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






2. 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.






3. 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






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






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






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






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






8. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






9. Shared sets of meanings






10. 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






11. 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






12. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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13. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






15. 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.






16. 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






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






18. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






20. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






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






22. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






24. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






26. 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.






27. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






29. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






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






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






33. 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






34. 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)






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






36. 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






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






38. 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






39. 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






40. 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






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






42. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






45. 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






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






47. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






48. 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.






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






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