Deck 16: Politics in Iran by He Chehabi and Arang Keshavarzian

Question 1

A negative effect of multiple centers of power in Iran's international affairs is that

A)foreign policy negotiators cannot always deliver on their promises.
B)administrative pluralism has little opportunity to take hold.
C)it results in a consistently harsh policy toward other countries.
D)it interferes with the collection of oil revenues.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The only difference between Shi'ite Muslims and Sunni Muslims is that Shi'ites believe

A)in the supremacy of the secular state.
B)that only descendants of the Prophet Mohammed are his rightful successors.
C)that Ali was their 3^rd Caliph.
D)that other religions such as Christianity have no relationship to Islam.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Following Khomeini's death,the Islamic Republican Party split into many different factions.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Which of the following was a major reason why the reform movement in Iran stalled in 2004?

A)There was popular rejection of the clerics who were pursuing reform.
B)There was an uprising among industrialists who felt they would not benefit from reform.
C)The Council of Guardians disallowed 2,000 of the reform candidates.
D)There was squabbling among reform-minded leaders.

Question 5

In Iran,citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech,association,and safety of person,but usually with the qualification that

A)they cannot cry "fire" in a crowded theater.
B)they are not allowed to libel or slander others.
C)any demonstrations must be peaceful and well-organized.
D)their activities are "within the criteria of Islam."

Question 6

Between 1906 and 1979,stable political parties did not develop in Iran because

A)competitive elections were rare.
B)no party seemed capable of gaining a majority for rule.
C)parties were banned by the government.
D)voters kept changing their party affiliation.

Question 7

The president of Iran is selected by the Expediency Council.

Question 8

While political socialization occurs primarily through state-controlled institutions like the education system and the military,

A)religion and religious practice play a surprisingly divisive role.
B)families and social groups are not usually forums for discussion.
C)counter-revolutionary movements thrive in the universities.
D)citizens generally avoid political topics in Iranian neighborhoods.

Question 9

One of the difficulties that the state encounters in trying to unify citizens around religion is that

A)Iran previously had a history of separation of church and state.
B)religious observances vary by local and neighborhood customs.
C)the state has been able to monopolize the symbols and interpretations of religious belief.
D)religious scholars are not allowed to debate the tenets of religion.

Question 10

A positive effect of multiple centers of power in Iran's domestic affairs is that

A)everyone is allowed a say in the decisions of government.
B)the government can act as a "power broker" among interests.
C)it prevents centralized state control and totalitarianism.
D)elected officials have more power than they would otherwise have.

Question 11

The modern Iranian polity enjoys considerable historical legitimacy among its citizens because

A)there is general satisfaction with the application of Islamic law to social life.
B)university graduates have many opportunities for jobs when they finish their training.
C)the clerics have worked hard to please a majority of citizens in making the laws.
D)Iran's borders and statehood were not a legacy of European colonialism.

Question 12

Ayatollah Khomeini was the leader who led a popular revolution in Iran in 1979.

Question 13

Iranian history differs significantly from the history of other nations in the region because

A)it was only recently that religion played a part in Iran's development.
B)its oil reserves were only discovered in the early 1970s.
C)it's a relatively young country.
D)it was never formally colonized by the European powers.

Question 14

The Expediency Council enforces the laws through indirect and direct means.

Question 15

The leader sets overall state policy and appoints half the Council of Guardians and members of the Expediency Council.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a factor that limits the Majles's legislative power?

A)Its legislation cannot contravene the Constitution of Iran.
B)It is a unicameral legislature that is elected by universal suffrage.
C)Its policies are limited by unelected specialized bodies.
D)Its laws are subject to veto by the Council of Guardians.

Question 17

The ouster of elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953,and his replacement by Shah Mohammed-Rezi Pahlavi,were carried out by

A)Iranian business interests.
B)a coalition of religious leaders and farmers.
C)regional leaders and women's groups.
D)the United States and Great Britain.

Question 18

Which of the following describes the relationship between shari'a law and state laws in Iran?

A)The state's laws are totally separate from the shari'a law.
B)The shari'a law is unknowable to man,and therefore impossible to apply to the state's laws.
C)The state's laws are grounded in the shari'a law.
D)The state's laws are considered to be heretical according to shari'a law.

Question 19

Iran's war with Iraq that began in 1980 had the political effect of

A)allowing the Islamists to consolidate their power.
B)turning the population against the state due to the loss of life.
C)creating a dearth of male leaders,as over one million died in the war.
D)deterring Iran from interfering in the foreign affairs of other countries.

Question 20

Iran is a rentier state because of its massive oil revenues.As a result,Iranians expect the state

A)to raise taxes more frequently than the leaders in other countries.
B)to charge citizens who receive public housing.
C)to police the activities of its citizens very closely.
D)to provide welfare programs.

Question 21

Iran's support for Hezbollah and anti-western policies have led to increased isolationism.

Question 22

One of the tangible achievements of the Iranian state has been its ability to meet the needs of the educated upper-middle class.

Question 23

As women's rights have improved in Iran,women are now seen as equal to men.

Question 24

Examples of non-associational social groups include Bazaari merchants,war veterans,families of martyrs,and citizens disabled in the Iran-Iraq war.

Question 25

The Guardian Council used its power to disqualify many Presidential candidates in the 2013 election.