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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. Political violence by non-state actors against civilian targets






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






3. 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.






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






5. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






7. 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.






8. 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.






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






10. 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






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






12. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






13. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






14. Shared sets of meanings






15. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






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






18. 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






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






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






21. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






23. 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






24. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






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






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






28. 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






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






30. A government with a one house legislature.






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






32. 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






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






35. 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






36. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






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






39. 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






40. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






41. 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






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






43. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






45. 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






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






47. Efficiency vs. representativeness


48. 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






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






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