PS Exam 1

Approximately what percentage of the world's population is identified as a Christian?

33 percent

Political theorists who study human nature, problems that naturally arise in nature, and then recommend a political system to best address these problems are referred to as

?

Aristotle was the first political theorist to assert that a state's economic system serves as the foundation for a state's political system. What feature did he argue was needed for a democracy to flourish?

A strong family unit

John Locke's view on private property influenced which leading capitalist theorist when he wrote The Wealth of Nations?

Adam Smith

One of Machiavelli's motivations for writing The Prince was to offer needed advice on power and leadership in order to bring about Italian unification of the five Italian city-states. Which was NOT one of the five Italian city-states?

Alexandria

Plato underscores the need for philosophical rule by revealing how some opinions are more valuable than others by distinguishing between imagining, believing, and knowledge. He makes this point in Book VII of The Republic in the

Allegory of the cave.

Aristotle lists three types of "Just Constitutions" and three types of "Perverted Constitutions". Which of the following is NOT listed as either as just or perverted constitution by Aristotle?

Anarchy

Plato argues that the human soul consists of these three features that correspond to the ideal society.

Appetites/desires, spirit, and rational

Ancient Greece is considered the cradle of western civilization because it is here that enormous strides were made in the areas of mathematics, science, architecture, and politics. How many years ago did Ancient Greece exist?

Approximately 2,500 years ago

The ________________ refers to the democratic movements that have spread across the Middle East in 2011.

Arab Spring

This Greek philosopher was Plato's student and authored Politics.

Aristotle

Which of the following statements about 18-24 year old voting turnout rates in the 2008 presidential election is true?

As a percentage, young African Americans turned out in higher numbers than Caucasians.

This form of government grants almost all power to an individual leader.

Autocracy

According to Machiavelli, why should a prince seek to be feared, but not hated?

Because hatred puts people in an emotional state and it makes it harder for the prince to control them as they are no longer motivated by self-interest

Machiavelli is considered to be an amoral theorists. Why is he characterized this way?

Because he believes morality should be removed from all political decisions

Why did Socrates refuse to flee his jail cell and his pending execution when offered an opportunity by his jailer?

Because he thought he had an obligation as a citizen to accept his punishment

Why did Machiavelli advise that leaders should create a state religion?

Because religious authority can help fortify the power of the prince

This Roman statesman and philosopher argued for the need to incorporate just laws into the state.

Cicero

Which Roman statesman asserted that it is better for a leader to be loved than feared?

Cicero

Which Roman statesman called for a unity between law and politics so that the political leader is the speaking law and the law a silent magistrate

Cicero

Which Roman statesman compared Aristotle's writing to a river of gold?

Cicero

Which form of political protest used by Socrates includes refusing to obey laws of government in a non-violent way?

Civil disobedience

This ideology advocates for a limited government and for greater individual liberties at the political, social, and economic levels of society. This movement also inspired both the American and French Revolutions.

Classical liberalism

_______________ refer to some of the ways people are categorized (e.g., 18-24 year olds, Catholic, people of color, and so on).

Demographics

Jean-Jacques Rousseau advocated for what type of government?

Direct democracy

Justice _________________ is the most recent member appointed to the United States Supreme Court.

Elena Kagan

Political theorists who are less interested in the way politics "ought" to be and more interested in studying politics as it is actually practiced follow this approach.

Empirical theory

This social and political movement primarily seeks to prevent the further deterioration of our natural resources

Environmentalism

Which of the American Federalist papers highlighted the ill treatment of citizens in ancient Sparta while making the case for individual rights?

Federalist Paper No. 6

This theoretical movement began in earnest in the mid-nineteenth century and called for social, political, economic, and familial equality between men and women.

Feminism

This system flourished in Europe during the middle Ages. It was based on the relationship of lord to vassal and the holding of land in feud

Feudal system

Niccolo Machiavelli was born in which Italian city-state?

Florence

Machiavelli asserted that The Prince can best lead by applying the finest traits associated with these two members of the animal kingdom.

Fox and lion

Which political scientist claimed that politics is the resolution of conflict over "who gets what, when, and how"?

Harold Lasswell

Which of the following statements about Thomas Hobbes is true?

He believed our behavior is largely driven by our urges and desires.

In what manner was Socrates put to death for disobeying the Greek Senate?

He was forced to drink poisonous hemlock.

