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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. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






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






4. 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.






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






6. Shared sets of meanings






7. 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






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






9. 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






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






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






12. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






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






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






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






16. 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.






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






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






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






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






22. Monarchies - Single-party regimes - Military regimes - Oligarchies - Theocracies - Personalistic regimes






23. 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






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






25. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






26. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






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






28. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






29. 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






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






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






32. Basically - density and quality of civil society






33. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






34. 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






35. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






36. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






38. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






40. 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






41. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






43. 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






44. Efficiency vs. representativeness


45. 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






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






47. 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






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






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






50. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy