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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 - density and quality of civil society






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






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






4. 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.






5. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






6. 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.






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






8. 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






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






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






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






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






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






14. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






15. 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)






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






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






18. 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






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






20. 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






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






22. 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






23. 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?






24. Monarchies - Single-party regimes - Military regimes - Oligarchies - Theocracies - Personalistic regimes






25. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






27. 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






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






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






30. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






31. Shared sets of meanings






32. 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






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






34. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






35. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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36. 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.






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






38. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






40. 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






41. 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.






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






43. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






44. 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






45. 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






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






47. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






48. Ideology An ideology that seeks the active reshaping of minds of individuals and believes this can/must be done by force - Coercive mobilization - No social or political pluralism






49. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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