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






2. 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.






3. 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






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






5. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






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






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






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. Political violence by non-state actors against civilian targets






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






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






13. 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






14. A government with a one house legislature.






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






16. 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






17. 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






18. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






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






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






21. 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






22. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






23. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






24. 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






25. 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.






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






27. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






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






30. 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.






31. 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






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






33. 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?






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






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






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






37. Force + Legitimacy






38. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






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






41. 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






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






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






44. Basically - density and quality of civil society






45. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






46. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






48. 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






49. Shared sets of meanings






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