PSCI EXAM 1

Which political philosopher expressed the sentiment that life in a state of nature would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short?" a. ​Thomas Hobbes b. ​Dwight Eisenhower c. ​James Monroe d. ​John Locke e. ​Karl Marx

a. ​Thomas Hobbes

Although public opinion does not fluctuate erratically, change can occur​ a. ​when different generations with different experiences enter the electorate. b. ​when older voters change their minds collectively on an issue. c. ​when pollsters refine their questions to get the answers they are looking for. d. ​as a result of a presidential state of the union address. e. ​when everyone maintains the same opinion about current topics.

a. ​when different generations with different experiences enter the electorate.

National Sovereignty is defined as a. political entity's externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs. b. ​​a government's ability to effectively manage elections. c. a political entity's ability to engage meaningfully with foreign powers. d. regular peaceful transfer of governmental power. e. separation of power between federal and state governments.

a.political entity's externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs.

​Democratic governments that have in the decades since World War II been, at times, avowedly socialist include a. ​the United States b. Sweden and Germany c. Italy and Poland d. ​Japan e. ​China

b. Sweden and Germany

The text suggests that there are _________ forces that may be pushing authoritarian governments toward democratization. a. ethical b. economic c. philosophical d. moral e. religious

b. economic

The constitutional amendment process requires a. the exercise of judicial review. b. extraordinary majorities. c. the exercise of executive privilege. d. a simple majority. e. unanimity in the proposal phase.

b. extraordinary majorities.

All of the following are principles of procedural democracy except a. government responsiveness to public opinion. b. minority rights. c. political equality. d. universal participation. e. majority or plurality rule.

b. minority rights.

Each citizen having one vote demonstrates a. social equality. b. political equality. c. equality of opportunity. d. a republic. e. mandated freedoms.

b. political equality.

Most democracies give power to a. expatriates. b. representatives. c. business. d. citizens. e. political parties.

b. representatives.

Compared with majoritarian thought, the pluralist model of democracy shifts the focus of democratic decision making from __________ to _________. a. substance; procedures b. the mass electorate; organized groups c. organized groups; the mass electorate d. procedures; substance e. representatives; voters

b. the mass electorate; organized groups

Which document proclaimed, "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not ... expressly delegated to the United States"? a. The Treaty of Lisbon b. John Locke's Second Treatise of Government c. The Articles of Confederation d. The Declaration of Independence e. The Constitution

c. The Articles of Confederation

Under separation of powers, the U.S. system keeps power among branches balanced by enabling one branch to counter the actions of another by the use of a. authority. b. republicanism. c. checks and balances. d. federalism. e. economic manipulation.

c. checks and balances.

The idea that the most important government decisions are made by an identifiable and stable minority that shares certain characteristics -- particularly wealth and business connections -- is called a. oligarchy. b. pluralist theory. c. elite theory. d. the interest group model. e. aristocracy.

c. elite theory.

While majority rule is defined as decision making by 50 percent plus one person, _________ is defined as decision making by most participants. a. acquiescence b. universal participation c. plurality rule d. political equality e. rule by the people

c. plurality rule

After the Constitution was amended to permit the federal government to levy a progressive income tax, government could more effectively further the goal of a. social order. b. minority rights. c. social equality. d. economic freedom. e. redistribution.

c. social equality.

Which amendments were the only ones to limit the activities of individuals? a. the Nineteenth and Twenty-Second Amendments b. the Tenth and Thirteenth Amendments c. the Thirteenth and Eighteenth Amendments d. the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Amendments e. the First and Eighth Amendments

c. the Thirteenth and Eighteenth Amendments

​In America, when the wealthy and the rest of the population have differing policy goals a. ​Social scientists have not studied this question, so it is impossible to say which side will likely prevail. b. ​there is no way to predict which side will win. c. ​the preference of the wealthy will most often prevail. d. ​the preference of "progressive" interest groups normally prevails. e. ​the preference of the majority will most likely prevail.

c. ​the preference of the wealthy will most often prevail.

A confederation can best be described as a. a government without a monarch. b. smaller units of government controlled by a larger government unit. c. a government ruled by a dictator. d. a loose association of independent states. e. a form of socialism.

d. a loose association of independent states.

Hobbes's state of nature refers to a. order without equality. b. government without values. c. regulation without leadership. d. society without government. e. order without conflict.

d. society without government.

An underlying assumption of the text is that perfect freedom and order can never be achieved because a. upper-class citizens do not want parity with lower-class citizens. b. some political officials will always be corrupt or incompetent. c. no government structure is perfectly designed. d. these two values are inherently in conflict and cannot be provided simultaneously. e. these terms refer essentially to the same thing.

d. these two values are inherently in conflict and cannot be provided simultaneously.

To date, all constitutional amendments have been proposed by a. a presidential order. b. a majority vote in both the House and the Senate. c. a judicial decree. d. two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate. e. a national convention.

d. two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.

The desire to avoid potential foreign prosecution of its soldiers and the desire to continue practicing the death penalty led the United States in 2002 to a. withdraw from NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). b. cease making scheduled contributions to the U.N. Security Council. c. pull troops out of Afghanistan. d. withdraw from the 1998 treaty creating an International Criminal Court. e. cancel its membership in the United Nations.

d. withdraw from the 1998 treaty creating an International Criminal Court.

The value of using political concepts in understanding government is that they​ a. ​demonstrate the problems with socialism or communism. b. ​enable focus on very specific details of government action. c. ​inherently support the values of capitalism and democracy. d. ​provide for a broader view than looking at specific events. e. ​actually have no meaning, so they allow the government to do whatever it wants.

d. ​provide for a broader view than looking at specific events.

Supporters of the Constitution named themselves a. Sons of Liberty. b. Antifederalists. c. Democrats. d. Republicans. e. Federalists.

e. Federalists.

Thomas Hobbes's ideal form of government was a. democratic socialism. b. a representative democracy. c. the absence of any strong central authority. d. a global council of world leaders. e. a single ruler with unquestioned authority.

e. a single ruler with unquestioned authority.

An important problem with the procedural view of democracy is that it can clash with​ a. ​democratic government. b. ​voting rights. c. ​political parties. d. ​the majoritarian view. e. ​minority rights.

e. ​minority rights.

Most governments at least claim to __________ while they maintain order.​ a. ​redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor b. ​protect social norms c. ​preserve equality d. ​provide access to all citizens e. ​preserve individual freedom

e. ​preserve individual freedom

Shays's Rebellion was ultimately defeated by​ a. ​the U.S. military, called into action by the Confederation Congress. b. ​a group of citizens who self-organized to combat the threat from the rebels. c. ​the weather, when rebels were not prepared for the winter. d. ​a mercenary force recruited by the central government, because American soldiers would not fire on other Americans. e. ​the Massachusetts militia.

e. ​the Massachusetts militia.

The _________ was a governing document that failed because it did not provide an effective means for the government to raise money, it did not include an independent leader to direct the government, and it did not give the government the power to regulate commerce. a. Magna Carta b. Articles of Confederation c. Constitution d. Declaration of Independence e. Reform Treaty

b. Articles of Confederation

A popular election is the primary mechanism for democratic government in which model? a. integrated model b. procedural democracy c. majoritarian model d. pluralist model e. substantive democracy

c. majoritarian model