Deck 9: Voting and Democracy

Question 1

Mill argues that class legislation on the part of a numerical majority is a significant danger to a representative democracy.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Mill argues that a representative democracy where "majority rules" will always disenfranchise the minority.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Mill argues that any minority left out gives power not to the majority but to another minority.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Mill advocated and actively campaigned for women's suffrage.

Question 5

Mill supports literacy testing before one is given the right to vote.

Question 6

Lomasky and Brennan argue that citizens have a duty to vote.

Question 7

Lomasky and Brennan agree with the claim that if you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain about what elected officials do.

Question 8

The editors of Harvard Law Review argue that the right to vote implies the right not to vote.

Question 9

The editors of Harvard Law Review argue against compulsory voting laws on the grounds that such laws would dilute the median level of political knowledge and sophistication among voters.

Question 10

The editors of Harvard Law Review support compulsory voting laws.

Question 11

What does Mill identify as a danger to democracy?

A) Low grade intelligence in the representative body
B) Illegal immigrants
C) Voter fraud
D) All of the above

Question 12

Mill argues for universal voting rights. What class of persons does he exclude?

A) Persons who cannot read, write or perform the common operations of arithmetic.
B) Persons who pay no taxes.
C) Persons on welfare
D) All of the above

Question 13

Which of the following is not an argument considered and rejected by Lomasky and Brennan

A) Argument from Prudence
B) Argument from Beneficence
C) Argument from Expressive Ethics
D) Argument from Act Utilitarianism

Question 14

On what grounds do Lomasky and Brennan reject the consequentialist case for a duty to vote?

A) It assumes, incorrectly, that voters are informed voters.
B) It hinges on the claim that there are matters of huge moment at stake.
C) It is based on a biased understanding of the nature of representative democracy.
D) All of the above

Question 15

What do Lomasky and Brennan say about generalized nonvoting?

A) Even if the argument was sound, it still would not follow that one should vote.
B) The most the argument could show is that informed voters have a duty to vote.
C) The argument is not valid, and there fails to establish the claim that there is a duty to vote.
D) All of the above

Question 16

"If you don't bother to vote, then you don't have any right to complain afterward about what the government does!" This statement is an illustration of which argument?

A) Argument from Act Utilitarianism
B) Argument from Expressive Ethics
C) Argument from Generalization
D) Argument from Prudence

Question 17

Which of the following best represents the position endorsed by the editors of Harvard Law Review?

A) They argue specifically that Mill's literacy requirement is inherently racist.
B) They argue contrary to Lomasky and Brennan that citizens have a duty to vote.
C) They argue for compulsory voting laws.
D) They argue that only those who pay taxes should be eligible to vote.

Question 18

The editors of Harvard Law Review note that democratic government is a pubic good, and as such it is subject to this problem.

A) The Free Rider Problem
B) The Problem of Discrimination
C) The Problem of Unequal Representation
D) The Tyranny of the Majority

Question 19

What advantages of compulsory voter laws do the editors of Harvard Law Review cite?

A) Such laws would lead to higher voter turnout.
B) Such laws would reduce the role of money in politics.
C) Such laws would increase political awareness and engagement.
D) All of the above

Question 20

Which of the following is an objection considered by the editors of Harvard Law review to their argument for compulsory voting laws?

A) Such laws would violate the First Amendment.
B) Such laws would violate individual liberty.
C) Such laws would worsen political outcomes by bringing in a pool of uninformed voters.
D) All of the above

Question 21

Mill argues that only those to possess basic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic should be given the right to vote. Do you agree?

Question 22

Mill argues that those who pay no taxes and those who are on welfare should not be permitted to vote. On what grounds does he advance this claim? Do you agree or disagree?

Question 23

Mill argues that when one is voting, one should base one's vote on the common good and not on one's own self-interest. Do you think it's wrong to vote on the basis of self-interest?

Question 24

Lomasky and Brennan argue that there is no duty to vote. How do they argue for this conclusion? Do you agree or disagree? Why, if they are right, is the supposition that we have a duty to vote, so pervasive in society today?

Question 25

"If you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain about what the government does." Do you agree or disagree with this claim? What do Lomasky and Brennan say about this claim?

Question 26

The editors of Harvard Law Review support compulsory voting laws. Do you agree or disagree with this claim?