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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. 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






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






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






4. 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






5. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






7. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






8. 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






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






10. 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.






11. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






13. 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






14. 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)






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






16. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






18. 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.






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






20. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






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






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






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






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






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. 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






28. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






29. 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.






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






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






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






33. A government with a one house legislature.






34. 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






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






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






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






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






39. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






40. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






41. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






43. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






45. 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






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






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






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






49. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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