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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. 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






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






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






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






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. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






7. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






9. 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






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






11. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






13. The making of collectively binding decisions






14. 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






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






16. 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






17. 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






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






19. 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?






20. A government with a one house legislature.






21. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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






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






24. Shared sets of meanings






25. 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






26. 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.






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






28. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






29. 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)






30. 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






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






32. 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.






33. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






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






36. 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






37. 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.






38. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. 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






46. 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






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






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






49. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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