Deck 15: Governments of the World

Question 1

What are four major lessons about governments? How are these lessons evident in the history or contemporary organization of specific governments today?

Answer 1

The four main lessons about government are: governments reflect their history, governments are evolving, autocracies are more likely to change than long-standing democracies, and changes in autocracies occur from within as much as from without. The fact that governments reflect their history is found in the lessons of the French, where the strong government reflects its unstable history. Governments evolving can be seen in France, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia, who all do not have the same government they did fifty years ago. The former Soviet Union's relatively easy change demonstrates that autocracies are easier to change than democracies. The changes in Mexico and the former Soviet Union represent the fact that changes in autocracies occur from within and without.

Question 2

The Saudi government is an autocracy based largely on:

A) fascist dictatorships.
B) the U.S. Constitution.
C) Communist ideology.
D) Islamic principles.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

U.S. support for what country has created unrest throughout the Middle East?

A) Saudi Arabia.
B) Iraq.
C) Israel.
D) Iran.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Nigeria was of particular interest to Great Britain because of its:

A) slave trade.
B) gold resources.
C) spice trade.
D) trade routes.

Question 5

King Fahd set up a Majlis Al-Shura, or:

A) parliament.
B) military advisory panel.
C) congress.
D) consultative council.

Question 6

The executive branch of the French government has:

A) one leader.
B) three leaders.
C) two leaders.
D) a ruling committee for leadership.

Question 7

In 1991, a group of Communist leaders attempted a coup to:

A) stop the breakup of the USSR.
B) return the Czar to power.
C) create a reformed communist state in Russia.
D) divide the Russian Soviet Republic into three independent states.

Question 8

In 1932, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was created by:

A) Ibn Saud.
B) a democratic election.
C) King Faisal.
D) Prince Fahd.

Question 9

What are the key features of the government of China? How does Chinese governmental history differ from Western governmental history? Is there evidence that the Chinese government may change?

Question 10

What was not one of the benefits of the British influence in Nigeria?

A) The creation of a government with both legislative and executive branches.
B) The establishment of rules based on common law.
C) It spurred the creation of political parties.
D) A system with very limited local governments.

Question 11

Saudi Arabia is a:

A) republic.
B) democracy.
C) monarchy.
D) representative democracy.

Question 12

What is the Russian Federation? How is power divided in the Russian government?

Question 13

What are current troublesome social and economic conditions that may dash the hopes of peace? Why is it unlikely that these conditions will not result in war?

Question 14

The president of the Russian Federation is:

A) appointed by the Duma for a ten-year term.
B) elected for a six-year term.
C) selected by the Communist Party.
D) very weak in comparison with the Duma.

Question 15

What are the key features of the French government? How is government power divided in France?

Question 16

In France, the executive branch can in many cases:

A) be controlled by the legislature.
B) both legislate and carry out the laws.
C) weaken itself even further when a crisis occurs.
D) decide to give authority to a four-person panel.

Question 17

All Saudis are entitled to:

A) full freedom of speech.
B) free medical care.
C) equal opportunities and treatment for both men and women.
D) vote for the head of state of their country.

Question 18

Changes in autocracies occur from:

A) within.
B) without.
C) within and without.
D) chance factors only.

Question 19

In the French system of government, the president:

A) is appointed by the prime minister.
B) chooses a cabinet before picking a prime minister.
C) is elected for life.
D) appoints the prime minister.

Question 20

The Bolsheviks took over the Russian government in 1917 under the leadership of:

A) Joseph Stalin.
B) Czar Nicholas II.
C) Vladimir Lenin.
D) Boris Yeltsin.

Question 21

In 1982, the current constitution of the Peoples Republic of China was abolished.

Question 22

Prior to its 1960 independence, Nigeria was a protectorate of which country?

A) The United States.
B) The Soviet Union.
C) Holland.
D) Great Britain.

Question 23

The third branch of the Chinese government, the State Council, consists of about thirty-five to fifty members who are heads of various national and local government agencies.

Question 24

France is now organized under what is called the Fourth Republic.

Question 25

The storming of the Bastille in 1789 began the:

A) American Revolution.
B) Prussian Invasion.
C) French Revolution.
D) Italian Independence Movement.

Question 26

The National People's Congress has about 3,000 members who are elected to terms of five years. It meets for about two weeks every month.

Question 27

The currency unit of France is the franc.

Question 28

The government of China consists of a legislature, the National People's Congress
(NPC), a President, and a State Council.

Question 29

For administrative ease, in Nigeria, the British government grouped together three distinct tribal regions into one area, now called Lagos.

Question 30

The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was originally:

A) a document written by the king to quell the revolution.
B) part of the preamble to the original 1789 constitution.
C) written by Napoleon to gain favor with the French people.
D) what the U.S. Declaration of Independence was modeled after.

Question 31

Ever since France was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War
(1871), France has had a:

A) autocratic system.
B) dictatorship.
C) democratic republic.
D) monarchy.

Question 32

Because of its growing importance in the world, both militarily and economically, China's government is crucial to discuss.

Question 33

The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is a reference for France's current constitution.

Question 34

China is so large and diverse, both geographically and in population, that many local government officials within the Communist Party do what they want.

Question 35

A formal and constitutionally binding expression of preference in favor of the prime minister by the French parliament is called:

A) a censure motion.
B) an excommunication.
C) an impeachment.
D) a vote of confidence.

Question 36

China has more Internet users than Russia.

Question 37

The Politburo meets once a week.

Question 38

The governments of republics of the former Soviet Union:

A) established themselves as independent states following the fall of the USSR.
B) have largely renounced their common ties.
C) have remained politically uninvolved with the Russian Federation.
D) are no longer within the Russian sphere of influence.

Question 39

The population of France is larger than the population of China.

Question 40

China has always maintained a central government ostensibly controlling the regions.

Question 41

Today, Nigeria has various regional governments and is divided into thirty-six states and 774 local governments.

Question 42

In the 2000s, the leadership of the Saudi Arabian government changed to Western-style liberal democracy.

Question 43

Saudi Arabia has no written constitution.

Question 44

In 2000, Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia.

Question 45

The current system of French government developed because the monarchy had become nonresponsive to the emerging middle class.

Question 46

The sixty years of British rule in Nigeria were marked by continual peace.

Question 47

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria has progressed through three separate republics and is currently in the fourth republic.

Question 48

The literacy rate of Saudi Arabia is greater than the literacy rate of China.

Question 49

In Saudi Arabia, the country's oil revenues constitute more than 75 percent of its annual budget.