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






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






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






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






5. 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






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






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






8. 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






9. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






10. 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.






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






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






13. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






14. 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






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






16. 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.






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






18. 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.






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






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






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






22. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






23. 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






24. A government with a one house legislature.






25. 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






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






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






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






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






30. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






31. 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






32. 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






33. 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






34. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






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






38. 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






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






40. Shared sets of meanings






41. 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.






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






43. 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






44. 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






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






46. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






48. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






49. 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






50. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy