Deck 13: Politics and Economics: Penetrating Power and Privilege

Question 1

Who claims that power is "the ability of people or groups to realize their own will in group action even against the resistance of others"?

A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Émile Durkheim
D) Auguste Comte

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The statement "Power is distributed among various groups so that no one group rules" is most likely to be made by a(n):

A) Conflict theorist
B) Pluralist theorist
C) Elite theorist
D) Feminist theorist

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to the text, the state attempts to control the behavior of individuals in all of the following except which way?

A) Rules of conduct
B) Physical control
C) Symbolic control
D) Internal control

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following scenarios best depicts how power operates at the micro level?

A) Counties pass laws that regulate how long one's grass can be before imposing a fine.
B) Interest groups attempt to influence the political process in a variety of ways.
C) Large organizations such as Disney have complex power hierarchies.
D) Husbands and wives often argue about the division of labor within the household.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true about charismatic leaders?

A) They are effective during transitional periods but are often replaced by rational-legal leaders once affairs of state become stable.
B) They are usually members of a royal family, whose authority is granted based on tradition.
C) Their leadership structure is usually bureaucratic and rule bound.
D) They are granted authority positions because they have proper training or have proven their merit.

Question 6

Which of the following scenarios best depicts how power operates at the meso level?

A) States make decisions about which corporations receive tax breaks.
B) Parents often spank their children to control their behavior.
C) Global treaties influence the autonomy of the countries involved.
D) Husbands and wives often argue about the division of labor within the household.

Question 7

According to the text, all of the following individuals are considered charismatic leaders except:

A) Adolf Hitler
B) Jim Jones
C) Jesus
D) Queen Elizabeth II

Question 8

Which of the following types of authority is most typical of modern nation-states?

A) Traditional authority
B) Charismatic authority
C) Rational-legal authority
D) Irrational authority

Question 9

Which of the following types of authority is passed on through the generations?

A) Traditional authority
B) Charismatic authority
C) Rational-legal authority
D) Monarch authority

Question 10

Which of the following types of authority is held by leaders who have the expertise to carry out the duties of their positions?

A) Traditional authority
B) Charismatic authority
C) Rational-legal authority
D) Irrational authority

Question 11

The statement "Power is concentrated in the hands of the elite, and the masses have little power" most closely reflects:

A) Pluralist perspective
B) Power elite theory
C) Symbolic interaction theory
D) Functionalist perspective

Question 12

__________________ theorists believe that the state protects the privileged position of a few, allowing these few to consolidate power.

A) Pluralist
B) Functional
C) Conflict
D) Interaction

Question 13

__________________ theorists believe political systems serve important purposes necessary in society.

A) Pluralist
B) Functional
C) Conflict
D) Power elite

Question 14

Which of the following philosophers is best known for his observation that "the end justifies the means"?

A) Plato
B) Machiavelli
C) Socrates
D) Aristotle

Question 15

Which of the following social scientists distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate power?

A) C. Wright Mills
B) Max Weber
C) Robert Michels
D) Vilfredo Pareto

Question 16

Which of the following trends is NOT one of the findings of the Teixeira study regarding presidential elections?

A) The gender gap has increased.
B) Minority voters increased their share of the voting population from 2008 to 2012.
C) Young voters turned out in droves for Democrats.
D) Professionals continued their strong support for Republicans

Question 17

According to Max Weber, governments are given legitimate power when:

A) They are able to oppress all opposition to their rule.
B) Other countries recognize their power as legitimate.
C) Citizens acknowledge that the government has the right to exercise power over them.
D) They coerce the people into submission.

Question 18

According to power elite theorists:

A) It is primarily through interest groups that we influence decision-making processes.
B) Politics involve negotiation and compromise between competing groups.
C) It is inevitable that a small group will rule societies.
D) Multiple power centers offer the best chance to maintain democratic forms of government.

Question 19

Which of the following types of authority is held by an individual with extraordinary personal characteristics?

A) Traditional authority
B) Charismatic authority
C) Rational-legal authority
D) Irrational authority

Question 20

__________________ theorists focus on symbols and constructions of reality that allow some persons to assume power.

A) Pluralist
B) Interaction
C) Conflict
D) Power elite

Question 21

Which of the following statements about elite theory is false?

A) Elite theorists believe that government shares power with business and military.
B) Elite theorists argue that the masses have virtually no power because they lack organization.
C) Elite theorists believe that no one group dictates all policy.
D) Elite theorists believe private schools serve a role in the transmission of elite status.

Question 22

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics shared by "ideal-type" democracies?

A) Citizens participate in selecting the government.
B) Civil liberties are guaranteed.
C) Constitutional limits are placed on governmental powers.
D) Military juntas usually head the nation.

Question 23

In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, voter turnout was:

A) 70%
B) 60%
C) 50%
D) 40%

Question 24

Vic began his career as a police officer as a "straightlaced cop." In the beginning, he always made good arrests, never took bribes, and was as impartial as possible. As time went on, he became jaded with the job. He started doing favors for restaurants that gave him free food. After a while, he got into the habit of ticketing people who wronged him and his friends. Vic is an example of:

A) The iron law of oligarchy
B) Rational choice theory
C) Conflict theory
D) The bad apple principle

Question 25

____________________ theorists argue that underlying social problems cause disruptions to the system, including war, terrorism, and revolution.

A) Pluralist
B) Functional
C) Rational choice
D) Elite

Question 26

The two main forms of democratic constitutional government are:

A) Parliamentary and monarchy
B) Congressional and presidential
C) Parliamentary and presidential
D) Presidential and congressional

Question 27

According to the text, in which of the following countries is it a violation of the law to fail to vote?