These early Greek philosophers believed in using rationality rather than mythology to understand the universe.

Ionians

In 2009, this country's Supreme Religious leader's reputation was tarnished when he endorsed the electoral victory of the incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadininejad while thousands took to the streets to protest the integrity of the election.

Iran

Which political theorist stated that "Man is born free, and yet we see him everywhere in chains"?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

He argued for a representative democracy where government possesses limited powers and where the selected representatives make decisions on their behalf.

John Locke

This political theorist authored The Two Treatises of Government and had a major influence on Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

John Locke

This political theorist had a strong influence on Thomas Jefferson when he penned the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

John Locke

______________ are considered social contract thinkers.

John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean Jacques Rousseau

In the realm of international politics, _____________ makes a distinction between "hard" power and "soft" power.

Joseph Nye

His theory believes that all conflict in society occurs because of class conflict that results from capitalism

Karl Marx

This political theorist co-authored the Communist Manifesto and is widely regarded as the father of communism.

Karl Marx

This political strategist in George W. Bush's administration was known by colleagues as the Mayberry Machiavelli.

Karl Rove

Which of the following best describes Machiavelli's economy of violence theory?

Leaders should only use violence when necessary because violence wrongfully implemented could diminish the prince's power.

This political ideology believes that government should not interfere in the economic or social life of people except to provide police and military protection.

Libertarianism

This Florentine statesman ruled Florence during the Italian Renaissance. Machiavelli sought to curry favor with his family when writing The Prince.

Lorenzo De'Medici

This eighteenth century female theorist authored the Vindication of the Rights of Women and argued for equal education and equal rights for women.

Mary Wollstonecraft

John Locke and Adam Smith helped shape this theoretical movement.

Modern liberalism

Martin Luther King was a civil rights leader in the United States during the 1960s. King followed the principle of civil disobedience exemplified by this leader of the Indian Independence movement against Britain.

Mohandas Gandhi

This political system includes a form of government whereby a king or queen holds absolute or limited power, usually inherited.

Monarchy

This system includes sovereign states that are inhabited by people who share political and cultural traditions.

Nation-state system

His book, The Prince is considered a manual for amoral politics.

Niccolo Machiavelli

This political theorist authored A Social Contract and advocated for a direct democracy. He had a major influence on the French Revolution.

Niccolo Machiavelli

This political theorist authored The Prince and argued that power, and not justice, is the key unit of analysis in politics.

Niccolo Machiavelli

This thinker believed that "power" and not "justice" is the most important unit of analysis in politics.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Which Italian political theorist argued in The Prince that power is the key unit of analysis in politics?

Niccolo Machiavelli

Which political theorist authored The Prince?

Niccolo Machiavelli

Which Constitutional amendment made it illegal for any state to deny voting rights on the basis of gender?

Nineteenth Amendment

What type of theory examines the way politics "should" be rather than focusing on the way politics "is"?

Normative theory

This modern country's leader named Kim Jong Il is regarded by some as a ruthless leader because reports indicate that he keeps approximately 200,000 political prisoners in gulags where they are forced to work 12-15 hours per day and because many of these prisoners ultimately die of malnutrition.

North Korea

In Plato's Gradations of Happiness in The Republic and the Human Soul he ranks democracies as the second worst form of government. Which type of political system is ranked lower than democracies by Plato?

One ruled by a tyrant

This political belief holds that war is never justified and that all disputes should be settled peacefully.

Pacifism

John Locke believed in the concept of tabula rasa. What does tabula rasa mean?

People are born with a blank slate and can only know what they learn from their experiences.

This Greek philosopher was a student of Socrates and was the author of The Republic.

Plato

This type of political system is ruled by the wealthy or a group of wealthy people who control or influence the government.

Plutocracy

What is the name of the term used to describe the ancient Greek city-state where inhabitants shared common cultural, political, economic and religious customs?

Polis

What is the process by which citizens develop the values, attitudes, beliefs, and opinions that enable them to support the political system?

Political socialization

This type of law is established and recognized by a governmental authority.

Positive law

__________________ are surveys taken that provide a useful way of showing how different groups view certain political issues.

Public opinion polls

This school of thought in international relations is linked with Machiavelli and Hobbes and emphasizes the furtherance of national interests and military security.

Realism

John Locke advocated for what type of government?

Representative democracy

This system of government describes a government where power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers responsible for making decisions on behalf of the populace.

