Deck 1: The Democratic Republic

Question 1

The recent civil war in Syria is an example of

A)the successful implementation of order by a government.
B)the problems that every authoritarian government eventually faces.
C)democracy taken to the extreme.
D)a strong central authority.
E)the lack of government as we normally understand it.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Aristocracy means rule by

A)the majority.
B)wealthy families.
C)highly qualified people.
D)those who can read and write.
E)religious leaders.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A government​ in which the ruler fully controls government itself but largely stays out of religious and business institutions is

A)​a democratic republic.
B)​a direct democracy.
C)​a representative democracy.
D)​totalitarian.
E)​authoritarian.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

An ongoing organization that performs certain functions for society is referred to as

A)politics.
B)a community.
C)an initiative.
D)a referendum.
E)an institution.

Question 5

Liberty is

A)freedom to do whatever you want.
B)available only in the United States.
C)the greatest freedom of the individual consistent with the freedom of other individuals.
D)incompatible with government authority.
E)a uniquely American value.

Question 6

The effects of government can be found in

A)the food you eat.
B)the schools most children attend.
C)the sales tax you pay on purchases.
D)the distribution of the assets of the deceased.
E)All of these are correct.

Question 7

"A state of peace and security" best defines

A)politics.
B)legitimacy.
C)authority.
D)liberty.
E)order.

Question 8

Politics is

A)a purely cooperative process.
B)solely found in government.
C)an institution.
D)a functional organization.
E)found in all aspects of society.

Question 9

A society in which the people have freedom but not peace and security has

A)authority, but nor order.
B)order, but not authority.
C)liberty, but not order.
D)order, but not liberty.
E)authority, but not legitimacy.

Question 10

According to the Sixth Amendment, the accused

A)has a right to a speedy trial.
B)can be compelled to be a witness against himself.
C)has a right to a private trial.
D)has no right to due process.
E)can be compelled to be a witness against himself and have a right to a private trial.

Question 11

Legitimacy is

A)the condition of having too much government.
B)a popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise liberty.
C)a popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority.
D)only needed in times of emergency.
E)possible with a narrow base of support.

Question 12

A referendum takes place when

A)the Congress rejects a law passed by a state legislature.
B)the U.S.Supreme Court rejects a law because it violates the U.S.Constitution.
C)the president refers his or her budget plan to the Congress before the start of a fiscal year.
D)a state legislature refers an act of legislation to the voters for approval or disapproval.
E)voters choose the candidates who will represent their political party.

Question 13

To say that authority has legitimacy is to

A)say that authority is recognized by a few.
B)say that authority is broadly accepted.
C)imply that the ruler has not always been perceived as the legal power.
D)suggest that decisions are of little practical value.
E)imply that those in power do not have the good of the public in mind when making important decisions.

Question 14

The Supreme Court has ruled that a complete ban on handguns

A)is a power of local governments.
B)is a power of state governments.
C)can only be enacted by the federal government.
D)is constitutional.
E)is unconstitutional.

Question 15

Government is a(n) _____________ that __________________.

A)institution; has ultimate decision making authority
B)institution; is consistent in its powers across countries
C)process; helps us choose our leaders
D)series of laws; are imposed on us by a sovereign ruler
E)place; allows for centralization of authority

Question 16

Politics is

A)a process that resolves conflict within a society.
B)a struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups.
C)a type of anti-social behavior by individuals.
D)fundamentally irrelevant.
E)a process that resolves conflict within a society and is a struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups.

Question 17

The struggle over power or influence within organizations that can grant benefits or privileges best defines

A)a national government.
B)a state government.
C)politics.
D)political science.
E)elections.

Question 18

Governments have authority when

A)they adhere to special norms.
B)people always obey the law.
C)they control the media.
D)they have the right and power to enforce their decisions.
E)they establish liberty and order to societies.

Question 19

The term used to describe "an absence of government" is

A)anarchy.
B)liberty.
C)democracy.
D)totalitariansim.
E)authoritarianism.

Question 20

​A government that has the power to make and enforce law but which lacks the acceptance of the people is said to have

A)​authority but not legitimacy.
B)​legitimacy but not authority.
C)​both authority and legitimacy.
D)a democratic form of government.
E)​an authoritarian form of government.

Question 21

The concept of political socialization refers to

A)the process by which beliefs and values are transmitted to new immigrants and to our children.
B)political movements in support of Socialism.
C)the process by which religious values are transmitted only through the media.
D)the gradual development of social programs within our national government.
E)the government taking over the economic sector of the country.

