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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. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






2. 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






3. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


4. A government with a one house legislature.






5. Shared sets of meanings






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






7. 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'






8. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






9. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






10. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






13. 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.






14. 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?






15. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






16. 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






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






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






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






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






21. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. 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






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






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






33. 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.






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






35. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






37. 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)






38. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






39. 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.






40. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






42. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






43. Basically - density and quality of civil society






44. 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






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






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






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






48. 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.






49. 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






50. 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.