Deck 1: Five Principles of Politics

Question 1

The goal of politics, as it involves government, is to have a say in what government does, what its policies will be, who will carry out those policies, and the like.In other words, the goal is synonymous with:

A) deliberation.
B) power and influence.
C) participation.
D) governance.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

If the populace has some direct role in political decision making, the government is most likely:

A) pluralistic.
B) capitalist.
C) autocratic.
D) democratic.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Autocracy can best be defined as rule by:

A) all.
B) many.
C) one.
D) few.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Efforts to gain power, influence those in power, bring new people to power, or throw current leaders out are forms of:

A) interest-group bargaining.
B) pluralism.
C) politics.
D) democracy.

Question 5

An elected school board and a superintendent who together create, vote upon, and administer district-wide policies for a large public school system, and the combined branches of the federal government are similar in that they constitute ____________.

A) governments
B) bureaucracies
C) power
D) order

Question 6

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, formed after the country's 1979 revolution, is an odd beast.A core of religious clerics, including a supreme leader, have the ultimate authority there.However, following the revolution, compromise between different factions led religious leaders to allow some elections.Today, citizens there still elect legislative and executive officials, although the clerical rulers decide who can run.The Iranian government would thus seem to hew closest to this type:

A) plutocratic.
B) authoritarian.
C) participator.
D) totalitarian.

Question 7

When a small group of landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants controls most of the governing decisions, the government is said to be a(n):

A) theocracy.
B) meritocracy.
C) oligarchy.
D) autocracy.

Question 8

English philosopher Thomas Hobbes suggested that life outside of a society with government would be "nasty, brutish, and short" and filled with continual fear because:

A) potential criminals are only restrained by organized violence; that is, law enforcement.
B) civil wars will quickly develop in any place, under anarchic conditions.
C) no organized prevention of violence and disorder exists under anarchy.
D) autocratic leaders will, in places where governments do not exist, inevitably rise to power and kill anyone who stands in their way.

Question 9

Limitations on the actions of monarchs in European countries first came into being with the advent of a social class, the _____________ (French for "free people of the city"), whose name later came to be synonymous with "middle class."

A) proletariat
B) moyenne
C) bourgeoisie
D) plebians

Question 10

The United States was the first country in the world founded mainly by people of the:

A) bourgeoisie class, or people involved in commerce and industry.
B) the aristocracy, or the people most respected and admired within a society.
C) towns, or urban areas, as opposed to people living in rural areas.
D) ordinary subjects of the British crown, who had virtually no power in the colonies before the Revolutionary War.

Question 11

In American democracy, most citizens rarely dwell-or ever have to dwell, you could say-on the minutiae of domestic public policy proposals or analysis of international concerns because they:

A) delegate decisions to representatives, who worry about such matters instead.
B) are specialists, rather than generalists, as it concerns government or policy issues.
C) are less trusting of government now, according to surveys, and thus see no need to pay attention.
D) are less concerned with policy and issues than seeing their representatives share their ethnic and racial identification, or be of the same gender or religion.

Question 12

The relationship between a representative and his or her constituents, in which constituents essentially "hire" the representative to act on their behalf is known as a(n):

A) master-slave dilemma.
B) employee-employer dichotomy.
C) collective action problem.
D) principal-agent relationship.

Question 13

Americans participate in government in many ways, including lobbying, volunteering for campaigns, and protesting, but most do so primarily through:

A) gathering in assemblies, such as town halls.
B) participation in social media discussions.
C) writing or calling their representatives in Congress about important issues.
D) voting for representatives.

Question 14

A good that may be enjoyed by anyone, if provided, and that may not be denied to anyone once it has been provided is called a(n):

A) public good.
B) private good.
C) common good.
D) universal good.

Question 15

In modern democracies, the process of having people select leaders to make policy decisions on their behalf is known as __________.

A) representation
B) governance
C) politics
D) constitutionalism

Question 16

Political scientists would most accurately classify a governing system that recognizes no formal limits on its power, and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it, as:

A) autocratic.
B) authoritarian.
C) dictatorial.
D) totalitarian.

Question 17

The key to securing the sort of representation that one wants in government, as a citizen, is __________.

A) a working principle-agent relationship
B) rooting out corruption
C) deliberation with other citizens
D) participation

Question 18

In recent years, Americans have named government as the nation's top problem in surveys, edging out policy issues related to the economy and national security.Many have suggested that their more specific complaint with American government is its perceived inability to get things done.This suggests that many people in the United States see a problem with its:

A) constitution.
B) socialist or authoritarian tendencies.
C) power.
D) governance.

Question 19

A system of rule that allows citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the selection of key public officials, is called:

A) democratic.
B) oligarchic.
C) pluralistic.
D) deliberative.

Question 20

The national government of the United States is a ______________ one, in that it has specific limits on what it can control, and how it can exercise such control.

A) procedurally limited
B) substantively limited
C) constitutional
D) constrained

Question 21

Despite Americans' ability to vote for many top officials, some critics assert that monied interests in campaign finance have come to outweigh the voice of the people in the country's governance and policymaking.In so doing, they suggest that the United States is:

A) a flawed republic.
B) an autocracy.
C) an oligarchy.
D) an aristocracy.

