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






2. Efficiency vs. representativeness


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






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






5. 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






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






7. 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






8. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






10. 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






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






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






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






14. 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






15. 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.






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






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






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






19. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






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






22. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






23. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






25. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






26. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






27. 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.






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






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






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






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






32. 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)






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






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






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






36. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






37. 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






38. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






39. 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






40. 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






41. 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






42. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






44. 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






45. Force + Legitimacy






46. 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'






47. 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






48. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






49. 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






50. 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