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CLEP Political Science

Subjects : clep, political-science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






2. Situation where all fully qualified citizens have an equal say






3. Utility maximization - Preferences: Comparability/Completeness - Transitivity - Probability - Incomplete information and uncertainty about future - Mathematical modeling






4. Compiling a body of data based on direct observation that can be utilized both to explain what has been observed and to form valid generalizations.






5. State of nature (collective action problem) - Hobbes' solution: the social contract






6. Historical origins. Failure of liberalism to address shortcomings of capitalist industrialization; Marx - Central assumption: All persons are of equal value - but they cannot develop themselves alone






7. Process tracing through case studies. Requires a well-developed theory and minute examination ('process tracing')






8. Situation of stability - no party has incentive and ability to undermine the regime (Causes: cultural or economice - or military culture) - (Int'l Factors: U.S. foreign policy - Soviet foreign policy - Changes to Catholic doctrine - EU accession - G






9. An organization that seeks elective office - Currency/instrument: votes






10. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






11. An identity-based community - where the identity is strong enough that we think we should probably be sovereign...






12. Warfare and military technology - Economic: development of trade and manufacturing and new financial/fiscal instruments - Cultural: Enlightenment - (There are also Environmental/geographic factors)






13. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






14. You see a puzzle - You come up with a potential explanation (a 'theory') - You test it with evidence (data drawn from the 5 senses) - You share the results with others and get their feedback - Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you publish






15. The use of force by states or non-state actors to achieve political goals






16. Process or moment of changing from one regime type to another Ex: Arab Springs (Causes: cultural or economice - or military culture) - (int'l factors: U.S. foreign policy - Soviet foreign policy - Changes to Catholic doctrine - EU accession - Globali






17. Basically - density and quality of civil society






18. Public administration (civil service). All (non-military) government workers not elected to their posts - but hired (United States beginning in 1880s)






19. when you must get a minimum percent of votes to have your votes count or (sometimes) to retain your party registration






20. The making of collectively binding decisions






21. A historical exploration of the major contributions to political thought from the ancient Greeks to the contemporary theorists. It also involves the philosophical and speculative consideration of the political world.






22. Number of Parties 2 - Constitutional Review: Parliamentary supremacy - Number of chambers: Unicameral/weak bicameral - Federalism: Unitary






23. A civil war (...) in which one party is the state - the insurgents win - the insurgents have a lot of popular support - and the insurgents implement 'wholesale political change'






24. Shorter-lived - Slightly less repressive - Ideology not so clear - In favor of capitalism - though with state involvement - Based more on Social Darwinism/racism/nationlsm - Conservatism run amok?






25. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






26. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






27. Tactics An organization that seeks to influence government through 'contentious' or 'disruptive' politics - Currency/instrument: show of force - numbers - brinkmanship - Organization A (non-hierarchical) network of organizations and individuals worki






28. Hard to amass resources (money and information) - Short-lived - The dilemma of formalization






29. equality in political decision making: one vote per person - with all votes counted equally






30. Force + Legitimacy






31. A government with a one house legislature.






32. The mathematical formula used to allocate the seats according to the vote - Plurality or 'first-past-the-post' - various PR formulas - such as D'Hondt - largest remainders - St. Lague - etc.






33. A systematic study of the structures of two or more political systems (such as those of Britain and the People's Republic of China) to achieve an understanding of how different societies manage the realities of governing. Also considered are politica






34. Comparative Politics - International Relations - American Politics - (normative) theory or Political Philosophy






35. Ideology An ideology that seeks the active reshaping of minds of individuals and believes this can/must be done by force - Coercive mobilization - No social or political pluralism






36. Analyzing the data that has been collected and offering plausible general principles that can be drawn from what has been observed.






37. Selective incentives - Small group size - Social (solidary) incentives - Homogeneity - Others? Duty and altruism? Love?






38. About agency: we deserve freedom and need to be held meaningfully accountable






39. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






40. A political system controlled by rulers who deny popular participation in government






41. A political organization that primarily uses lobbying - Currency/instrument: money - information - numbers






42. Historical origins. A response to the old feudal order and the rise of modern capitalism - 'The highest good of society [is] the ability of the members of that society to develop their individual capacities to the fullest extent' (p. 26) One of the 3






43. A subset of culture - based on our ability to attach labels to ourselves and others - or to define ourselves in terms of the groups we belong to - Some political examples: Partisan identity - Class identity - Ethnic identity - National identity






44. No or low citizen accountability ('subjects' rather than 'citizens') - Reciprocal relationship between leader and selectorate - Totalitarianism vs. authoritarianism






45. A basic plan that outlines the structure and functions of the national government. Clearly rooted in Western political thought - it sets limits on government and protects both property and individual rights.






46. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






47. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






48. Think of this as gender as outcome; what factors - esp. political ones - lead to changes in gender roles? Key finding: politics does matter - especially who has an organized voice. Formal rules - number/identity of parties - etc.






49. The rules about making the rules - often embodied in a constitution.






50. Utility: self-interest - but what constitutes self-interest? Material self-interest? Economics - Politics. Example: vote maximization - The gospel Failures of rationality - Really incomplete information & satisfaction - Intransitivity and other cogni