A) The United States
B) Canada
C) Australia
D) China

Question 28

Which of the following economic systems stress individual planning and private ownership of property?

A) Market systems
B) Planned systems
C) Centralized systems
D) Open systems

Question 29

Which of the following economic systems involve state-based planning and control of property?

A) Market systems
B) Centralized systems
C) Open systems
D) Non-Western systems

Question 30

According to the text, which of the following is not a typical function of meso-level political institutions?

A) Maintaining social control
B) Serving as an arbiter in state disputes
C) Protecting citizens of a state
D) Socializing new citizens

Question 31

A pluralist perspective views power as distributed among many interest groups in society.

Question 32

A type of government based on a specific political ideology and run by a single ruling group or party is referred to as a(n):

A) Republic
B) Oligarchy
C) Monarchy
D) Democracy

Question 33

According to the text, which country accounts for 37% of world military spending?

A) Iran
B) North Korea
C) The United States
D) Russia

Question 34

_______________ refers to the social institution that determines and exercises power relations in society.

A) Economics
B) Politics
C) Law enforcement
D) Congress

Question 35

Power is only operative at the meso and macro levels of the social world.

Question 36

___________________ is the largest trading nation.

A) Germany
B) United States
C) China
D) France

Question 37

According to the text, the goal of capitalism is:

A) Equality
B) Profit
C) Governmental control
D) High-quality products

Question 38

Countries such as Sweden and Great Britain that have incorporated some democratic socialist ideas into their governmental policies are sometimes called:

A) Planned democracies
B) Welfare states
C) Christian democracies
D) Nationalist states

Question 39

A central question for functionalists is how loyalty to the power of the state is created.

Question 40

According to ______________, there is an invisible but interlocking power elite in U.S. society.

A) Max Weber
B) Karl Marx
C) C. Wright Mills
D) Robert Michels

Question 41

A key issue at the macro level is decisions by individuals to vote or otherwise participate in the political system.

Question 42

Sweden, Norway, Austria, and Canada are considered "welfare states."

Question 43

Weber used the term "authority" to refer to legitimate power.

Question 44

According to pluralist theorists, democratic values can be preserved in a system of multiple, competing elites who determine public policy through a process of bargaining and compromise.

Question 45

According to the text, there are more than 200 nation-states in the world today, and all of them are represented in the United Nations.

Question 46

The social philosopher Pareto coined the phrase "iron law of oligarchy."

Question 47

In market systems, all matters of production and labor are governed with the communal good in mind.

Question 48

A majority of people throughout history have lived under authoritarian or totalitarian systems.

Question 49

For traditional leaders, the right to lead rests with the person, not the position.

Question 50

Although most countries have some form of citizen participation, elections are held in a handful of countries.

Question 51

The United States is an example of a planned or centralized economic system.

Question 52

Socioeconomic development promotes democracy in that it contributes to social stability.

Question 53

Meso-level political institutions include state governments as well as national political parties.

Question 54

For most people, interaction with the government begins with the record of their driver's license or marriage.

Question 55

In typical parliamentary governments, the head of state and the head of government are the same person.

Question 56

Participation in elections in the United States is the second-lowest of the Western democracies.

Question 57

Socialist economic systems provide for most of the health and welfare needs of citizens.

Question 58

Conflict theorists would support the view that society should facilitate more equal distribution of resources simply because all persons are equally deserving of human dignity.

Question 59

Authoritarian regimes headed by dictators have been rare forms in the world.

Question 60

Other social institutions seldom influence meso-level political institutions.

Question 61

In the 230 years since the colonies declared independence, the United States has been at war 190 of those years.

Question 62

Imagine that you are stranded on a deserted island. There is enough food and water for the survivors, but resources are scarce enough to make people wary of each other. Due to your advanced sociological training, you understand that you have a responsibility to lead these scared people. How would you gain authority over the remaining survivors? In other words, which method would you use to gain legitimate power? Why would you choose this method?

Question 63

Deterrence and negotiation are two approaches to avoiding war discussed in the text.

Question 64

War scholars have concluded that no nation in the past century emerged the clear winner in a major war.

Question 65

List and briefly discuss the three ways in which the state attempts to control the behavior of individuals.

Question 66

War is a frequent and inevitable condition of human existence.

Question 67

Discuss the results of the Teixeira study as it pertains to presidential elections. Did any of the findings surprise you? Why or why not?

Question 68

Conflict theorists argue that war brings a population together behind a cause, resulting in social solidarity.

Question 69

Russia was the last country added to the G8.

Question 70

In 2000, two thirds of terrorist acts around the world were against the United States.

Question 71

Compare and contrast the pluralist and the power elite views on power.

Question 72

Briefly discuss and give example(s) of how apathy and alienation impact political participation.

Question 73

List and briefly discuss the two forms of democratic constitutional government discussed in the text. Provide an example of each.

Question 74

One state, Texas, has both a primary election and a party caucus.

Question 75

In some U.S. states, voters can only vote for candidates in their selected party. In other states, Independents can vote either Republican or Democrat.

Question 76

The vast majority of terrorists act alone.

Question 77

According to the American Sociological Association, war is natural and a biological necessity.

Question 78

Deterrence, in response to terrorism, has limited effectiveness due to the difficulty in locating certain terrorist groups.

Question 79

Generally speaking, an outside power can support democracy but cannot impose it.

Question 80

Compare and contrast Weber's views on legitimate and illegitimate power.