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






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






3. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






4. 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






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






6. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






8. 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






9. 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






10. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






12. 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.






13. 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






14. 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






15. 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






16. 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






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






18. Shared sets of meanings






19. 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






20. 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






21. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






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






24. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






26. 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






27. 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






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






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






30. 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






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






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






33. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






35. Basically - density and quality of civil society






36. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






37. Efficiency vs. representativeness


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






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






40. 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)






41. 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






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






43. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






44. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






46. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






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






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






50. The making of collectively binding decisions