Question 22

Over time, governments in Europe and America came to find that allowing more people to take part in government had a practical benefit in that it encouraged:

A) middle class people, rather than aristocrats, to handle the drudgery involved in governance.
B) more people to pay taxes, and serve in national militaries.
C) more efficient, as well as more effective, governance.
D) collaboration and cooperation among different social and economic classes.

Question 23

In the 1990s, the North African country Somalia was effectively without an effective central government, as they were in the middle of a civil war.Most people there were forced to turn to traditional religious authorities or "warlord" controllers of certain fiefdoms for public goods such as defense, sanitation, and education.At the time, Somalia was considered ___________.

A) a nonsovereign state
B) a failed state
C) a kleptocracy
D) an autocracy

Question 24

In the newly independent country of Gratuito, revolutionary leaders hold tight to a dream of providing the world with a model of how a society with little to no taxation and government-outside of that for national defense-can work well.They urge citizens to contribute time, money, and effort into making this dream a reality.After a few years, however, the country has a formidable military, but poor maintenance and inadequate updating of water and sewer systems, road and bridge closures, and public parks full of litter and decaying facilities.What the country has a problem with, it appears, is ______________.

A) free riding by citizens
B) complete anarchy
C) an excess of public goods
D) maintenance of safety and order

Question 25

While advocating representative government, the United States' Founders were like their social peers in Europe in that they generally were not advocates of:

A) letting elected parliaments take more power away from monarchs and aristocracies.
B) the expansion of participation in government, or democracy.
C) individual freedoms and rights for anyone, outside of voting rights.
D) cooperation with other groups, including the aristocratic class, as a means of achieving political goals.

Question 26

When large numbers of people have some influence over government decision making, the government is said to be constitutional.

Question 27

In an American future, the president decides, when facing military predictions of a coming conflict with China, that it is time to take power for herself.Expressing contempt for Congress, the courts, and the media, the president justifies the action on national security grounds.With these powers, the president's executive orders will now be considered supreme law, with Congress consulted on an as-needed basis.This president could be said to be leading a type of government known as _________________.

A) a republic
B) a flawed democracy
C) a totalitarian government
D) an autocracy

Question 28

An Eastern European country was under communist control until 1989, when it seemingly successfully turned to democracy.An influx of immigrants from the Middle East into other European countries has, however, created a backlash there more recently, leading to the election of a nationalist president who promised to close the country's borders to Islamic people.Once in office, he keeps his promise.He also cancels future elections.Meanwhile, he beefs up the state's police and intelligence agencies, arrests and jails critics, declares dissident groups illegal, and asks citizens to report any instance of antigovernment activity they hear about.Far from being democratic, the country's government is now a classic example of _____________ system.

A) an oligarchic
B) a totalitarian
C) an authoritarian
D) an unconstitutional

Question 29

A nation where all political authority is vested in a single individual has a totalitarian government.

Question 30

Yasmin has recorded a pop song that's sure to be a hit.Her backers agree and think individuals in her country-largely impoverished, and still recovering from a brutal civil war-will play her song for years to come.She dreams of having her song become an international hit.To this end, Yasmin and her backers apply for a copyright with the country's government.She and her producers soon learn, however, that performers in nearby cities have directly copied her song and sold it as their own work.She responds by calling upon authorities to enforce her copyright, but they do nothing, and her dream of success quickly slips out of reach.What is the problem here?

A) free riding by other musicians
B) The country's government has failed to enforce Yasmin's claim of ownership over her work.
C) Her song is not a public good, and, as such, protection of her claim of ownership claim is of a low priority for the country's government.
D) A lack of democracy in her country, given that democratic governments are always more efficient and effective, and enforce claims of ownership

Question 31

While Alicia, an African American woman in her early thirties, has rarely found herself upset with her longtime congressional representative, a 62-year-old white man, she believes that a woman closer to her age might have given more attention to issues such as abortion and the cost of child care.Alicia thinks having a black woman as her representative would be even more ideal, since the official would then be more likely to care about continued discrimination.As mentioned above, Alicia can be said to see potential in ________________ representation.

A) descriptive
B) proscriptive
C) agency
D) identity

Question 32

Until the modern era, representative democracies were virtually unheard of in human history, with possible exceptions seen only in ancient Athens and several other Ancient Greek city-states.

Question 33

Beginning in the seventeenth century, people associated with commerce and industry began trying to gain power in Europe through_________________.

A) control of parliaments, or legislative assemblies
B) economic expansion
C) advocating democracy and civil liberties
D) lobbying parliaments for the expansion of voting rights

Question 34

U.S.Representative Cóndora is facing a dilemma.The freshman House member is under pressure from defense contractors, who helped finance his campaign, to support a new defense spending bill, one that many critics decry as wasteful.Meanwhile, a survey shows that a bare majority of district voters oppose the bill.The same survey shows, however, that a similar percentage would support a slightly pared-down bill.Overwhelming district majorities, meanwhile, support immigration and health-care reform measures that leaders in Cóndora's party have promised to back, in return for defense bill support. If it is taken as a given that effective representation requires supporting what a majority wants, but that Cóndora must have financial, party, and voter support for reelection, what would be the representative's best option in dealing with the defense bill?

