Deck 1: Freedom, Order, or Equality

Question 1

When a national government is given the right to govern its own people as it wishes without the interference of other nations, it is known as which of the following?

A) National unity
B) National sovereignty
C) National capitalism
D) National liberalism
E) National socialism

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The value of using political concepts in understanding government is that they do which of the following?

A) Enable focus on very specific detail of governmental action
B) Demonstrate the problem with socialism or communism
C) Actually have no meaning, so they allow government to do whatever it wants
D) Inherently support the values of capitalism and democracy
E) Provide a broader view than by looking at specific events

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The concept of the welfare state, in which the government guarantees every individual medical care, education, and a guaranteed income from "cradle to grave", is used in which of the following countries?

A) The United States and Mexico
B) Great Britain and Sweden
C) Russia and Ukraine
D) Germany and Austria
E) South Africa and Ethiopia

Answer 3

B

Question 4

According to John Locke, the basic objective of government is to protect what three things or concepts?

A) Voting rights, racial equality, equality before the law
B) Life, liberty, and property
C) Property, cash, and homes
D) Life, republicanism, and conservatism
E) Life, liberalism, and laissez-faire economics

Question 5

National sovereignty means which of the following?

A) A political entity's ability to engage meaningfully with foreign powers
B) Regular peaceful transfer of governmental power
C) A government's ability to effectively manage elections
D) A political entity's externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs
E) Separation of power between federal and state governments

Question 6

Two nations with deep ties to the principles of communism that have moved in the direction of more private property are which of the following?

A) Brazil and Argentina
B) Japan and South Korea
C) Germany and Italy
D) Russia and China
E) South Africa and Ethiopia

Question 7

In 2014, the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons removed chemical weapons from which nation going through a civil war?

A) Israel
B) Iraq
C) Syria
D) Lebanon
E) Jordan

Question 8

Why do people surrender their freedom to the control of the government?

A) To obtain the benefits of government
B) To limit the role of government in their lives
C) To ensure decency in society
D) To limit their losses to natural disasters
E) So that they can worry about political concerns rather than economic concerns

Question 9

The Cold War showed that actions of foreign nations could have a profound impact on American government in which of the following ways?

A) Restricted trade with our allies
B) A need for Social Security
C) Increased military spending to keep up with the Soviet Union
D) America's increased focus on the arts
E) The growth of the Women's Movement in the United States

Question 10

Which of the following is the oldest purpose of government?

A) To maintain order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity
B) To print money and control the economy
C) To guarantee freedom and liberty for all people
D) To act to protect the rights of the minority
E) To establish benefits for the most wealthy individuals in society

Question 11

Using the state to redistribute income is a policy that is based on which of the following?

A) Western religious tradition
B) Fundamental democratic ideas
C) The philosophy of Karl Marx
D) Recent majoritarian political thought
E) The writings of Thomas Jefferson

Question 12

As a political value, how is equality defined?

A) All people should make the same amount of money.
B) All people should be in a position to succeed economically.
C) All people should have equal access to their elected representatives.
D) All people have access to the courts to enforce their rights.
E) All people are of equal worth.

Question 13

When the authors say that we live in an era of "globalization", they mean that citizens and nations are increasingly which of the following?

A) Peace loving
B) Hostile
C) Commercialized
D) Belligerent
E) Interdependent

Question 14

The charter of which supranational organization states that the charter is based on the principle of sovereign equality of all its members?

A) The League of Nations
B) The United Nations
C) The Warsaw Pact
D) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
E) The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

Question 15

In the early twentieth century, many scholars believed that instead of national sovereignty, nations should be ruled by which of the following?

A) International law
B) Totalitarian regimes
C) Popular sovereignty
D) Anarchist republics
E) Global oligarchies

Question 16

Hobbes' state of nature refers to which of the following?

A) Order without equality
B) Regulation without leadership
C) Order without conflict
D) Government without values
E) Society without government

Question 17

Which of the following purposes of government is best defined as "a state of peace and security"?

A) Politics
B) Legitimacy
C) Authority
D) Liberty
E) Order

Question 18

The concept that gives ownership of all land and productive facilities to the government is based on the teachings of which of the following philosophers?

