Deck 9: Political and Economic Power

Question 1

Authoritarianism is a type of government in which the government tolerates considerable opposition to its rule but allows almost no debate on issues of public policy.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Totalitarianism is a type of government in which the state tries to control all parts of the society and all aspects of social life.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Americans tend to accept the use of power by government because they believe that policies and orders are developed according to the rules in which they believe.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Conflict theorists contend that the state exists to give power to some groups over others.

Question 5

Functionalists tend to view the state as a nonessential social institution that would do well to retreat in favor of individual interests.

Question 6

Thomas Hobbes argued that private property was the root of all evil.By taking this position,he became a forerunner of modern conflict theory.

Question 7

Ultimately the state depends on force - power whose basis is the threat or application of punishment.

Question 8

Through legal-rational authority,power is legitimized by the sanctity of age-old customs.

Question 9

The collapse of communism in much of the world increased the appeal of Marxist explanations of the state.

Question 10

Bureaucratic organization has become more a part of our lives as the role of the state has expanded.

Question 11

Charismatic authority is power that is legitimized by superhuman or supernatural attributes people attribute to a leader.

Question 12

Max Weber would have looked upon people like John F.Kennedy or Elvis Presley as being instilled with charismatic leadership characteristics.

Question 13

When totalitarian and authoritarian systems of government fail,democratic ones always rise up in their place.

Question 14

Power based on the use of force alone is a permanent condition.

Question 15

Four primary functions performed by the state are: (1)enforcement of norms; (2)planning and direction; (3)arbitration of conflicting interests;and (4)protection against other societies.

Question 16

Conflict theorists observed that the state came into being as a consequence of the production of more goods and services than were necessary for human survival.

Question 17

When people possess authority,they have a recognized and established right to give orders and act as leaders.

Question 18

Power is a part of all aspects of social life.

Question 19

Two major prototypes of totalitarianism are Nazi Germany under Hitler and communist Russia under Stalin.

Question 20

Power tends to be distributed randomly,somewhat arbitrarily,and in a noninstitutionalized manner.

Question 21

An effective monopoly in the use of physical coercion in a given geographical area is known as

A) folkways.
B) mores.
C) the state.
D) the community.

Question 22

Politics and economics are mutually exclusive.

Question 23

Contrary to the pluralistic image often portrayed by many descriptions of democratic forms of government,conflict theorists such as C.Wright Mills argue that a power elite actually controls society by carrying out predetermined policies.

Question 24

The "digital divide" refers to the difference between those citizens who own digital equipment and those who do not.

Question 25

Core regions are areas that provide raw materials to the periphery and are exploited by the periphery.

Question 26

The state's ultimate basis rests on

A) communication.
B) a government of laws.
C) force.
D) compromise.

Question 27

One factor identified as promoting a climate favorable to a stable democracy is the existence of conflict associated with a competitive struggle over positions of power.

Question 28

Power

A) is a part of all aspects of social life.
B) refers to the ability of individuals and groups to control human affairs even if it involves the resistance of others.
C) produces change in others that would not have occurred in its absence.
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 29

A strong civil society is not conducive to democratic life.

Question 30

Power

A) is institutionalized in a patterned,recurrent manner.
B) is distributed randomly and arbitrarily.
C) that flows from the individual to organizations and institutions makes the most difference in our lives.
D) is not a part of stable social arrangements.

Question 31

Sagging employee morale is a major roadblock that stands in the way of profit growth from downsizing.

Question 32

In a command economy,economic transactions between consumers and producers decide what will be produced,how much will be produced,and the products cost.

Question 33

Relatively stable economic and social conditions seem unrelated to democratic order.

Question 34

The foundations for the relatively recent development of the state were provided by the production of

A) raw materials.
B) a social surplus.
C) goods and services.
D) a two-party system.

Question 35

Often,the media's main role is that of "agenda setting."

Question 36

The turn-out rate in presidential elections is typically much higher in the United States than in other nations.

Question 37

Democracy is an arrangement that permits the citizenry a significant voice in decision making,relatively equal citizenship,and protects against state actions that are arbitrary.

Question 38

In 2001,the typical chief executive officer (CEO)in a modest-sized U.S.firm received nearly $2 million in total compensation - 41 times the average U.S.worker's pay.

