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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. Basically - synonymous for statistical method - Large numbers of observational data - 'Control' for confounding factors






2. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






4. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






5. 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.






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






7. 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






8. A formal document that sets up the basic rules of the political game






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






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






11. it works better in the long run - less risk/variability






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






13. 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






14. 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






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






16. Individual rationality does not always lead to collective rationality - Walking on the grass - Policy implementation is problematic - Voting; protests; interest groups; etc. are underprovided (Olson's point)






17. Force + Legitimacy






18. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






19. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






20. 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






21. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






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






24. 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






25. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






26. 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'






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






28. A non-meritocratic system in which jobs and contracts are distributed according to partisan support - (The U.S. 'spoils system' of the 19th century')






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






30. 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.






31. 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






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






33. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






34. Describes the principal characteristics of what has been studied.






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






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






37. Shared sets of meanings






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






39. 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






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






41. 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






42. 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






43. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






45. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






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






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






50. 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