Question 22

Capitalism is

A)a political theory developed by Karl Marx.
B)an economic system marked by the private ownership of wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.
C)incompatible with property rights as a wealth-creating mechanism.
D)named for the centralization of economic power in the capitol city.
E)unpopular in the United States.

Question 23

The dominant culture in U.S. political culture comes from Western European civilization. Which of the following values is NOT among those of the dominant culture?

A)individualism
B)private property
C)economic equality
D)Judeo-Christian ethics
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 24

In the United States, we have religious freedom, both to practice a religion of our choosing and to be free of state-imposed religions.​ This idea is one of many freedoms known as

A)​civil liberties.
B)​civil rights.
C)​citizenship rights.
D)​Democratic freedoms.
E)​Republican liberties.

Question 25

In the United States, basic guarantees of liberty are found in

A)the Declaration of Independence.
B)the annual Congressional budget report.
C)the Bill of Rights.
D)the statement of Rights and Responsibilities.
E)the National Rights Foundation.

Question 26

The right to own property is all of the following EXCEPT

A)a widespread desire in America.
B)likely to provide power and liberty to those who own it.
C)a source of economic instability.
D)fundamental to the capitalist system.
E)the promotion of economic equality.

Question 27

The right to vote for all citizens has

A)always been out of reach.
B)expanded over time.
C)been championed by the rich.
D)always included undocumented immigrants.
E)always included women.

Question 28

A political culture is a

A)written set of codes that dictate political action.
B)process that transmits value to immigrants and children.
C)major problem for rulers of stable forms of government.
D)patterned set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics.
E)manifestation of pluralism.

Question 29

The concept that all people are of equal worth

A)was fixed at the time of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
B)expanded in the nineteenth century but narrowed in the twentieth century.
C)was extended and elaborated over time.
D)has been limited in recent years.
E)was extended only in the last twenty years.

Question 30

The periods after the Pearl Harbor attack and the September 11, 2001 terror attacks are similar in that​

A)​calls were made to enhance security at the expense of civil liberties.
B)​liberties were largely maintained at the expense of national security.
C)​the United States declared a war on terrorism.
D)​the U.S.government suffered a loss of legitimacy.
E)calls were made to enhance security at the expense of civil liberties, and the United States declared a war on terrorism.

Question 31

To ensure that majority rule does not become oppressive, modern democracies

A)limit political participation to individuals who are properly educated.
B)guarantee the rights of minorities.
C)reject the concept of free, competitive elections.
D)apply term limits to elected officials.
E)require two-thirds support of the legislature before a law can be enacted.

Question 32

A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official from state office before his or her term has expired is called

A)a referendum.
B)direct democracy.
C)a recall.
D)an initiative.
E)popular sovereignty.

Question 33

Theorists describe pluralism as

A)the struggle between the poor and wealthy classes.
B)the struggle among groups to gain benefits for their members.
C)a theory of how democracy should not function.
D)a way to settle disputes by armed conflict.
E)a way for one group to dominate the political process.

Question 34

Elite theory

A)implies that the president must come from the party that holds the majority in Congress.
B)emphasizes governmental control over economic policy, but not social institutions.
C)is viewed by political scientists as a theory that works well as a description of both how democracies should function and how democracies actually do function.
D)indicates that a single ruler controls all aspects of the government, but not economic and social institutions.
E)is the perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interests.

Question 35

The practical limitations of pluralism theory include

A)the wealthy are overrepresented.
B)one group may dominate the political process.
C)conflict may divide the United States into hostile camps.
D)individuals have more than one self-interest.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 36

The concept of universal suffrage refers to

A)the right of all adults to vote for a representative in government.
B)the right of all citizens to run for office.
C)the right of universal healthcare for all.
D)the belief that all persons deserve a fair trial.
E)a system of relationships between the states.

Question 37

The capitalist system of the United States is based on

A)private property rights.
B)equal distribution of assets.
C)economic equality.
D)regulation of market forces.
E)constraining the right to enter into contracts.

Question 38

The political theory holding that government ought to do what the majority of people want is

A)pluralism.
B)majoritarianism.
C)elite theory.
D)proportionalism.
E)democratic centralism.

Question 39

The government of the United States is best described as

A)a direct democracy.
B)a confederation.
C)a constitutional monarchy.
D)an anarchy.
E)a democratic republic.

