic, general values regarding politics and government. a. political theory b. political culture c. public opinion d. political radicalization

b. political culture

Weak states are characterized by __________. a. the lack of civilian control over the military b. the penetration of crime into politics c. an adherence to economics d. obedience to laws

b. the penetration of crime into politics

The meaning of the word "state" typically used in political science is: a. a nation b. what is commonly referred to as a country c. a sub-national unit in a country d.a combination of political units seeking to form a government

b. what is commonly referred to as a country

Federal governments cannot always demand policy change in their component states, but they are often able to exert their influence in other ways. What would be an example of this dynamic? a. allowing a foreign government to impose order in the component state b. withholding grants from states that refuse to adopt a national policy standard c. adopting a new political ideology to better serve the given policy d. dissolving the component state

b. withholding grants from states that refuse to adopt a national policy standard

A state that is able to control and tax its entire territory would be considered __________. a. weak b. ineffective c. failed d. effective

d. effective

Who was the founder of political science who argued that comparison is the best method of study? a. Plato b. Kant c. Aristotle d. Machiavelli

c. Aristotle

What is the relationship between alternation in power and democratic elections? a. Neither one is usually accompanied by peaceful protest. b. Both are heavily dependent on religion playing a minimal role. c. Both must have an element of uncertainty and fluidity. d. Both depend upon groups of citizens voting automatically for a given party.

c. Both must have an element of uncertainty and fluidity.

Which statement represents a pluralist explanation for increases in defense spending? a. Increases in defense spending mainly reflect intense lobbying by weapons manufacturers. b. Increases in defense spending reflect the personal preferences of elected officials. c. Defense spending increases when the public demands greater attention be paid to national security threats. d. Increases in defense spending are typically random adjustments reflecting fluctuations in tax revenue.

c. Defense spending increases when the public demands greater attention be paid to national security threats.

Which statement explains the claim that "democracy does not always equal freedom"? a. Democracies impose burdensome civic obligations on citizens. b. Countries with struggling economies often have democratic governments. c. Even democratic elections can produce regimes that limit rights and freedoms. d. Civic disobedience is a common tactic used to bring change in democratic countries.

c. Even democratic elections can produce regimes that limit rights and freedoms.

What is one reason that distrusting the government can be a good thing? a. Skeptical citizens are more likely than trusting citizens to run prosperous businesses. b. Skeptical citizens are more likely than trusting citizens to vote in midterm elections. c. Skeptical citizens are more likely than trusting citizens to notice and oppose government corruption. d. Skeptical citizens are more likely than trusting citizens to hold moderate political views.

c. Skeptical citizens are more likely than trusting citizens to notice and oppose government corruption.

Which of these was the first to establish judicial review? a. France b. Great Britain c. The United States d. The European Union

c. The United States

What entity in the contemporary world has "ultimate sovereignty?" a. a nation b. a multi-state nation c. a state d. an NGO

c. a state

In any country in the world, which of the following people would you expect to participate the most in politics? a. a professional poker player b. a pastor at a small-town church c. a wealthy business leader d. a college student taking courses in the social sciences

c. a wealthy business leader

Elite theorists and pluralists differ on whether or not __________. a. elite rule produces economic growth b. the concentration of power is inevitable c. any single group has a monopoly on the influence over government policies d. democratic government produces better policies than authoritarian government

c. any single group has a monopoly on the influence over government policies

First-order civil divisions in the United States are represented by __________. a. municipalities b. states c. counties d. districts

c. counties

Federalism is the balancing of power between a nation's central government and __________. a. the private sector b. the people c. its autonomous subdivisions d. a foreign government

c. its autonomous subdivisions

Which of the following is the strongest source of political socialization? a. School b. peer groups c. mass media d. family

d. family

Under the "two-turnover" test, when is a democracy considered stable? a. once two generations have passed b. once there have been two constitutional law challenges that withstand court scrutiny c. once there have been two elections in which one party replaces another d. once there have been two executive terms without an attempted coup

c. once there have been two elections in which one party replaces another

Some political thinkers are concerned about U.S. stability if __________ continues to grow. a. Suffrage b. the civil society c. polarization d. American exceptionalism

c. polarization

Compared to FPTP, proportional representation means that the country's legislature more accurately reflects __________. a. big business interests b. elite demands c. public opinion and party strength d. the will of larger parties

c. public opinion and party strength

Which of the following would be an advantage of using the comparative rather than specialist method when trying to determine likelihood of regime collapse? a. the ability to draw on country's extensive history to see if similar events have happened in the past b. the ability to read government documents in the local language c. the ability to apply lessons from other countries that have experienced similar collapses d. the possession of in-depth knowledge of that's country's political culture

c. the ability to apply lessons from other countries that have experienced similar collapses

Which of the following would be an advantage of using the comparative rather than specialist method when trying to determine likelihood of regime collapse? a. the ability to draw on country's extensive history to see if similar events have happened in the past b. the ability to read government documents in the local language c. the ability to apply lessons from other countries that have experienced similar collapses d. the possession of in-depth knowledge of that's country's political culture

c. the ability to apply lessons from other countries that have experienced similar collapses

Which of the following would be expected in a state that practices constitutionalism? a. Courts rarely overturn laws. b. The constitution is never amended. c. The constitution is frequently amended. d. Citizens' individual rights are guaranteed.

d. Citizens' individual rights are guaranteed.

Which statement explains how civil rights differ from human rights? a. Civil rights are more difficult to enforce than human rights. b. Civil rights relate to voting while human rights relate to individual choice. c. Civil rights block government mistreatment while human rights grant resources to individuals. d. Civil rights only arose with the advent of modern democracy but are essential for ensuring human rights.

d. Civil rights only arose with the advent of modern democracy but are essential for ensuring human rights.

What German thinker argued that any organization, no matter how democratic its intent, ends up run by a small elite? a. Thomas Hobbes b. Robert Michels c. Wright Mills d. Robert Dahl

d. Robert Dahl

Which of the following is a characteristic of democracy? a. economic equality b. a multi-party system c. social equality d. alternating power

d. alternating power

Which of the following would highlight a major disadvantage of a unitary system? a. a parliament with very limited control over its national parks and wildlife reserves b. the absence of a responsive government when citizens make certain demands c. a declining sense of nationalism among elites in society d. local officials unable to make basic decisions without the express consent of the central government

d. local officials unable to make basic decisions without the express consent of the central government

Lower levels of education, along with corresponding lower incomes, reduce the likelihood that people will __________. a. support democracy as a concept b. hold nationalist views c. feel powerless d. participate in politics

d. participate in politics

The main way that democratic governments are held accountable is through __________. a. ballot initiatives b. civil disobedience c. dissident movements d. regular electoral challenge

d. regular electoral challenge

What evidence would pluralists most likely cite to support their claims that elites are ultimately accountable? a. the comparative wealth of most members of Congress b. tax cuts given to the richest 1 percent of the population c. the millions spent by corporations to back the major political parties d. the millions of dollars that tobacco firms have paid out in lawsuits and settlements

d. the millions of dollars that tobacco firms have paid out in lawsuits and settlements

First-past-the-post (FPTP) countries tend to have __________ systems. a. corrupt electoral b. multiparty c. weak judicial d. two-party

d. two-party

It is dangerous for a country to keep introducing new constitutions because this __________. a. leads to economic instability. b. reduces the effectiveness of the bureaucracy c. makes it easier for criminals to escape from police custody d. undermines the legitimacy of government and the rule of law

d. undermines the legitimacy of government and the rule of law

Provide 3 requirements of a democratic regime.

individual rights, free and open elections, citizen involvement and open compromise