Deck 14: Politics

Question 1

In Canada there is a strong tendency for people to vote for parties based on their own class location.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Public opinion refers to the values and attitudes of the adult population as a whole.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Barbara Ann Scott was Canada's only female prime minister from June to October 1993.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Power is illegitimate when people regard its use as morally correct or justified.

Question 5

Voters on the right favour a reduced role for government in the economy.Such voters want to see a smaller welfare state and emphasize the importance of individual initiative in promoting economic growth.

Question 6

Traditional authority is found in modern societies where respect for the law is manifest.

Question 7

When power is widely diffused, we can speak of pluralist theory.

Question 8

Canadians are increasingly turning to unconventional means of expressing political action.

Question 9

The Bloc Québécois provides us with a confirmation of state-centred theory.

Question 10

Having an illiterate populace is a social precondition of democracy.

Question 11

International terror attacks around the world have been decreasing since 2003.

Question 12

John Porter's classic work The Vertical Mosaic was a critique of elite theory.

Question 13

In authoritarian societies, citizen control of the state is sharply restricted.

Question 14

Charismatic figures sometimes emerge during political revolution.

Question 15

A social movement is a collective attempt to change all or part of the social order.

Question 16

A landmark in decentralization and regionalization took place in 1959.In that year, Quebec and the federal government agreed that a provincial or territorial government not wanting to participate in a federal program could receive federal funds to set up its own laws and programs.

Question 17

The largest wave of democracy began in the mid-1970s with the downfall of military dictatorships in Portugal and Greece.

Question 18

The U.S.-Iraq war is responsible for the most deaths from warfare in the past two decades.

Question 19

According to C.Wright Mills, connections between elites create what Marx called a "ruling class."

Question 20

Power is the ability to control others, even against their will.

Question 21

In spite of opposition from universities across the province, a collective movement of students is able to secure a tuition freeze for five years.What would sociologists argue the group of students has been able to demonstrate?

A)power
B)control
C)authority
D)leverage

Question 22

In general, what has the state-centred theory contributed to sociologists' understandings of political power?

A)that democratic politics is about compromise and the accommodation of group interests
B)that despite compromise and accommodation, power is concentrated among high-status groups in society
C)that despite the concentration of power in society, shifts in the distribution of power do occur
D)that despite the influence of the distribution of power on political life, the state exerts a powerful independent influence

Question 23

Which of the following elements of civil society specializes in keeping a close watch on the activities of politicians and the state and informing the public about their activities?

A)interest groups
B)lobbies
C)mass media
D)social movements

Question 24

North Korea is a nation that strives to regulate all aspects of the citizenry's public and private life.What type of society does North Korea exemplify?

A)a totalitarian society
B)a dictatorship
C)a democracy
D)an authoritarian society

Question 25

Which model is likely to be viewed as problematic when people turn away from broad social values and society becomes fragmented?

A)the state-centred model
B)the elite model
C)the pluralist model
D)the power resource model

Question 26

How does the textbook define authority?

A)coercive power
B)tacit power
C)cooperative power
D)legitimate power

Question 27

Which of the following is a precondition of liberal democracy?

A)postindustrialism
B)urbanization
C)economic equality
D)technological innovation

Question 28

According to the textbook, what is the problem with most of the world's democracies that results in them being less than "genuine democracies"?

A)elections are most often "rigged" in other nations
B)elections often have only one candidate for people to "freely" choose
C)legal protection of rights and freedoms for large classes of people is still missing
D)legal elections are still far from the norm; most democratic elections are held covertly

Question 29

Leonard believes that public policy in Canada is influenced by shifts in power, and the balance in power between people of different classes, ethnicities, and regions.Which theory does he subscribe to?

A)elite theory
B)pluralist theory
C)state-centred theory
D)power resource theory

Question 30

What does elite theory claim with regard to political participation?

A)The poor are the most cynical and apathetic.
B)The middle class have the highest political participation.
C)The rich do not care about political participation.
D)Political participation is spread fairly evenly through the classes.

Question 31

On a global basis, approximately what percentage of wartime deaths do civilians account for?

A)20 percent
B)35 percent
C)75 percent
D)90 percent

Question 32

In a recent opinion poll, almost 90 percent of Canadians stated that they wanted governments to set concrete targets and timelines for poverty reduction in Canada.Despite this finding, politicians continue to prioritize other issues.What does the textbook say about this phenomenon?

A)People are more concerned with issues that directly impact them.
B)Politicians will say whatever they need to, to get elected.
C)There is a disconnect between Canadian priorities and Canadian politics.
D)Canadians are finally beginning to bring their politics and their priorities together.

Question 33

In Marxist terms, what do we call the self-aware, cohesive group of people who are led by corporate executives and whose primary actions are to support capitalism?

A)the influentials
B)the ruling class
C)the sovereign class
D)the political dominants

Question 34

When considering its basic form, what is the most fundamental characterization of power?