Republic

Known by some as the American Machiavelli, ____________ argued that presidents must above all else have the political skills to "persuade" the "Washington establishment" and the American public to act on their agenda.

Richard Neustadt

Appointed by former United States President Ronald Reagan, _____________ was the first female member of the U. S. Supreme Court.

Sandra Day O'Connor

Who was the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court?

Sandra Day O'Connor

This type of theory most closely linked with Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau typically provides an observation on human nature, an observation on problems that arise because of a lack of government, and recommends a best form of government.

Social contract theory

Which philosopher was the first to associate the concept of virtue to ethical human behavior?

Socrates

Who was the Greek philosopher sentenced to death by the Greek Senate for corrupting the youth and impiety?

Socrates

This teaching method used in law schools fosters critical thinking by probing the minds of students with questions rather than providing them with answers.

Socratic teaching method

This early Christian thinker created a dualistic vision of the universe that distinguished between the earthly city and the heavenly city when he wrote The City of God. What is the name of this theorist?

St. Augustine

This Christian theorist incorporated theories associated with Aristotle by bridging faith and reason in his classic work Summa Theologiae.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Hobbes advocated for which type of government?

Strong authoritarian government

Which term best describes the pursuit of political aims by means of violence and intimidation?

Terrorism

What widely accepted view was Socrates attempting to debunk?

That might makes right

Plato is credited with founding the first western university. What was the name of this University?

The Academy

This decisive war between the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta led to a humiliating Athenian defeat in 404 BCE.

The Peloponnesian War

Theories associated with Karl Marx had a great influence on

The Russian Revolution.

Thomas Hobbes was heavily influenced by the age in which he lived. What was occurring during his era that influenced his thinking?

The Scientific Revolution

The Declaration of Sentiments is a feminist document created at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 that argued for the equality of women. Which historical document was used as a template for the document?

The U.S. Declaration of Independence

Henry David Thoreau was put in an American prison over his objection to slavery and this declared war.

The War of 1812

In The Republic, Plato argues that the ideal republic and the human soul both comprise three critical parts. Plato links the craftspeople with which part of the human soul?

The appetites/desires

In The Republic, Plato argues that those who excel in the business world should not rule the polis because the skills needed to secure profits do not necessarily translate well to the skills required to lead the republic. Those who excel in business should therefore remain in which societal group?

The craftspeople

Aristotle argues that there are three distinct forms of human communities that natural evolve into more complex social arrangements. What are the three human communities according to Aristotle?

The family unit, the village, the polis (state)

Which of the following is NOT one of Machiavelli's tips on how best to maintain political power?

The prince should be very generous and avoid at all costs a miserly reputation.

Which of the following is NOT one of Machiavelli's tips on how to avoid being hated?

The prince should never use violence.

In The Republic, Plato argues that the ideal republic should take on the characteristic of what human feature?

The soul

In The Republic, Plato argues that the ideal republic and the human soul both comprise three critical parts. Plato links the auxiliaries with which part of the human soul?

The spirit

Which best describes John Locke's view of the precontract state?

The state of nature is largely cooperative and guided by natural laws.

Which term best describes a political system controlled by a particular religious entity?

Theocracy

Those who believe that the universe is in a constant state of random and arbitrary change and can be understood in material terms follow which school of thought?

Theory of becoming

Those who believe that a permanent deeper reality exists beyond our world of appearances follow which school of thought?

Theory of being

Plato offers a dualistic vision of the universe that distinguishes between the world of appearances and the intelligible world. This vision is explained in Plato's

Theory of forms.

Aristotle does not as vigorously advocate for one particular system of government over another. He instead advocates combining different forms of government into one government. This is better known as Aristotle's

Theory of mixed constitutions.

As the Democratic nominee in the 2004 presidential election John Kerry was criticized for being a "flip-flopper" by the Bush campaign because he said that he voted for the war in Iraq before voting against it. Which of Machiavelli's tips on leadership did John Kerry violate?

This made him appear indecisive and irresolute.

This political theorist argued that all human nature is driven by our pursuit of pleasures and an avoidance of pain.

Thomas Hobbes

This political theorist authored The Leviathan and tried to prove the correctness of Machiavelli's view that power and not justice is the key unit of analysis in politics.

Thomas Hobbes

_______________ classic text __________________ sets out to prove the correctness of Machiavelli's contention that power rather than justice is the most important variable in studying politics.

