Deck 9: Economic Issues in Europe

Question 1

Survey evidence suggests that the feeling of "Europeanness" is

A) markedly growing.
B) strongest in Eastern Europe.
C) rather low.
D) more pronounced than identification with the world as a whole.
E) more pronounced among those with less education.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What is true about the public's knowledge of the EU?

A) It is stronger among older people.
B) It is well developed throughout Europe.
C) Only a minority seem to know basic facts about the EU.
D) It is strongest in countries that recently joined the EU.
E) It has grown substantially in recent years.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All of the following are true about people who report higher levels of "Europeanness" EXCEPT

A) they are younger.
B) they are better educated.
C) the British report very high levels of "Europeanness."
D) they are urban residents.
E) Turks rank among the lowest in feelings of "Europeanness."

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A "democratic" political culture would emphasize all of the following EXCEPT

A) political tolerance.
B) respect for individual freedoms.
C) respect for equality.
D) interpersonal trust.
E) confidence in the free market.

Question 5

Survey evidence shows

A) Eastern Europeans reject democracy in principle.
B) slim majorities in many states are in favor of democracy.
C) only a minority of respondents think it "absolutely important" to live in a democracy.
D) support for nondemocratic alternatives in some European states.
E) high levels of interpersonal trust throughout Europe.

Question 6

Which nationality, according to surveys reported in this chapter, would object the most to having Jews as neighbors?

A) Germans
B) French
C) Italians
D) Czechs
E) Hungarians

Question 7

Interest in politics

A) is highest in southern Europe.
B) is highest in northern Europe.
C) is highest in Eastern Europe.
D) is highest in countries that recently became democratic.
E) varies little throughout the continent.

Question 8

Evidence of a "crisis of democracy" in Europe includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) declining voter turnout.
B) declining membership in political parties.
C) decline in confidence in political institutions.
D) rise of post-materialist politics.
E) low feelings of political efficacy.

Question 9

Which statement is most accurate?

A) Europeans are clearly free market in their orientation.
B) Europeans believe governments should restrict economic competition.
C) Europeans reject the idea that justice and equality should be favored over freedom.
D) Europeans think that more government intervention would be a good thing.
E) Europeans simultaneously believe that free competition is best for the economy yet they also agree that more justice and equality is needed at the expense of freedom.

Question 10

What types of people are more likely to believe that a country needs a strong leader who does not need to bother with elections?

A) The young and the better educated
B) The urban and wealthier
C) The religious and poorer
D) Men and the less educated
E) The less religious and the better educated

Question 11

Examples of post-materialism include all of the following EXCEPT

A) environmentalism.
B) women's rights.
C) rights for homosexuals.
D) the "sexual revolution."
E) rejection of the welfare state.

Question 12

Post-materialism is the result of

A) economic security and a socialization effect.
B) prolonged political conflict.
C) war.
D) rule by left-wing political parties.
E) political socialization.

Question 13

What belief is associated with post-materialism?

A) Priority on a strong defense
B) The desire to decrease taxes
C) Giving people more say about how things are done
D) Religious fundamentalism
E) Communism

Question 14

Interest groups differ from political parties in that

A) they have larger memberships.
B) they do not nominate candidates for office.
C) they are uninterested in politics.
D) they do not try to influence public opinion.
E) they represent only a part of the population.

Question 15

"Social partnership" is most associated with

A) post-materialism.
B) pluralism.
C) corporatism.
D) political socialization.
E) high voter turnout.

Question 16

All of the following are true EXCEPT

A) since 1980, union membership has declined in Germany and France.
B) Margaret Thatcher's government was hostile to unions.
C) fewer than half of Europeans report that they trust trade unions.
D) stronger unions are associated with corporatist systems.
E) the steepest decline in unionism has been in Scandinavia.

Question 17

Social movements, unlike interest groups,

A) require active participation.
B) are closely connected to political parties.
C) are not concerned with social mobilization.
D) rely on dues-paying members.
E) are key players in efforts to establish "social partnership."

Question 18

The idea that "people get the government they deserve" suggests

A) political socialization is not important.
B) political outcomes are the result of political culture.
C) that post-materialism has not really taken hold.
D) that social partnership is impossible to achieve.
E) that public opinion does not really matter.

Question 19

All of the following are problems with the study of political culture EXCEPT

A) it is hard to measure political culture.
B) it is hard to prove political culture is the cause of a particular outcome.
C) some descriptions of political culture are based on stereotypes.
D) there is little history of it being studied in political science.
E) it is hard to determine what causes or produces a particular political culture.

Question 20

A political scientist examining political culture would likely focus on

A) what people think of their elected officials.
B) how people vote.
C) questions of religion and politics.
D) peoples' core values and orientations toward politics.
E) race and ethnicity.

Question 21

What type of people are more likely to be post-materialists?

A) People in Eastern Europe
B) People who have experienced war firsthand
C) Younger people
D) Those who favor law and order
E) Those who vote for far-right political parties

Question 22

Survey evidence suggests

A) most Europeans think environmental protection is very important.
B) that very few people actually engage in pro-environmental activity.
C) there is little support for environmentalism in eastern Europe.
D) that across the EU, most people think economic competitiveness is more important than environmental protection.
E) environmental consciousness is about the same as it was in the 1970s.

Question 23

Critics of interest associations claim that they defend the privileges of

A) post-materialists.
B) "special interests."
C) civil society.
D) pluralism.
E) cosmopolitanism.

Question 24

According to the chapter, what generalization can be made about business associations?

A) They tend to be associated with political parties on the Left.
B) They reject ideas of social partnership.
C) They exist only in corporatist systems.
D) There are often multiple business associations in a given country.
E) They have more members than trade unions.

Question 25

Surveys show Europeans are strongly against government intervention in the economy.

Question 26

Environmentalism is an example of post-materialism.

Question 27

Trust in political institutions appears to be lower in Eastern than in western Europe.

Question 28

Political culture can be acquired through processes of political socialization.

Question 29

Rates of unionization in Europe have held steady since the 1950s.

Question 30

Social partnership often refers to agreements among government, unions, and business groups.

Question 31

Elites-those that are better educated and have more income-tend to be less supportive of democracy than those with lower education and incomes.

Question 32

Post-materialism is more likely to be found in Eastern Europe than in western Europe.

Question 33

A pluralist system is one in which many interest groups compete for influence and power.

Question 34

Support for a strong defense is an example of a post-materialist value.

Question 35

Does available evidence suggest there is a "crisis of democracy" in Europe? What might be driving this phenomenon or work to prevent its emergence? Is there a difference between Western and Eastern Europe?

Question 36

What factors are most associated with a democratic political culture? Given these factors, in which region of Europe would you expect the strongest support for democratic values?

Question 37

Why can it be difficult to make methodologically sound arguments about political culture?

Question 38

Why has the power of trade unions declined in recent years? Do you think this weakens elements of democracy in Europe?

Question 39

Can you think of a social movement that exists in Europe at present? What is helping to cause it? What factors may make it difficult for this social movement to succeed in its goals?