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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. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






2. Shared sets of meanings






3. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






6. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






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






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






10. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






12. 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






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






14. 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.






15. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






16. 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






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






19. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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






21. 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.






22. 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






23. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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. 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.






36. 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






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






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






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






40. 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






41. 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






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






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. 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?






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






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






47. A government with a one house legislature.






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






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






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