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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 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'






2. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






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






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






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






7. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






8. Shared sets of meanings






9. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






11. 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






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






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






14. 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






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






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






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






18. 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






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






20. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






21. 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.






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






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






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






25. 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






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






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






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






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






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






31. 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






32. 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






33. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






34. Efficiency vs. representativeness

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35. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






36. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






38. 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.






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






40. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

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41. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






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






44. The mathematical formula used to allocate the seats according to the vote - Plurality or 'first-past-the-post' - various PR formulas - such as D'Hondt - largest remainders - St. Lague - etc.






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






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






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






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






49. 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






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






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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