Deck 1: Approaching Democracy

Question 1

One of the problems with democracy is that it does not

A) protect the voting rights of individuals.
B) extend constitutional guarantees to citizens.
C) c. always successfully protect the values of freedom and equality.
D) represent the average person, rather it favors the rich.
E) afford leaders the opportunity to propose policy options.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

An authoritarian regime is characterized as

A) a government in which the citizens rule.
B) a government in which citizens have freedom of speech.
C) a government that promotes freedom.
D) a government that stands apart from citizens.
E) a government that exercise free and fair elections.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A direct democracy assumes that

A) political intermediaries are a necessity.
B) representatives make decisions.
C) representatives will meet in a legislative body.
D) elites must be in charge of government.
E) e. people can govern themselves.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

The closest American approximation of direct democracy is the New England

A) town meeting.
B) straw poll.
C) primary election.
D) majority rule.
E) Athenian democracy.

Question 5

American democracy, as we recognize it today, is the consequence of

A) the tireless efforts of Vaclav Havel.
B) a joint session of Congress held on July 21, 1990.
C) a long evolutionary process.
D) free elections held every 4 years.
E) the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Question 6

Which of the following best illustrates the idea of direct democracy?

A) The United States.
B) Russia.
C) India.
D) Iraq.
E) Ancient Athens.

Question 7

Most countries today look upon the United States as

A) a terrorist state.
B) having a perfect record when it comes to protecting the rights and liberties of people of color.
C) a model of the democratic process.
D) a nation-state.
E) a state that has used its power to coerce others to do what it wants.

Question 8

Proposals submitted by a state legislature to the public for a popular vote are called

A) public decrees.
B) public prays.
C) diets.
D) referenda.
E) legislative review.

Question 9

Equality is defined as

A) more than half of the voters agree on an issue.
B) all participants have the same access to the decision-making process.
C) a form of governance dating back to the 1700s.
D) a form of government characterizing Athens.
E) no one person being under the control of another.

Question 10

A type of government in which people govern themselves, vote on policies and laws, and live by majority rules is called

A) indirect democracy.
B) trial by fire.
C) freedom.
D) majority rule.
E) direct democracy.

Question 11

A system of government that allows indirect representation of the popular will is a

A) true democracy.
B) nation.
C) republic.
D) plebiscite.
E) state.

Question 12

Universal suffrage is understood as

A) the right of African Americans to vote.
B) the right of all adults to vote.
C) the right of women to vote.
D) the right of eighteen year olds to vote
E) the right of males to vote.

Question 13

According to the 2020 Freedom House study, the number of countries that are "not free" ____________ in 2020.

A) increased
B) remained the same
C) decreased
D) disappeared completely
E) has not yet been determined

Question 14

According to the 2020 Freedom House study, since 2009, political rights and civil liberties in the United States:

A) increased
B) remained the same
C) decreased
D) disappeared completely
E) has not yet been determined

Question 15

The principle whereby if more than half of the voters agree on an issue then the entire group will abide by the decision is called

A) plurality.
B) direct democracy.
C) equality of opportunity and results.
D) majority rule.
E) minority rule.

Question 16

Representative democracy

A) is inherently tyrannical.
B) is antithetical to American democracy.
C) works best in very small towns.
D) is a political system in which citizens elect representatives to promote their interests.
E) is a decision making process in which each individual citizen gets to argue the strengths and weaknesses of proposed legislation.

Question 17

The House of Representatives is an example of a(n)

A) republican form of governance.
B) direct democracy.
C) New England town meeting.
D) authoritative regime.
E) mob rule.

Question 18

Representation in the House of Representatives is based on

A) proportional representation
B) equal representation
C) the size of the state
D) the number of political parties in the state
E) traditional representation

Question 19

The two key values that American democracy claims to safeguard are

A) freedom and order.
B) freedom and stability.
C) equality and freedom.
D) equality and order.
E) equality and stability.

Question 20

All of the following are measures taken by the framers to dilute the political influence of the people EXCEPT

A) the Senate would be chosen by state legislature rather than by the people.
B) the president would be chosen by an electoral college.
C) representation in the House of Representatives would be apportioned among the states on the basis of state equality.
D) the Supreme Court would be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
E) the Supreme Court would be chosen for life tenure.

Question 21

Representative democracy is a system of government in which voters select legislators to protect their interests and rights. This plan

A) totally removes the common people from the policy-making process.
B) is representative of the Athenian model of government.
C) is not consistent with the principles and values of the framers of the American Constitution.
D) was designed by the Supreme Court.
E) dilutes the influence of the common people.

Question 22

An important characteristic of dictatorships involves

A) popular participation.
B) free elections.
C) protection of individual freedoms.
D) government control of the military.
E) an independent judiciary.

Question 23

As a result of her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, Rosa Parks was

A) arrested but eventually cleared of all charges against her in court.
B) arrested and given a lengthy prison sentence.
C) arrested and required to pay a fine.
D) arrested and required to perform numerous hours of community service.
E) arrested and died in prison.

