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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. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






3. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






5. 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






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






7. Efficiency vs. representativeness


8. 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






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






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






12. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


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






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






15. The making of collectively binding decisions






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. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






18. 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






19. 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






20. 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






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






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






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






24. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






25. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






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






28. 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






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






30. 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






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






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






33. 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






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






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






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






37. 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.






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






39. Basically - density and quality of civil society






40. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






42. 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?






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






44. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






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






48. 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)






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






50. 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