Question 40

Concern for the dangers of uneducated mob rule led James Madison and others of his time to caution against

A)the right to bear arms.
B)freedom of speech.
C)democratic republics.
D)popular sovereignty.
E)direct democracy.

Question 41

The following statement would be compatible with __________ ideology: "The government should have no role in providing health care for the country. People should provide their own health care."

A)liberal
B)conservative
C)communist
D)socialist
E)extreme liberal

Question 42

​With regard to the size of government, which of the following statements is true?

A)​Americans agree that "big government" is good for the nation.
B)​All Americans are opposed to "big government."
C)​Americans express contradictory opinions on the size of government.
D)​Opposition to "big government" is a relatively new concept in American politics.
E)​Americans oppose "big government" as well as any benefits it may produce.

Question 43

Unlike liberals or conservatives, socialists advocate

A)personal liberties.
B)private property rights.
C)market capitalism.
D)private investment in governmental systems.
E)replacing investor ownership of businesses by government ownership.

Question 44

Describe the consequence to the daily life of an average citizen in a country without the Bill of Rights.

Question 45

Liberals endorse all of the following EXCEPT

A)civil rights.
B)improving the welfare of individuals.
C)a limited role for the government in helping individuals.
D)government regulation of the economy.
E)tolerance for political and social change.

Question 46

A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government is called

A)a political culture.
B)a dogma.
C)an ideology.
D)the political spectrum.
E)political science.

Question 47

The following statement would be compatible with __________ ideology: "The government should act to create jobs during an economic crisis."

A)liberal
B)conservative
C)anarchist
D)libertarian
E)extreme conservative

Question 48

Which of the following groups most supports laissez-faire capitalism?

A)liberals
B)conservatives
C)communists
D)socialists
E)libertarians

Question 49

All of the following are true of libertarians EXCEPT that they

A)support personal civil liberties.
B)advocate redistribution of income.
C)support laissez-faire capitalism.
D)oppose most government activities.
E)more strongly support property rights.

Question 50

Americans tend to

A)oppose big government, in principle.
B)support big government, in principle.
C)oppose social security.
D)support high income taxes.
E)hold consistent beliefs about the size and purpose of government.

Question 51

In response to the Great Recession,

A)employment quickly returned to pre-recession levels.
B)the Tea Party movement fell from prominence.
C)Congress became more cooperative.
D)voters demanded government action, but did not like most government programs.
E)voters solidly sided with one political party for nearly a decade.

Question 52

Though democratic republic is the term most commonly applied to the United States' form of government, apply what you know of one non-democratic form of government (totalitarianism, authoritarianism, oligarchy, or aristocracy) and describe politics in the United States under that form of government.

Question 53

Do you believe that pluralism or elite theory is the more accurate description of American politics? Why?

Question 54

American citizens tend to

A)believe that government should be big and active.
B)believe that government should be small and restrained.
C)hold contradictory opinions about the size of government and the role it should play in their lives.
D)believe that government should be active in economic areas but not social areas.
E)believe that government should be active in social areas but not economic areas.

Question 55

Should the U.S. Constitution include a Bill of Rights? Take a stance for or against a list of rights and liberties, being sure to discuss the consequences of that stance.

Question 56

Describe the different viewpoints on the role of government in society as promoted by liberals and conservatives.

Question 57

The inability of Congressional Republicans and Democrats to agree on legislation is a result of

A)political polarization.
B)poll watching.
C)the separation of powers.
D)differing opinions about Congressional powers.
E)the growing power of the presidency.

Question 58

Why does the mandate of equal treatment for all groups of Americans sometimes come into conflict with the concept of liberty?

Question 59

Conservatives endorse all of the following EXCEPT

A)a limited role for the national government in helping individuals.
B)government action to support traditional values.
C)patriotism.
D)redistribution of income.
E)the belief that the individual is responsible for his or her own well-being.

Question 60

We often laud democracy as a form of government, but what are its weaknesses? Lay out what you see as the weaknesses of democratic forms of government and argue whether or not these weaknesses indicate a need to alter our form of government.

Question 61

Compare and contrast direct democracy to representative democracy. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? In what situations might a direct democracy work? When is a representative democracy more feasible?

Question 62

To what extent are economic inequality and democratic forms of government compatible? Make an argument in which you answer this question, keeping in mind other key issues, such as order and liberty.

Question 63

Compare and contrast the conservative and liberal positions on entitlement spending and discuss how these positions reflect their values with regard to liberty and equality.