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






2. Concentration vs. dispersal of power

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


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






4. 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






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






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






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






8. Also known as interpersonal trust & tolerance






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






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






11. 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?






12. 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.






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






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






15. Any identity that significantly shapes our political decisions






16. 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






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






18. 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






19. monopoly over the legitimate use of force






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






21. Hypotheses based on what has been observed.






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






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






24. A government with a one house legislature.






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






26. how many seats are allotted to each electoral district






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






28. 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






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






30. 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






31. Process or moment of changing from one regime type to another Ex: Arab Springs (Causes: cultural or economice - or military culture) - (int'l factors: U.S. foreign policy - Soviet foreign policy - Changes to Catholic doctrine - EU accession - Globali






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






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






34. 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






35. 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






36. 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






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






38. 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'






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






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






41. Think of this as gender as outcome; what factors - esp. political ones - lead to changes in gender roles? Key finding: politics does matter - especially who has an organized voice. Formal rules - number/identity of parties - etc.






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






43. Charismatic - Rational-legal - Traditional/patrimonial






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






45. 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






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






47. 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






48. 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






49. Traditionally measured as capacity and autonomy






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