Question 39

The government is an important participant in the U.S.economy,but private business plays the primary productive role.

Question 40

A strong organization of groups,networks,and institutions that sustain public life outside the worlds of the state and economy is conducive to democratic life.

Question 41

Modern,complex societies are characterized by a preponderance of secondary relationships.Consequently,they tend to rely

A) more and more heavily on informal sanctions to obtain conformity to norms.
B) more and more on the state to assure law,order,and enforcement of the norms.
C) on such sanctions as scathing ridicule and ostracism to enforce the norms.
D) more on folkways than mores to obtain conformity to norms.

Question 42

Throughout history,societies have felt it necessary to protect their members and interests against outside groups.A primary method for achieving this goal is

A) war.
B) improving the economy of the country.
C) diplomacy.
D) war and diplomacy are correct.

Question 43

According to conflict theorists,the production of social surplus benefits the

A) masses.
B) elite.
C) state.
D) poor.

Question 44

From the functionalist perspective,the state

A) enforces norms.
B) plans and directs change.
C) protects against other societies.
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 45

Both functionalists and conflict theorists see _________________ as the foundation of sovereignty of the state.

A) money
B) consensus
C) force
D) norms

Question 46

The rise of the state had a number of social consequences,including

A) the development of relationships between dominant groups and minority groups.
B) the advent of subject peoples.
C) the disintegration of heterogeneous societies.
D) the development of relationships between dominant groups and minority groups and the advent of subject peoples are correct.

Question 47

In some nations like Sweden,the welfare state is expected to provide

A) welfare benefits to the rich.
B) tax incentives to the poor.
C) abortions on demand.
D) a basic standard of living to their citizens.

Question 48

Conflict theorists depict the state as an instrument of

A) modernization.
B) education.
C) oppression and violence.
D) arbitration.

Question 49

The "divine right" of medieval kings and queens in Europe would be an example of

A) legal-rational authority.
B) traditional authority.
C) charismatic authority.
D) instrumental Marxism.

Question 50

One of the major shifts in U.S.welfare state policies was

A) the managing and financing of medical benefits for elders through the private market during the 1970s.
B) a significant increase in welfare expenditures during the 1970s.
C) a radical reduction in benefits for older adults.
D) a dramatic increase in private expenditures for school-age children.

Question 51

_____________ argue that the state sometimes pursues policies that are not always in the interests of the capitalist classes.

A) Instrumental theorists.
B) Structural theorists.
C) Neofunctionalists.
D) Neofascists.

Question 52

The authors of the text suggest that the state

A) has lost influence in Western societies over time.
B) is a relatively recent institution.
C) goes back to antiquity.
D) has lost most of its bureaucratic nature in modern nations.

Question 53

The eighteenth-century philosopher,Jean Jacques Rousseau,contended that

A) private property was the root of human evil.
B) the function of the state was to define and defend property rights.
C) the state needed to protect the weak and disabled from social predators.
D) private property was the root of human evil and the function of the state was to define and defend property rights are correct.

Question 54

____________ promote the view that the state is an instrument manipulated by the capitalist classes.

A) Instrumental theorists.
B) Structural theorists.
C) Neofunctionalists.
D) Neofascists.

Question 55

The 17th century philosopher,Thomas Hobbes,argued that the naturally perverse and destructive nature of human beings led to

A) a social agreement that gave power to a central authority as a way to rid society of rampant brutality,violence,and chaos.
B) the fall of the Bastille on July 14,1789 and the beginning of the French Revolution.
C) the creation of the American Constitution.
D) the Marxian doctrine of dialectical materialism,the surplus value thesis,and the concept of worker alienation.

Question 56

The collapse of communism in much of the world

A) increased the appeal of Marxist explanations of the state.
B) reduced interest in democratic forms of power in the world.
C) diminished the appeal of Marxist explanations of the state.
D) resulted in a revision of Marxist explanations of the state.

Question 57

Legitimate power is

A) force.
B) authority.
C) subjugation.
D) oppression.