A)legitimate authority
B)influence
C)force
D)potency

Question 35

The Council of Canadians and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives have worked on several campaigns to gain political support for issues like a guaranteed annual income for Canadians and poverty reduction strategies.What kind of group are these organizations?

A)lobbies
B)social conscience groups
C)public opinion groups
D)social movements

Question 36

Even though Mimi is not a supervisor, she is able to overcome the resistance of her co-workers to a new way of getting the work done and forces them to do it her way.Which of the following does Mimi have?

A)authority
B)leverage
C)social control
D)power

Question 37

In general, what has the pluralist theory contributed to sociologists' understandings of political power?

A)that democratic politics is about compromise and the accommodation of group interests
B)that despite compromise and accommodation, power is concentrated among high-status groups in society
C)that despite the concentration of power in society, shifts in the distribution of power do occur
D)that despite the influence of the distribution of power on political life, the state exerts a powerful independent influence

Question 38

According to the textbook, which of the following is an outcome of the ways that the Canadian state has structured its policies and laws?

A)regional divisions
B)class conflict
C)ethnic divisions
D)religious conflicts

Question 39

Which theory examines how the state influences and structures political life?

A)state elite theory
B)state pluralist theory
C)state organizational theory
D)state-centred theory

Question 40

What type of war was the battle about slavery between citizens of the northern and southern United States from 1861 to 1865?

A)an imperialist war
B)a colonial war
C)a post-imperial conflict
D)a civil war

Question 41

What type of authority is associated with tribal and feudal societies?

A)individual authority
B)traditional authority
C)legal-rational authority
D)charismatic authority

Question 42

Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi, considered by many as India's founding father, was the spiritual and political leader for Indian people through the first decades of the twentieth century.What type of leadership did he characterize?

A)legal-rational authority
B)charismatic authority
C)traditional authority
D)socio-political authority

Question 43

According to the textbook, which of the following factors appear to prevent war on a nation's own soil?

A)economic development and democratic government
B)socialist government and economic growth
C)economic stability and communist government
D)authoritarian government and economic stability

Question 44

What do we call groups that seek to influence politicians through their members' votes, organizing skills, and campaign contributions?

A)voluntary organizations
B)lobbies
C)political parties
D)social movements

Question 45

Gillian's sociology professor tells her class that she had studied under the sociologist who created the theory that suggests the power elite occupy the top of the power pyramid in the United States.Who was Gillian's professor's professor?

A)Talcott Parsons
B)Robert Merton
C)Wright Mills
D)John Porter

Question 46

Which of the following is a claim that instrumental Marxists make?

A)People in the lower classes are more likely to vote.
B)Voter turnout is dependent on region.
C)Big business is dependent on the state.
D)The state is controlled by the business elite.

Question 47

What do we call the institution that specializes in exercising power and authority over the citizenry of a nation?

A)the authoritarian command apparatus
B)civil society
C)the coercive socio-political system
D)the state

Question 48

As of 2011, approximately what percentage of Members of Parliament and provincial and territorial members of legislative assemblies were women?

A)45 percent
B)35 percent
C)25 percent
D)15 percent

Question 49

Why are Canadians turning to unorthodox ways of influencing politics?

A)because there is a separation between public priorities and political will
B)because they are increasingly weary of elections
C)because the wait is viewed as too long between elections
D)because direct action and protest are becoming increasingly popular

Question 50

William Wallace, the thirteenth-century Scottish warrior, led an army to rebel against the occupation of Scotland by England.According to the textbook, how would we classify his actions?

A)as political upheaval
B)as political terrorism
C)as political revolution
D)as political skirmishing

Question 51

What type of group is the Bloc Québécois?

A)a social movement
B)a political party
C)an interest group
D)a lobby

Question 52

How is democracy viewed when a nation's military is also a powerful political force?

A)precarious and merely formal
B)strong due to military support
C)well-organized but weak
D)strongly constitutionally reformed

Question 53

Inga lives in a nation that holds a federal election every five years and is fully supportive of its citizens' rights through its constitution and charter of rights and freedoms.What kind of nation does Inga live in?

A)a formal democracy
B)an informal democracy
C)a liberal democracy
D)a socialist democracy

Question 54

In general, what has the power resource theory contributed to sociologists' understandings of political power?

A)that democratic politics is about compromise and the accommodation of group interests
B)that despite compromise and accommodation, power is concentrated among high-status groups in society
C)that despite the concentration of power in society, shifts in the distribution of power do occur
D)that despite the influence of the distribution of power on political life, the state exerts a powerful independent influence

Question 55

In modern societies, authority is derived from respect for the law.Laws specify how a person can legitimately achieve positions of command and accomplish tasks.If a person achieves political office by following societal laws, what type of authority does he or she have?

A)individual authority
B)traditional authority
C)legal-rational authority
D)charismatic authority

Question 56

According to the textbook, what is civil society?

