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CLEP Political Science

Subjects : clep, political-science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • Match each statement with the correct term.
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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. The use of force by states or non-state actors to achieve political goals






3. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






4. 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






5. 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.






6. 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.






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






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






9. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






10. A government with a one house legislature.






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






12. 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'






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






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






16. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






19. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






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






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. 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






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






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






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






27. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






28. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






30. 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






31. 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






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






33. 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






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






35. 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.






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






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






38. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






39. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






41. 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.






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






43. Shared sets of meanings






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






45. 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






46. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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






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






49. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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