A) Vote for the defense bill as is, since district voters more clearly see immigration and health-care reform as higher priorities
B) Vote against the defense bill, since even a bare majority of voters is still a majority, and is deserving of respect
C) Vote for the defense bill, while calling for portions of it to be reconsidered later, and discussing future options with contractors and party leaders
D) Abstain from voting on the defense bill, since this is clearly a no-win situation

Question 35

For well over a decade now, U.S.Senator Marquess has publicly supported immigration reform.In so doing, she has reflected majority views in her state, as shown in many surveys.Now, it appears, a big push is coming from the White House and congressional leaders to get a reform bill through.The senator finds what she is hearing from her constituents bewildering, however.Most appear to strongly support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants now in the United States.Another majority, however, including many against a path to citizenship, seems to see building a wall on the Mexican border as being most important.Constituents, meanwhile, appear divided over hiring more border patrol officers, minimizing family-linked migration, and whether to expand or decrease the number of work visa holders. Marquess wants to do what majorities in her state want, but faces a basic dilemma of representative democracy in doing so.That dilemma is best described as:

A) a failure of careful citizen deliberation about issues, which can lead to confusion.
B) a tendency among representatives to shield constituents from the costs of public goods.
C) representation and good governance getting in each other's way.
D) the fact that sometimes, representatives cannot find a course of action that is clearly consistent with majority rule.

Question 36

In a constitutional government with representative democracy, where the lines of governmental control are clearly drawn and citizens can participate, even exceptionally influential interests cannot be sheltered from effective governance.

Question 37

Without engaging in anything legally recognized as corruption, an elected representative helps enact a policy that a majority of his or her constituents strongly oppose, but that the representative's party supports.What does this suggest about the relationship between representatives and the people who delegate them to act in their place?

A) It can create tension, since voters will not necessarily get what they want when delegating authority to one person.
B) Corruption is inevitable, and will tarnish the relationship.
C) Voters cannot hold representatives accountable.
D) Representative democracy is doomed to repeated failures and inefficiency.

Question 38

In the political science office, professors must send any budget requests through a secretary if they want a department chair or the administration to see them.The secretary can quietly support a particular professor's work and priorities.Consequently, professors who try to influence the secretary can be said to be engaged in politics, since it is about "who gets what, when, and how." What makes the university office politics different than the sort studied by political scientists?

A) It involves only a small group of people, not a larger population.
B) It does not involve conflicts over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.
C) The use of power and influence within the department is rarely consequential, whereas it definitely can be in larger societies.
D) It cannot involve violence and physical conflict.

Question 39

Brianna, a liberal feminist, does not completely disagree with friends in her district who say that it might be better to have a woman serving as their congressional representative.All the same, she finds a bit of rare common political ground with her conservative partner, Zach, in thinking that it is ultimately more important for a representative to do what a district's majority wants.Brianna could, consequently, be said to see more potential in _____________ representation.

A) traditional
B) agency
C) direct
D) principle

Question 40

A local (say, city or county) council does not constitute a government.

Question 41

According to research, members of Congress vote against the opinions of a majority of their constituents just under 50 percent of the time.

Question 42

In your opinion, how much further could you or should you promote civic participation in American politics? Would giving citizens more of a say in governance through Internet communications, including social media or message boards, help government regain citizen trust?

Question 43

Even in the most clearly representative democracies, there may sometimes be no course of action consistent with majority rule.

Question 44

Discuss the limitations of representative democracy in terms of principal-agent problems and transaction costs.

Question 45

Governments differ in terms of who rules and what limits exist on governmental power.Describe the main forms of government and the constraints on government.

Question 46

Agency representation hinges on the idea that individuals can be confident in government decisions if lawmakers share their own racial or ethnic, gender, or religious identification.

Question 47

Why can it be difficult for political actors who share a common interest to agree to cooperate?

Question 48

The conflicts and struggles over the leadership, structure, and policies of government are called politics.

Question 49

When a small group of individuals controls most of the governing decisions, a government is said to be an oligarchy.

Question 50

Free riders are, by definition, people who receive government benefits without paying much, if anything, in taxes.

Question 51

The United States was the first country in the modern world whose Founders mostly came from outside the bourgeois class.

Question 52

The North Korean government is a modern example of a totalitarian regime.

Question 53

A public good is any service provided by the government.

Question 54

The United States is a representative democracy.

Question 55

Explain the alternatives to constitutional democracy.

Question 56

English philosopher Thomas Hobbes asserted that anarchy is preferable to the potential tyranny of government.

Question 57

What historical developments helped create modern democratic government?

Question 58

Governments that are generally unrestrained by law but in which other political or social institutions keep leaders in check are called authoritarian governments.