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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. Regime where the rulers are accountable to the ruled.






2. Shared sets of meanings






3. 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






4. 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






5. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






6. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






8. 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






9. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


10. 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






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






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






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






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. 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






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






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






18. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






19. 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






20. 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






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






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






23. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






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






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






27. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






28. 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)






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






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






31. 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.






32. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






33. 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






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






35. 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?






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






37. Force + Legitimacy






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






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






40. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






41. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






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






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






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






45. 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.






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






47. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






49. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






50. 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