A) Thomas Hobbes
B) John Locke
C) Carnak Richardson
D) Karl Marx
E) Jean Jacque Rousseau

Question 19

Which of the following is a reason that, in 2002, the United States "annulled" its signature on the 1998 treaty creating an International Criminal Court?

A) The United States worried that its use of chemical weapons would open it up to prosecution.
B) The United States worried that its use of nuclear weapons would open it up to prosecution.
C) The United States was angry that Cuba had not been prosecuted by this court.
D) The United States was worried that its soldiers stationed abroad could be prosecuted by this court.
E) The United States was angry that the Palestinians had not been prosecuted by this court.

Question 20

The International Commission of Jurists has condemned the United States for which of the following?

A) Use of nuclear weapons
B) The size of our military
C) America's drug problem
D) The use of the death penalty in the United States
E) Our spending on space programs when there's so much poverty in the world

Question 21

Compared to citizens of other nations, Americans are more likely to select which of the following?

A) Equality over order
B) Equality over freedom
C) Equality of outcome over order
D) Freedom over equality
E) Order over government responsiveness

Question 22

Except during periods of social strife or terroristic threat, very few politicians in Western democracies call for more of which of the following?

A) Liberty
B) Political equality
C) Freedom
D) Order
E) Equality of opportunity

Question 23

When the federal government was given some police powers by the Federal Kidnapping Act in 1932, it was given this power under which constitutional clause?

A) The commerce clause
B) The free exercise clause
C) The establishment clause
D) The equal protection clause
E) The due process clause

Question 24

Which of the following will usually require a trade-off in basic values?

A) Maintaining equality and promoting order
B) Maintaining freedom and promoting equality
C) Promoting equality and maintaining freedom
D) Promoting the common defense and enlarging the military
E) Maintaining order and promoting equality

Question 25

Three concepts that identify the values pursued by government are which of the following?

A) Freedom, independence, and liberty
B) Order, control, and egalitarianism
C) Freedom, order, and equality
D) Industriousness, beauty, and freedom
E) Independence, kindness, and control

Question 26

Communist regimes that gave their police great powers to arrest and imprison suspicious people raised a conflict between which of the following?

A) Equality of opportunity and equality of outcome
B) Freedom and order
C) Order and equality
D) Freedom and equality
E) Public and private interests

Question 27

Franklin Roosevelt's Four Freedoms included all but which of the following freedoms?

A) Freedom of speech
B) Freedom from fear
C) Freedom from inequality
D) Freedom of religion
E) Freedom from want

Question 28

An underlying assumption is that perfect freedom and perfect order cannot both be accomplished for which of the following reasons?

A) No government structure is perfectly designed.
B) Some political officials will always be corrupt and incompetent.
C) These two values are inherently in conflict and cannot be provided simultaneously.
D) These terms refer to essentially the same thing.
E) Upper-class citizens do not want parity with lower-class citizens.

Question 29

During the 1990s, Congress prohibited private businesses from discriminating in employment, public services, and public accommodations on the basis of physical or mental disabilities. This act creates a conflict between which of the following?

A) Freedom and order
B) Equality and order
C) Liberty and justice
D) Freedom and equality
E) Equality of opportunity and equality of outcome

Question 30

A generalized idea of a set of items or thoughts that groups various events, objects, or qualities under a common classification or label is known as which of the following?

A) A power
B) A concept
C) A social norm
D) An individual freedom
E) A political analysis

Question 31

The notion that American public schools are open to all is an example of which of the following?

A) Affirmative action
B) Socialism
C) Equality of outcome
D) Equality of opportunity
E) Marxism

Question 32

Which of the following statements best describes the national government's rights under the U.S. Constitution?

A) It can only pass laws affecting individual citizens of states.
B) It can only pass laws affecting states.
C) It lacks a general police power.
D) It can regulate individuals in the name of equality.
E) It can regulate individuals in the name of order.

Question 33

Most governments claim to do at least which of the following while they maintain order?

A) Preserve individual freedoms
B) Redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor
C) Provide access to all citizens
D) Protect social norms
E) Preserve equality

Question 34

Very few governments can guarantee which of the following concepts?

A) Order
B) Freedom
C) Equality
D) Majoritarian democracy
E) Pluralist democracy

Question 35

In the business sector, equality of outcome has led to which of the following programs?

A) The growth of large, multinational corporations
B) Increased influence in government for big business
C) More businesspeople entering government service
D) Larger profits for family-owned businesses
E) More affirmative action programs in the workplace

Question 36

The absence of constraints on behavior is also known as which of the following?

