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






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






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






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






5. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






6. 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?






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






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






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






10. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






12. 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






13. 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






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






15. 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.






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






17. 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






18. 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)






19. Basically - density and quality of civil society






20. 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






21. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






22. 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






23. 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.






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






25. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






26. 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






27. 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






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






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






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






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






32. 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






33. 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






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






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






36. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






37. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






39. 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






40. Shared sets of meanings






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






42. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






43. 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






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






45. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






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






48. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






50. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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