Thomas Hobbes'; The Leviathan

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." This famous quote comes from

Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence.

In The Republic, Plato recounts Socrates' conversation that took place in the home of the sophist Polymarchus. In this conversation which leading sophist argued that justice is simply what is in the best interest of the stronger party?

Thrasymachus

Edmund Burke's belief that government should not attempt to change society, but that government should merely reflect changes that have already taken place in society helped shape this theoretical movement.

Traditional conservatism

Karl Marx borrowed from Hegel's theory of the dialectic. Which best describes Hegel's theory of the dialectic?

Truth evolves out of a long series of opposing forces, referred to as the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.

Which term best describes the political philosophy that believes the purpose of government is to promote the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people?

Utilitarianism

In The Republic, Plato argues that the guardians should rule the republic. Which three traits should a person have before entering into the guardian class?

Wisdom, courage, and restraint

Which statement about voter turn-out rates in the 2008 presidential election is true?

Women and men turned out in equal numbers

Which of the following statements about youth voting behavior is true?

Young women vote in higher percentages than young men.

The term Arab Spring refers to the popular democratic movements against autocratic leaders in the Middle East and Northern African. Which country is NOT typically associated as one of the countries directly impacted by the Arab Spring movement?

Zaire

In 2011, the grassroots revolt against Middle Eastern autocrats, known as the Arab Spring, was inspired by

a 26-year-old Tunisian named Mohammed Bouazizi who set himself on fire to protest political corruption.

Aristotle's theory of forms argues that all living things have a preexisting purpose. To make his point he uses the example of the

acorn and the oak tree.

Aristotle's theory of forms argues that

all living things have a preexisting purpose.

If I believe that all government is evil and that chaos must prevail, I am a(an)

anarchist.

Thomas Hobbes's social contract argued for a(an)

authoritarian system of government where individuals surrender all political power to the government so that government can more efficiently prevent civil unrest and violence.

An economic system in which the means of production, such as land and factories, are privately owned and operated for profit is referred to as

capitalism

The political system under which the economy, property, and major industries is controlled and directed by the state is referred to as

communism.

A political philosophy that tends to support traditional values and advocates change only in moderation is referred to as

conservatism

In The Republic, Plato divides society into three distinctly functioning groups that he believed corresponded to the human soul. He refers to the group of citizens who engage in economic and business activities as the

craftspeople.

The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes is referred to as

feminism.

Nations exert ________________ when they compel other nations to modify their behavior through military and/or economic force.

hard power

An example of a state threatening to cut off economic aid to another state in order to achieve a desired objective is an example of

hard power.

One of the burdens for the affirmative team in policy debate is to convince the judge(s) that a serious problem exists in society. This stock issue in debate is referred to as the

harms and significance.

When a social science researcher makes an educated guess based on previously understood facts, he/she is making a(an)

hypothesis.

John Locke argued that the most important role of government is to protect

individual rights, especially the right to own property.

John Locke endorsed the belief in a(n) ______________ form of government.

limited

A society in which power is wielded by those who deserve it, based on their talents, industry, and success in competition rather than through membership of a certain social class or possession of wealth is referred to as a(an)

meritocracy.

A system of government in which a small group of people exercise control over the masses is referred to as a(an)

oligarchy

A political system that is controlled by a small group of individuals who govern in their own interests is referred to as a(an)

oligarchy.

Aristotle believed that the state is a natural outgrowth of our human development. He, in part, bases this on

our natural desire to procreate and start a family

It is in part because of Plato's warnings against democracy that the word democracy does not appear in the U.S. Constitution. Instead, Madison refers to the American system of government as a(an)

republic.

Ancient political thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle believed that political power

should be applied as a means to the ends of social justice

Greeks philosophers who were doubtful that man can ever truly come to understand our ultimate reality were called

skeptics

When leverage is gained through the sway of diplomatic and cultural persuasion, the state is using

soft power.

Thomas Hobbes argues that life in the precontract state was

solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

Political power can be broadly defined as

the ability to get others to do what they would not do on their own.

Plato argued that only those who have a perfect understanding of everything in the world of appearances and the intelligible world should lead because only these people have reached what he refers to as

the good.

A state or government that is run by priests or clergy is known as a

theocracy

The Islamic Republic of Iran is considered a __________________ because God, acting through a set of religious leaders dictates public policy.

theocracy

Harold Lasswell has defined politics as

who gets what, when, and how.