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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. 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






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






3. The making of collectively binding decisions






4. 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






5. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






6. 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.






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






8. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






10. Shared sets of meanings






11. 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






12. 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






13. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






14. 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






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






16. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






17. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






18. 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'






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






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






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






22. 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






23. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






24. 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






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






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






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






28. 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.






29. 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)






30. A government with a one house legislature.






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






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






33. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






36. 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






37. 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






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






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






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






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






42. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


43. Force + Legitimacy






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






45. 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






46. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






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






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






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






50. 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.