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






3. 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






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






5. 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






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






7. 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






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






9. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






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






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






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






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






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






16. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






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






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






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






21. 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






22. A government with a one house legislature.






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. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






26. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






27. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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






29. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






30. 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






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






32. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






33. 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.






34. 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






35. 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






36. Force + Legitimacy






37. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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38. 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






39. 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






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. 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?






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






43. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






44. 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






45. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






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






48. The set of relationships among parties in a country - Often categorized by the effective number of parties.






49. Shared sets of meanings






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