A)It is the structure of the government in society.
B)It is the maintenance of social order by threat.
C)It is the private, non-state sphere of social life.
D)It is the manners and civility of citizens.

Question 57

Which of the following is a major dynamic in contemporary Canadian politics?

A)ethnicity
B)gender
C)region
D)class

Question 58

According to the textbook, why might terrorism be a viable option for some groups?

A)because some groups lack alternative means for meeting political or economic goals
B)because wars increasingly rely on sophisticated technology unavailable to some groups
C)because terrorism is a more effective means of meeting political goals
D)because it is the preferred way of meeting political goals sanctioned by many religions

Question 59

Which of the following characterizes governments that are intermediate between democracy and autocracy?

A)They are generally wealthier.
B)They are less influenced by economic factors.
C)They tend to be religiously uniform.
D)They are more unstable and likely to collapse.

Question 60

According to which of the following models is political power widely dispersed across many competing interest groups?

A)the pluralist model
B)the elite model
C)the power resource model
D)the state-centred model

Question 61

A father tells his nine-year-old daughter that she is unable to leave her room for the rest of the day because she misbehaved.She immediately leaves her room anyway and the father returns her to her room and locks the door.What is the father demonstrating in this situation?

A)parental authority
B)social control
C)corporal punishment
D)force

Question 62

Why do structural Marxists argue that the state acts as an arm of capitalism?

A)because of the social origins of elite government officials
B)because of the ties government officials have with business elites
C)because political parties rely upon big business for financial support
D)because the state is constrained in its actions by the nature of capitalism

Question 63

Which theory argues that the distribution of power changes very little, if at all, over time?

A)pluralist theory
B)elite theory
C)state-centred theory
D)power resource theory

Question 64

The Canadian military dictates rules that govern every aspect of soldiers' lives, including the ability to try, convict, and punish them for breaking military rules.Which of the following refers to the military's ability to enforce their rules, outside of the Canadian justice system?

A)authority
B)leverage
C)power
D)traditional authority

Question 65

What was the basis of the resistance to democracy exhibited by "the dinosaur" of Robert Brym's Russian trip?

A)prejudice against Western values and beliefs
B)a fear of modernization
C)the equation of democratic freedom with greed and inequality
D)the belief that Russians would be unable to overcome earlier values associated with communism

Question 66

What was U.S.President Abraham Lincoln referring to with his famous phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people"?

A)democracy
B)oligarchy
C)autocracy
D)monarchy

Question 67

What do we call power that is viewed as legitimate and justified, and that is institutionalized in politics, religion, and law?

A)force
B)control
C)influence
D)authority

Question 68

What do we call the ability to achieve one's goals despite opposition from others?

A)authority
B)power
C)influence
D)social control

Question 69

According to elite theory, which of the following is a characteristic of the power elite?

A)They do not interact with one another outside of the political sphere.
B)They have opposing interests on both social and economic issues.
C)They have similar backgrounds and interests.
D)They strongly dislike one another, leading to a great number of conflicts.

Question 70

Today, the vast majority of deaths from war occur in which of the following groups?

A)civilians
B)bomb squads
C)air force personnel
D)secretive "special ops" squads

Question 71

According to the textbook, what is the term for collective attempts to change all or part of the social order?

A)social movements
B)social revolutions
C)civil disobedience
D)totalitarian uprising

Question 72

In Canada, people use an electoral process to determine a leader.What type of society does Canada exemplify?

A)a totalitarian society
B)a dictatorship
C)a democracy
D)an authoritarian society

Question 73

Which of the following most exemplifies the regional dynamic in Canadian politics?

A)the Conservative Party
B)the Bloc Québécois
C)the Green Party
D)the Liberal Party

Question 74

When the populace recognizes the right of rulers to rule, what does power become?

A)influence
B)authority
C)social control
D)approval

Question 75

Which of the following is an important precondition that must be met to create a stable democratic society?

A)well-organized economic elites
B)substantial international trade
C)powerful working and middle classes
D)well-organized bureaucracies

Question 76

What type of war was the American War of Independence against British rule?

A)an imperialist war
B)a colonial war
C)a post-imperial conflict
D)a civil war

Question 77

According to the textbook, what proportion of single Canadians under the age of 25 live below the poverty line?

A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)two-thirds

Question 78

Jorge lives in a nation that holds regular competitive elections; however, he is part of a group that is still fighting for constitutional protection of many citizens' rights.What kind of nation does Jorge live in?

A)a formal democracy
B)an informal democracy
C)an electoral democracy
D)a state-centred democracy

Question 79

What type of political organization competes for control of the government in regular elections and puts forth policy alternatives?

A)a political party
B)a lobby
C)a political revolution
D)an interest group

Question 80

What do we call violent armed conflict between politically distinct groups who fight to protect or increase control of a territory?

A)conquest
B)war
C)political opposition
D)genocide