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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. 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






3. 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






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






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






6. 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.






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






8. Concentration vs. dispersal of power


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






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






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






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






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






14. 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






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






16. 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






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






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






19. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






21. The making of collectively binding decisions






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






23. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






24. Basically - density and quality of civil society






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






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






27. 19th - in the United States and Western Europe.






28. Political parties - Interest groups - Social movements






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






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






31. 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






32. 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






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






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






35. Use of method of inference to create generalizeable explanations






36. 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?






37. 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






38. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






39. 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.






40. 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.






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






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






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






44. The opportunity to choose among alternative candidates and positions






45. Efficiency vs. representativeness


46. 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






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






48. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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






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