Question 58

_________ was NOT a type of authority described by Max Weber.

A) Bureaucratic
B) Legal-rational
C) Traditional
D) Charismatic

Question 59

"The state has its origin in the desire of ruling elites to give permanence to social arrangements that benefit themselves." This statement reflects the views of

A) conflict theorists.
B) functionalists.
C) social-contract theorists.
D) nominalists.

Question 60

From the functionalist perspective,___________ is NOT a primary function of the state?

A) enforcement of norms
B) protection of the elite
C) arbitration of conflicting interests
D) planning and direction of social change

Question 61

In 2000,__________ percent of the electorate voted in the presidential election.

A) 30
B) 40
C) 60
D) 80

Question 62

Political parties

A) are basically the same thing as interest groups.
B) operate out of a philosophy of separation of the individual from the state.
C) are after control of the government as an end.
D) end up being dramatically different from one another.

Question 63

To Max Weber,rock stars,super athletes,and highly exciting presidents are examples of

A) bureaucratic leadership.
B) legal-rational leadership.
C) charismatic leadership.
D) None of the choices are correct.

Question 64

In the U.S. ,our voter-turnout rate for presidential elections tends to be

A) much lower than in other nations.
B) about the same as in other nations.
C) somewhat higher than in other nations.
D) much higher than in other nations.

Question 65

Most democratic societies are actually

A) representative democracies.
B) totalitarian systems.
C) direct democracies.
D) total institutions.

Question 66

Interest groups set up to defeat or elect specific candidates are known as

A) special-interest groups.
B) public-interest groups.
C) political action committees.
D) social service agencies.

Question 67

When the state organizes and wields power,it is called

A) bureaucratic power.
B) political power.
C) totalitarian power.
D) legalistic power.

Question 68

Factors that promote a social climate favorable to a stable democracy include

A) the existence of conflict associated with a competitive struggle over positions of power.
B) the absence of conflict.
C) a strong social organization of mediating groups,networks,and institutions that sustain the public life outside the worlds of the state and the economy.
D) the existence of conflict associated with a competitive struggle over positions of power and a strong social organization of mediating groups,networks,and institutions that sustain the public life outside the worlds of the state and the economy are correct.

Question 69

__________________ is a political system in which the government tolerates little or no opposition but permits nongovernmental centers of influence and allows debate on some issues of public policy.

A) Democracy
B) Authoritarianism
C) Monasticism
D) Totalitarianism

Question 70

In __________________ authority,power is legitimated by explicit rules and logical procedures that define the rights and duties of the occupants of given positions.

A) bureaucratic
B) legal-rational
C) traditional
D) charismatic

Question 71

Napoleon,Joan of Arc,and Hitler are examples of ________________ leadership.

A) bureaucratic
B) legal-rational
C) traditional
D) charismatic

Question 72

In __________________ authority,power is legitimated by the sanctity of age-old customs.

A) bureaucratic
B) legal-rational
C) traditional
D) charismatic

Question 73

The government that attempts to control all parts of the society and all aspects of social life is called

A) democracy.
B) authoritarianism.
C) monasticism.
D) totalitarianism.

Question 74

When we speak of "a government of laws,not of people," we are referring to

A) legal-rational authority.
B) traditional authority.
C) charismatic authority.
D) bureaucratic authority.

Question 75

A(n)__________ is an organization designed to gain control of the government by putting its people in public office.

A) interest group
B) political party
C) lobby group
D) political committee

Question 76

Nazi Germany and socialist Stalinist Russia were examples of

A) indirect democracy.
B) totalitarianism.
C) pluralistic states.
D) authoritarianism.

Question 77

Which one of the following nations maintains a system whereby the entire burden of voter registration falls on the individual rather than the government?

A) Russia
B) Costa Rica
C) The United States
D) Canada

Question 78

__________ is NOT a form of government recognized in your text.

A) Totalitarianism
B) Authoritarianism
C) Elitism
D) Democracy

Question 79

________________ entails those political processes that have to do with the authoritative formulating of rules and policies that are binding and pervasive throughout a society.

A) Religion
B) Government
C) Economics
D) Criminal justice

Question 80

In __________________ authority,power is legitimated by the extraordinary superhuman or supernatural attributes people attach to a leader.

A) bureaucratic
B) legal-rational
C) traditional
D) charismatic