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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. 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






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






3. 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






4. 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






5. 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






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






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






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






9. 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.






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






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






12. 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






13. 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






14. Basically - density and quality of civil society






15. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






16. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






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






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






20. 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.






21. 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






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






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






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






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






26. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






27. 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.






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






29. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






30. 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.






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






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






33. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






36. 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)






37. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






39. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






41. 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






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






43. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






45. 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






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






47. 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.






48. 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?






49. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






50. Shared sets of meanings