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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. Political violence by non-state actors against civilian targets






2. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






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






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






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






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






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






8. Long-lived - Extreme lack of social pluralism - Well-defined ideology - Against capitalism - Based on Marxist arguments about class solidarity - economic determinism - Socialism run amok?






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






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






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






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






13. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






14. The making of collectively binding decisions






15. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






16. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






18. 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






19. Basically - density and quality of civil society






20. 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






21. 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






22. 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






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. 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.






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






26. 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






27. 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.






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






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






30. 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






31. (Voluntary) allocation (production and distribution) of goods and services






32. 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






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






34. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






35. A government with a one house legislature.






36. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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37. 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






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






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






40. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






42. 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?






43. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






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






46. Force + Legitimacy






47. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






48. 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






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






50. 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)