Question 24

Among the core values of American democracy are

A) freedom, equality, and participation.
B) public order and the right to home ownership.
C) stability and affirmative action.
D) minority rights and capitalism.
E) religion and morals.

Question 25

What two features of effective democracy were instituted by the town meeting?

A) majority rule and an organized opposition
B) self-government and constitutionalism
C) self-government and an organized opposition
D) equality and majority rule
E) majority rule and self-government.

Question 26

The number of democracies worldwide

A) is declining.
B) is waning.
C) has not changed in nearly five decades.
D) is beginning to level off from earlier progress.
E) is on the rise.

Question 27

In his inaugural address, which president referred to the "sacred principle that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable"?

A) George Washington
B) John Adams
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) James Madison
E) Harry Truman

Question 28

The idea that people should have equal rights and chances to develop their talents is called

A) equality of relativity.
B) equality of opportunity.
C) equality of results.
D) equality of establishment.
E) equality of outcome.

Question 29

The type of equality that would redistribute wealth from the haves to the have-nots is called

A) equality of relativity.
B) equality of opportunity.
C) equality of results.
D) equality of establishment.
E) equality of outcome.

Question 30

Negative freedom implies

A) freedom from government intervention.
B) freedom to write or speak falsely about others.
C) freedoms are insignificant.
D) freedom to criticize the government.
E) freedom to develop one's own talents.

Question 31

All of the following are elements of democracy EXCEPT

A) popular participation.
B) an independent judiciary.
C) civilian control of the military and police.
D) a chief executive that is appointed for life.
E) free elections.

Question 32

The right to have the government stay out of the personal lives of its citizens is known as

A) equal rights.
B) minority rights
C) free press.
D) majority rule.
E) the right to privacy.

Question 33

The problem with government trying to maintain order and stability is that

A) order and stability are hard to achieve in the modern era.
B) actions directed toward order and stability tend to place limits on freedom and equality.
C) order and stability require the expenditure of large portions of government budgets.
D) the public places a greater value on individual freedom than on order and stability.
E) there is an inherent tension between the two.

Question 34

Majority rule

A) is, by definition, antithetical to minority rights.
B) works only when all citizens share the same religious beliefs.
C) works only when consensus has been achieved through negotiation and compromise, persuasion, and voting.
D) is not a defining characteristic of democracy.
E) is a system that occurs when those in the minority organize and see to influence policy.

Question 35

The final interpreter of the Constitution is

A) The House of Representatives
B) The Senate
C) The President
D) The Supreme Court
E) The Court of Appeals

Question 36

Athenian democracy was based on two conditions:

A) face-to-face political discussion and exclusivity in political participation.
B) equality of all citizens and due process under the law.
C) minority rights and full access to political participation.
D) universal suffrage and free speech.
E) representative democracy and full participation in politics.

Question 37

Interest group politics supports which of following systems?

A) elitism
B) pluralism
C) populism
D) separatism
E) secularism

Question 38

Universal suffrage

A) is more important for political candidates than for voters.
B) means that all adult citizens should be forced to vote.
C) means that all adult citizens should have the opportunity to vote.
D) has always been a core value of American democracy.
E) means that only a relatively small group of people are allowed to vote.

Question 39

The Fifteenth Amendment

A) gave all blacks the right to vote.
B) gave African American males the right to vote.
C) denied former Confederate soldiers the right to vote.
D) freed the slaves.
E) prohibited African Americans from voting.

Question 40

The Nineteenth Amendment

A) only applied to married women.
B) subjected senatorial candidates to a popular vote.
C) lowered the minimum age.
D) gave women the right to vote.
E) gave African American men the right to vote.

Question 41

The Twenty-sixth Amendment

A) gave residents of the District of Columbia residential electoral college votes.
B) gave African Americans the right to vote.
C) gave women the right to vote.
D) gave Puerto Ricans the right to vote in Presidential elections.
E) lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.

Question 42

The four ideals of democracy include freedom and equality, order and stability, majority rule and protection of minority rights, and

A) an independent judiciary.
B) cultural commitment to democratic values.
C) civilian control of police.
D) universal suffrage.
E) participation.

Question 43

The right to vote, the right to legal counsel and the right to equal protection under the law are examples of

A) a. positive freedom.
B) negative freedom.
C) universal suffrage.
D) equality.
E) civil rights.

Question 44

Democratic protests that emerged in the Middle East are often referred to as the

A) Tiananmen Square.
B) b. The Arab Spring.
C) The Tunisian Struggles.
D) Egyptian Uprisings,
E) Solidarity Movement.

Question 45

The United States military is controlled by

A) The House of Representatives.
B) The Senate.
C) interest groups.
D) lobbies.
E) e. civilian government.

Question 46

The Commander in Chief of the U.S. military is the

A) President.
B) Speaker of the House.
C) Vice- President.
D) Minority leader of the House.
E) Secretary of Defense,

Question 47

Judicial review

A) is a legal journal.
B) allows state courts to strike down unpopular national laws.
C) makes the United States Supreme Court the final arbiter of the national constitution.
D) cannot be applied to presidential actions.
E) means the judiciary is insulated from political bodies.

