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CLEP Political Science

Subjects : clep, political-science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • Match each statement with the correct term.
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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 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






2. 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






3. 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






4. 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)






5. A civil war (...) in which one party is the state - the insurgents win - the insurgents have a lot of popular support - and the insurgents implement 'wholesale political change'






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






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






8. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






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






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






12. 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.






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






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






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






16. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






19. 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.






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






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






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






23. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






25. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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26. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






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






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






30. 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.






31. 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






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






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






34. 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






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






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






37. 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






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






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






40. 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






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






42. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






44. 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






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






46. 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






47. 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






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






49. 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






50. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions