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






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






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






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






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






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






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






8. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






9. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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. Process or moment of changing from one regime type to another Ex: Arab Springs (Causes: cultural or economice - or military culture) - (int'l factors: U.S. foreign policy - Soviet foreign policy - Changes to Catholic doctrine - EU accession - Globali






13. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






15. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






16. 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.






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






18. 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






19. Shared sets of meanings






20. 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






21. Force + Legitimacy






22. 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






23. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






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






26. A government with a one house legislature.






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






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






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






30. 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?






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






32. 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






33. 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)






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






35. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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






37. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






38. 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.






39. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






40. 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






41. 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






42. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






44. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






45. 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






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






47. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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48. 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.






49. 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






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