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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. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






2. Energy or righteous zeal wins large numbers of participants - Nimble in framing issues and changing tactics






3. 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






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






5. 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?






6. The making of collectively binding decisions






7. Force + Legitimacy






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






9. 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.






10. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






11. A government with a one house legislature.






12. 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






13. 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






14. In social movements - rational choice and culture come together - Culture: the sense of a righteous - popular will that has been subverted ('framing'/'grievance') - Motivates collective action - But also determines the choice of organization and tact






15. The organized study of government and politics. It borrows from the related disciplines of history - philosophy - sociology - economics - and law.






16. The set of relationships among parties in a country - Often categorized by the effective number of parties.






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






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






19. Territorial monopoly over the legitimate use of force. Refers to the government + the people + the territory ('the country')






20. Regime where the rulers are accountable to the ruled.






21. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






23. 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






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






25. Think of this as 'gender as cause'. Gender roles change and/or mix of women in politics changes; what is the consequence? Key finding: having more women in public office changes the policy agenda - i.e. - more focus on women's issues






26. 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






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






28. Identities are malleable - and anything can become politicized. Struggles to explain fundamental patterns in political identity or their grasp on our souls. Can't really explain which identities become politicized either






29. Shared sets of meanings






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






31. Basically - density and quality of civil society






32. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






34. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






35. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






36. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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37. 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






38. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






39. 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






40. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






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






43. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






44. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






45. 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






46. 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.






47. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






48. The identities that can become political are those formed very early in life or perhaps vaguely racial/genetic. Struggles to explain (rapid) cultural change - or which identities become politicized






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






50. Public vs. private goods - Non-exclusivity. The owner can't deny access - Inexhaustability. The good is never used up - Jointness of supply. Its existence depends on our combined contribution; truly 'collective' - Free riding. We generally fail to co