POS 2001: Chapter 11 Authoritarianism and Democratization
Managed accountability provides which of these benefits to authoritarian regimes?
It provides citizens with some sense of input or political choice.
In which way does Iran's theocratic form of authoritarianism help sustain it?
Many Iranian people believe that their rulers have a divine mandate.
Which of these is an example of conditionality?
The European Union promises $1 billion in humanitarian aid if a dictatorship holds competitive elections.
The Arab Spring most clearly demonstrated which of these points?
The failure of one authoritarian regime can lead to regime change in other countries.
Suppose a political scientist argues that a country with a military dictatorship has a hybrid regime. Which of these is most likely to be the evidence that this claim is based on?
The country holds competitive elections for certain local government positions.
A realist would oppose efforts by the United States to push a military regime into holding free and fair elections because realists __________.
emphasize the pitfalls of political engineering
Military regimes typically have a shorter life span than other authoritarian regimes because __________.
military leaders are rarely equipped to handle broad political and social issues
Suppose a political scientist points out that today's most democratic regimes emerged at strikingly different stages of economic development. This person most likely rejects __________.
modernization theory
Which authoritarian form typically maintains control by creating the most massive organizational structure?
one-party regime
Which of these would most likely argue that U.S. efforts to promote democracy in the developing world are a cover for promoting capitalism in a way that benefits the United States more than the democratizing nation?
a socialist
An authoritarian regime is most likely to lose power because of __________.
defeat by political rivals from within the country
Modern liberals and neoconservatives agree that __________.
democracy is superior to authoritarianism
According to the rational-material story, leaders of the Arab Spring hoped above all that democracy would bring __________.
economic benefits to more of the population
The leaders of an authoritarian regime are least likely to worry about losing power because of __________.
economic sanctions imposed by an international institution
Which of these statements by a pro-democracy leader of the Arab Spring would provide the best evidence for an ideational explanation of the Arab Spring uprisings?
"Everyone deserves to live in a free and democratic nation."
What advantage does a military dictatorship have over other types of dictatorships?
A military dictatorship eliminates the need for a secondary security force.
Which of these is a piece of evidence that could be used to support modernization theory?
An authoritarian regime in a country experiencing steady economic growth allows the citizens of small villages to choose their own mayors democratically.
The evolution of hybrid regimes demonstrates which of these points?
Authoritarian regimes recognize the ideological pull of democracy.
What do authoritarian and democratic regimes have in common?
Both have difficulty maintaining stability over time when the country is poor.
Which statement makes a cultural argument that China is unlikely to democratize?
China has a collectivist rather than an individualistic culture.
Which of the following is a liberal argument against the United States adopting policies intended to spread democracy abroad?
Democratization works best when it is the result of internal pressures and led by a home-grown movement.
A country undergoing a double transition faces which of these challenges?
Newly-elected leaders may be reluctant to privatize industries because of concerns about the resulting unemployment.
Why do one-party regimes often have an easier time than other authoritarian forms maintaining control over a country?
Political parties tend to extend their influence more deeply into society than other authoritarian forms.
Which of these titles would fit most neatly within the rational-material approach to political explanation?
The Political Economy of Democratization in the Middle East
Suppose a pro-democracy movement succeeds in forcing a dictator to resign, and the country holds its first competitive elections in decades. Which statement describes the most likely challenge the leaders of the pro-democracy movement face?
They must ensure that people who were once jailed as political prisoners believe that the country has changed so that they will participate in the elections without fear.
Which of these people has a set of foreign policy beliefs that most closely resembles those of President Woodrow Wilson?
a neoconservative military policy analyst
An institutional approach to explaining the fall of a one-party regime and the rise of a democratic government in its place begins by looking for __________.
a disintegration of the former ruling regime's ability to engage in effective policymaking
Excluding members of the old regime from participating in the new democratic system may hinder the process of democratization because __________.
a functioning democracy requires tolerance of the opposition
A study that compared the post-communist transition of Eastern Europe and Central Asia with the Arab Spring would be taking a(n) __________ approach.
cross-case
According to the ideational story, the outbreak of the Arab Spring is most likely to result in the development of a pro-democracy movement in a country with a(n) __________.
culture that recognizes individual rights
Suppose a neoconservative says, "The Arab Spring shows that all peoples have come to yearn for freedom and self-determination." This statement contributes to a(n) __________ explanation of the Arab Spring.
ideational
A far-left liberal is most likely to oppose promoting democracy in a theocratic state because it is wrong to __________.
impose your values on another nation
A political scientist committed to the institutional approach to political explanation would expect to find a connection between the rise of pro-democracy movements and __________.
organizational bases of local mobilization like unions or religious associations
Suppose a policymaker argues against expanding the United States' nation-building capacities by pointing out the obstacles to social engineering. That policymaker is most likely a __________.
realist
Monarchies differ from military dictatorships because monarchies __________.
rely more on loyalty derived from family connections than on direct organizational control
Modernization theory suggests that if the United States had not invaded Iraq in 2003, and if Iraq had experienced sustained economic growth, Iraq would eventually have __________.
replaced Saddam Hussein with elected leaders
A neoconservative would most likely support which of these policies?
sending troops to overthrow a dictator who poses a threat to the security of the region
An authoritarian government's greatest challenge is __________.
setting up an organization capable of maintaining control over the population
Suppose the communist government in Country X has just been replaced by a multiparty democratic system with competitive elections. A double transition would occur within Country X if __________.
the newly-elected leadership pushed the country quickly toward a fully free-market system
Authoritarian regimes have difficulty preventing corruption because __________.
their justice systems are rarely fair or effective
