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






2. A consideration of how nations interact with each other within the frameworks of law - diplomacy - and international organizations such as the United Nations.






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






4. 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






5. 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.






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






7. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






8. 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






9. 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






10. Force + Legitimacy






11. 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






12. 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.






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






14. 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






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






16. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






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






19. 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






20. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






22. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






23. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






24. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






25. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






26. America's two ideologies (Liberal and Conservative) are two versions of classic liberalism






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






28. 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'






29. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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






31. Political violence by non-state actors against civilian targets






32. A consciously derived - coherent set of beliefs that offers a comprehensive political program






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






34. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






36. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






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






39. 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






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






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






42. Historical origins. A reaction to liberalism - Central assumption: 'The highest good of society [is] the maintenance of ordered community and of common values' (p. 28) One of the 3 big idealogies






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






44. Number of Parties 2 - Constitutional Review: Judicial Review - Number of chambers: bicameral - Federalism: Federal






45. 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






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






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






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






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