A) Freedom
B) Idealism
C) Socialism
D) Order
E) Equality

Question 37

Which of the following concepts encompasses preserving life, protecting property, and maintaining patterns of social relationships?

A) Equality
B) Liberty
C) Freedom
D) Order
E) Power

Question 38

In the U.S. Constitution, which of the following phrases refers to the concept of order?

A) Common defense
B) General welfare
C) Domestic tranquility
D) Blessings of liberty
E) A more perfect union

Question 39

Each citizen having one vote demonstrates which of the following concepts?

A) Political equality
B) Mandated freedoms
C) A republic
D) Social equality
E) Equality of opportunity

Question 40

Which of the following is not an example of government spending on public goods?

A) Money spent on interstate highways
B) Money spent on schools
C) Money spent by private citizens buying U.S. savings bonds
D) Money spent on national parks
E) Money spent on military bombers

Question 41

Which of the following groups believes that the government should not interfere in economic or social matters?

A) Conservatives
B) Moderates
C) Libertarians
D) Populists
E) Liberals

Question 42

Which of the following political philosophies holds the belief that individuals are responsible for their well-being, proposes a limited role of government, and supports policies favoring traditional values?

A) Libertarianism
B) Conservatism
C) Liberalism
D) Totalitarianism
E) Socialism

Question 43

When some states do not require seat belts or motorcyclists to wear helmets, they are following which political theory?

A) Communism
B) Anarchism
C) Liberalism
D) Libertarianism
E) Conservatism

Question 44

A government pursuing laissez-faire policies would do which of the following?

A) Regulate economic competition to ensure basic fairness
B) Promote fairness for the least-advantaged members of society
C) Take a hands-off approach to the economy
D) Regulate the economy in the interest of efficiency and equality
E) Purchase natural resources for the public good

Question 45

If more than a third of respondents said they were afraid to walk alone at night in a place within a mile of their home, this is a problem connected to which governmental concept?

A) Liberty
B) Equality
C) Order
D) Freedom
E) Justice

Question 46

Which of the following political groups strongly supports property rights and opposes attempts to regulate personal behavior and moral values?

A) Liberals
B) Conservatives
C) Traditionalists
D) Anarchists
E) Libertarians

Question 47

When governments enact policies to promote social equality, which two concepts usually conflict?

A) Liberty v. order
B) Liberty v. freedom
C) Freedom v. order
D) Freedom v. equality
E) Equality v. order

Question 48

Which of the following is the best description of capitalism?

A) An economic system in which the means of production are owned by the state
B) A system in which a small group of people owns the majority of the wealth
C) A system in which the use of property is controlled by majority will
D) An economic system in which production and property are privately owned, with a minimum of government interference
E) A good idea in theory but not practically applicable

Question 49

Which of the following groups would favor government efforts to increase equality, including higher taxes on the wealthy and more support for those in need?

A) Moderates
B) Populists
C) Libertarians
D) Conservatives
E) Liberals

Question 50

When people have a fairly consistent view over a range of policy choices, they are said to have which of the following?

A) An alliance
B) A faction
C) A political party
D) A political ideology
E) A democratic ideal

Question 51

Which of the following groups believes that lower taxes will prompt greater economic growth that will ultimately benefit everyone, including the poor?

A) Liberals
B) Conservatives
C) Democrats
D) Anarchists
E) Moderates

Question 52

When governments guarantee civil liberties, and the citizens determine the extent of governmental activities through free elections and competitive political parties, this is known as which of the following?

A) Communism
B) Democratic socialism
C) Capitalism
D) Libertarianism
E) Conservatism

Question 53

A person who favors government ownership of some basic industries and a strong government role in directing the economy would be considered which of the following?

A) A capitalist
B) A socialist
C) Totalitarian
D) Authoritarian
E) Moderate

Question 54

Which of the following is a characteristic of elite theory?

A) It implies that the president must come from the party that holds the majority in Congress.
B) It emphasizes governmental control over economic policy, but not social institutions.
C) It 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) It indicates that a single ruler controls all aspects of the government, but not economic and social institutions.
E) It is the perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interests.

Question 55

The very meaning of government as the legitimate use of force to control human behavior leads to which of the following dilemmas?