Question 48

Dictators

A) must remain on good terms with industrial leaders.
B) rule largely with the consent of the military.
C) can always be trusted to defer to the preferences of the common people.
D) have frequently appeared in American politics.
E) are committed to preserve equality for all.

Question 49

A defining characteristic of the American polity is

A) its commitment to preserve freedom and equality for all.
B) its belief in the infallibility of the chief executive.
C) its reverence for the military.
D) its mistrust in the election process.
E) government control of the military.

Question 50

In the text, interest group is defined as

A) a formal organization of people who share a common outlook and who band together in the hope of influencing policy.
B) a consistent pattern of public opinion on a particular issue.
C) a coalition joined together in an effort to get their candidate elected to public office.
D) individuals who influence policy making by manipulating public opinion.
E) a group that is insulated from political bodies in order to preserve their ability to act as final arbiters.

Question 51

The American ideal of equality

A) promotes the notion that all people should have equal standards of living.
B) is consistent with the value of individualism.
C) does not address the idea of fair treatment under the law.
D) has helped minority groups in the United States achieve their goals.
E) is based upon the idea of ekklesia found in Athenian direct democracy.

Question 52

Athenian democracy was based on two conditions:

A) face-to-face political discussion and exclusivity in political participation.
B) equality of all citizens and due process under the law.
C) minority rights and full access to political participation.
D) universal suffrage and free speech.
E) none of the above

Question 53

Which of the following is not a characteristic of Athenian Democracy?

A) governed a population comprised of a majority
B) included women, slaves and immigrants
C) women were not allowed to participate in the democratic assembly
D) immigrants were not allowed to participate in the democratic assembly.
E) citizens are often punished for participating in politics.

Question 54

Framer's of the Constitution were afraid that direct rule by the people would result in

A) authoritarian governance.
B) civilian control over the military.
C) power resting in the hands of delegates of the people.
D) representative democracy.
E) e. mob rule.

Question 55

A republic is a governmental system that

A) a. places political decision makers one step away from citizens.
B) places direct control of government in the hands of the people.
C) allows citizens to vote directly for president.
D) allows more diverse group of people to govern themselves.
E) allows larger groups of people to govern themselves.

Question 56

When Thomas Jefferson took power after being in the minority,

A) he stressed the importance of majority restraint.
B) he had to convince the military to follow him as commander in chief.
C) he took revenge on the outgoing majority.
D) he sought to limit the role of the citizens in the electoral process.
E) he encouraged the establishment of a two party electoral system.

Question 57

Alexis de Tocqueville came to America in order to

A) meet with John Stuart Mill.
B) search out democracy.
C) examine authoritarianism.
D) experience a town hall meeting.
E) see how elections work.

Question 58

The United States' commitment to democracy rests on which of the following values?

A) freedom
B) equality
C) order
D) stability
E) all of the above

Question 59

Which of the following democratic ideals is indispensable in preserving democracy?

A) free elections
B) competitive political parties
C) a free press
D) interest groups
E) all of the above

Question 60

Democracies must strike a balance between majority rule and

A) the protection of minority rights.
B) the electoral college.
C) political parties.
D) interest groups.
E) free elections.

Question 61

Decisions in a democracy should be made through

A) the Senate.
B) the House of Representatives.
C) majority rule.
D) minority rule.
E) the electoral college.

Question 62

In a democracy, key political powers are placed in the hands of the people.

Question 63

Representative democracy assumes that people can govern themselves.

Question 64

The more freedom citizens have, the less equality they are likely to achieve.

Question 65

In a direct democracy, voters designate a relatively small number of people to represent their interests.

Question 66

The framers clearly opted for an indirect and representative form of democratic governance, however over the years the system they devised moved much closer to the Athenian ideal of direct democracy.

Question 67

Freedom is a value that suggests that no individual should be within the power or under the control of another.

Question 68

The idea that all forms of inequality, including economic disparities, should be completely eradicated is called equality of result.

Question 69

The system that occurs when a group seeks to influence public policy by allying with other groups is called tyranny.

Question 70

Universal suffrage is the requirement that every adult must have the right to vote.

Question 71

Majority rule is the decision-making process in which, when more than half of the voters agree on an issue, the entire group accepts the decision, even those in the minority who voted against it.

Question 72

Democracy has evolved over time in America, and it is still evolving today.

Question 73

An independent judiciary is one of the five elements of democracy.

Question 74

In a direct democracy, voters designate a small number of people to represent their interests. Those representatives then meet in a legislative body and make decisions on behalf of the entire citizenry.

Question 75

The closest American approximation of direct democracy is the New England town meeting.

Question 76

All adults were eligible to participate in elections in ancient Athens.

Question 77

Vaclav Havel has argued that American democracy is fundamentally corrupt.

Question 78

In an authoritarian regime, citizens exercise greater freedoms than do citizens in a democracy.

Question 79

Today, many countries in the Middle East and Africa operate as democracies.

Question 80

In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville described America as the picture of democracy, although he did not believe America was a perfect society.