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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. Situation where all fully qualified citizens have an equal say






2. 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.






3. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






4. A government with a one house legislature.






5. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


6. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






7. Efficiency vs. representativeness


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






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






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






11. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






12. 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






13. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






14. 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






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






16. 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.






17. 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






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






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






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






21. 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






22. 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.






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






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






25. All voluntary associations/all secondary associations






26. 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






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






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






29. 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






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






31. 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






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






33. 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






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






35. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






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






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






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






40. 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'






41. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






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






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






44. 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






45. 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?






46. 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






47. 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






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






49. 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






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