A) Freedom v. order
B) Freedom v. equality
C) Order v. equality
D) Equality v. liberty
E) Order v. liberty

Question 56

The comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government is known as which of the following?

A) Ideology
B) Value system
C) Political science
D) Political socialization
E) Political culture

Question 57

The United States tends to favor an economic system in which business enterprises and key industries are privately owned. This is known as which of the following?

A) Capitalism
B) Communism
C) Socialism
D) Populism
E) Libertarianism

Question 58

Which of the following philosophers is usually associated with socialism?

A) Karl Marx
B) Montesquieu
C) John Locke
D) Thomas Hobbes
E) Alexander Hamilton

Question 59

Although the United States is a capitalist country, the government does intervene in the economic arena, primarily through which of the following?

A) Central planning for industry
B) Ensuring equality of outcome
C) Government ownership of some key industries
D) Controlling public access to goods and services
E) Regulating private businesses

Question 60

The 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges addressed a question of freedom versus equality. What specific issue did it address?

A) Equal pay for equal work
B) The rights of the disabled in the workplace
C) Prohibiting states from preventing same-sex marriage
D) Forcing busing to achieve racial equality in schools
E) Prohibiting states from using family medical history in employment decisions

Question 61

Maintaining social order is the most important political concept for which of the following groups?

A) Communists
B) Libertarians
C) Liberals
D) Socialists
E) Conservatives

Question 62

Explain the concepts of equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. How do they differ?

Question 63

"The government should act to create jobs during an economic crisis." Which of the following ideologies is most compatible with this quote?

A) Liberal
B) Anarchist
C) Conservative
D) Libertarian
E) Extreme conservative

Question 64

Summarize the view of Thomas Hobbes with respect to the state of nature and the purpose and role of government.

Question 65

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 66

Explain the difference between socialism and totalitarianism.

Question 67

We often laud democracy as a form of government, but what are its weaknesses? Describe what you see as the weaknesses of democratic forms of government, and argue whether these weaknesses indicate a need to change our form of government.

Question 68

Communitarians are willing to use government to promote both order and which of the following?

A) Freedom
B) Want
C) Sovereignty
D) Equality
E) Wealth

Question 69

Though democratic republic is the term most commonly applied to the U.S. form of government, apply what you know about one nondemocratic form of government (totalitarianism, authoritarianism, oligarchy, aristocracy), and describe what politics would be like in the United States under that form of government.

Question 70

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

Question 71

An American who supports the creation of electoral districts that are likely to vote for minority candidates for public office and wants more restrictions on business owners' hiring decisions is likely to be which of the following?

A) Libertarian
B) Conservative
C) Liberal
D) Majoritarian
E) Minoritarian

Question 72

Communitarians reflect the beliefs of the Communitarian Network, based on the beliefs of which of the following philosophers?

A) John Locke
B) Amitai Etzioni
C) James Madison
D) Frederick Engels
E) Plato

Question 73

A conservative would support which of the following government programs?

A) More spending on public education
B) Greater government spending to improve the environment
C) More government programs to ensure equality of outcome
D) Government cutbacks on affirmative action programs in the workplace
E) More government support for Planned Parenthood

Question 74

A liberal would support which of the following government programs/actions?

A) Cuts in spending on public
B) Cuts in spending for Social Security
C) Cuts in government support for Planned Parenthood
D) An increased number of affirmative action programs
E) Tax cuts for the wealthy

Question 75

Compare and contrast the ways the concept of "equality" is viewed in the text.

Question 76

Many libertarians do not believe in government regulation of business, but the United States regulates businesses in many ways. Contrast American business regulation with laissez-faire capitalism.

Question 77

Discuss how the concept of order has grown with the increased police powers of the federal government during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Question 78

Explain the tension between globalization and national sovereignty. Give an example of how the United States has been affected by globalization.

Question 79

Which of the following groups would be most likely to support government spending for education and housing?

A) Conservatives
B) Socialists
C) Communists
D) Liberals
E) Anarchists

Question 80

Which of the following pairs of terms best completes the statement? _________ theorists have a narrower view of social and economic rights that should be guaranteed by a democratic government than do __________ theorists.

A) Liberal, conservative
B) Conservative, liberal
C) Majoritarian, pluralist
D) Progressive, pluralist
E) Socialist, conservative