Deck 7: Parliamentary Democracy: Pros and Cons of Perishable Governments

Question 1

France's 1958 Constitution granted all of these powers to the president EXCEPT

A) dissolveing the legislature and calling for new elections.
B) issuing decrees having the force of law.
C) calling a national referendum on virtually any matter of choice.
D) appointing and dismissing the prime minister and members of the cabinet.
E) approving all proposed laws.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Who serves as Britain's Head of State?

A) The Prime Minister
B) The President
C) The Queen
D) The House of Lords
E) The House of Commons

Answer 2

C

Question 3

France's first three tries at a republican government ended in a dictatorship.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Unlike that of France and Britain, the upper house of the German legislative branch is more powerful than the lower house.

Question 5

A British Prime Minister's job depends solely on his/her ability to maintain the economy.

Question 6

With the numerous parties and proportional representation in Europe, few governments are run by a majority, so most settle for a coalition form of government.

Question 7

The British prime minister serves definite and limited terms of office like the American president.

Question 8

The United States Congress and the British Parliament both have the sole authority to enact legislation without interference from any other government body.

Question 9

The German federal system has stronger regional government than the United States, as the Länder have more
power and receive a larger portion of taxes than American states.

Question 10

Except for a brief period in the early 1990s, Japan has been ruled in the postwar era by the Liberal Democratic
Party.

Question 11

In Britain, the prime minister is the head of government and chief of state.

Question 12

Japan has successfully blended Western political forms and Japanese political culture.

Question 13

France has more political parties, representing a wider range of interests, than the United States.

Question 14

The democratic system in Israel guarantees full civil liberties to all citizens.

Question 15

What makes Britain a model of what Aristotle called a mixed regime?

A) It combines a queen and a prime minister.
B) It is based on a constitution.
C) It places legislative power in the hands of the House of Lords.
D) It includes different branches of government that represent different classes.
E) It gives parliament the power to oust the prime minister.

Question 16

The U.S. Congress and British Parliament both have all of these powers in common EXCEPT the ability to

A) pass or defeat legislation.
B) confirm new cabinet members.
C) bring down the executive office with a vote of no confidence.
D) play an oversight role.
E) levy taxes. control budgets.

Question 17

To join the European Union, what must a country prove?

A) That it is financially solvent
B) That it disavows terrorism
C) That it will contribute to a common defense
D) That it rejects communism
E) That it supports free elections

Question 18

It is possible for the House of Lords to thwart legislation passed in the House of Commons.

Question 19

The victory of Hamas in 2006 Palestinian elections made relations between Israel and Palestine better.

Question 20

Japan is a perfect example of what Aristotle would call a "mixed regime."

Question 21

What element of the Israeli and British parliamentary systems distinguishes them from most other parliamentary democracies?

A) A dual executive
B) The lack of a written constitution
C) A mixed regime
D) The existence of a loyal opposition
E) The enforcement of strict party discipline

Question 22

Which country adopted a new constitution and parliamentary system of government, as part of a post World War II agreement?

A) India
B) Israel
C) Japan
D) Germany
E) France

Question 23

In Germany, who is considered the most important government official?

A) Chancellor
B) President
C) Prime minister
D) Executive commander
E) Premier

Question 24

What played a key role in shaping France's postwar foreign policy?

A) President Charles de Gaulle's disdain for -- and distrust of -- the special relationship between the U.S. and the UK.
B) The nation's singular focus on stimulating foreign investment.
C) The country's concern about the prospect of global warfare.
D) President Charles de Gaulle's desire to strengthen relations with the U.S., UK, and Germany.
E) France's fears of a massive, global economic recession.

Question 25

With 70 percent of its 1.1 billion population still living in small villages, which of the following is the best description of India today?

A) Urban society in a rural pattern
B) Rural society in a postindustrial world
C) Rural society in an urban world
D) Country mentality in an industrial world
E) Urban world occupying a rural society

Question 26

Unlike U.S. Senators and Representatives, what key power does the U.S. President possess?

A) Rule of law
B) National popular mandate
C) Judicial review
D) Control of the bureaucracy
E) Constitutional mandate

Question 27

Which of the following is a good example of representative democracy at its best?

A) Germany's Bundestag
B) Israel's Knessett
C) India's Lok Sabha
D) France's Fifth Republic
E) Britain's Question Time

Question 28

What is the term used for the protracted Palestinian uprising against the Israelis?

A) Junta
B) Jihad
C) Intifada
D) Patricide
E) Khett

Question 29

What is the main difference between the U.S. and U.K. judicial systems?

A) The power of U.S. judges to uphold or strike down legislatve or executive actions
B) The power of British judges to uphold or strike down Parliament's decisions
C) The role of British judges to safeguard civil liberties
D) The focus in the U.S. on a common law system
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 30

In Japan, is the head of state, but only the can make laws.

A) prime minister; emperor
B) emperor; prime minister
C) Diet; prime minister
D) Diet; emperor
E) emperor; Diet

Question 31

What have the recent histories of France, Germany, and Japan clearly demonstrated?

A) Constitutional democracy is highly adaptable.
B) Democracy will flourish whenever a country is economically prosperous.
C) Strong executives lead to weak judiciaries.
D) Some states have authoritarian political cultures that preclude democracy.
E) Any government that can alleviate poverty is, by definition, good government.

Question 32

Which statement about India is FALSE?

A) Half of all Indian women are illiterate.
B) India's population is expected to surpass that of China in the next decade or so.
C) Many people have no written documents to prove their identity.
D) Ethnic and religious clashes continue to plague the country.
E) Most of India's people live in cities.

Question 33

Before resigning under pressure, who served as Britain's prime minister for longer than anyone else in the twentieth century?

A) Tony Blair
B) Winston Churchill
C) Neville Chamberlain
D) Margaret Thatcher
E) Gordon Brown

Question 34

What peace treaty was brokered by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to end the war between Israel and Egypt?

A) Meiji Restoration
B) Peace of Washington
C) Knesset Armistice
D) Camp David Accords
E) Israeli Concord

Question 35

The two German legislative units are the Bundestag and the .

A) Bundesderg
B) Leänder
C) Chancellery
D) Bundesrat
E) Löader