Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






3. A government with a one house legislature.






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






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






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






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






8. Force + Legitimacy






9. The making of collectively binding decisions






10. 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






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






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






13. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






14. 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






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






16. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






17. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






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






19. 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






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






21. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






22. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






23. 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






24. 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






25. Shared sets of meanings






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






27. 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






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






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






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. 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






32. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






33. 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)






34. 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






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






36. 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






37. 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.






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






39. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






40. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






41. 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






42. 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?






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






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






45. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






48. 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'






49. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






50. Basically - density and quality of civil society






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests