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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. 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






2. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






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






6. 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






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






8. 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)






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






10. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






11. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






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






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






15. 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






16. Efficiency vs. representativeness


17. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






18. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






19. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






20. 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.






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






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






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






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






25. 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.






26. 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.






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






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






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






30. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






31. 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






32. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






33. 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






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






35. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






36. 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






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. 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






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






40. 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.






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






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






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






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






45. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






46. 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






47. 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






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






49. 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






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