Deck 1: The study of politics

Question 1

Which statement best describes the rational choice approach in politics?

A)People get involved in politics because they want to get something out of it for themselves or others.
B)Its primary focus is the source of human motivation.
C)Its theory stipulates that individuals will deductively reduce their logic in order to achieve their goals.
D)What is good for the individual is the same as what is good for the group.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In the class analysis approach, the political elite takes orders from the capitalist elite and the state is an instrument of bourgeois domination.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The notion that the operations of the state are so extensive that they are connected to virtually every aspect of society is called the state-centred approach.

Answer 3

False
It is called the embedded state.

Question 4

The class approach postulates that the political system is characterized by openness and that power is widely dispersed among many interests.

Question 5

In the rational choice approach, "goal oriented" is synonymous with "preference-oriented".

Question 6

What is an example of elite accommodation?

A)the Harper government's decision to remove the tax advantages of corporate income trusts
B)the $1 billion fine levied against tobacco companies for smuggling cigarettes
C)the reality that corporate executives and politicians often come from the same ranks
D)the anti-Kyoto stance taken by several Western politicians

Question 7

Feedback is a communication of outputs back into the system, in response to which the pattern of demands and support is altered.

Question 8

The state-centred approach views those individuals endowed with the authority to formulate and implement public policies as basically autonomous from the rest of society.

Question 9

What political decision is best described by the class analysis approach?

A)increasing airport and border security
B)adopting the North American Free Trade Agreement
C)increasing funding to universities
D)adopting a clean-air policy

Question 10

What analytical approach is closest to the "democratic ideal"?

A)pluralist approach
B)Marxist approach
C)class approach
D)social cleavages approach

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of a pressure group?

A)National Citizen's Coalition
B)The Federal Conservative Party of Canada
C)Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
D)Mother's Against Drunk Drivers (MADD)

Question 12

Government authority is based on accountability.

Question 13

Which of the following form the four branches of government?

A)the executive, the bureaucracy, the legislature, and the judiciary
B)the authorities, the legislature, the executive, and the administration
C)the executive, the courts, the management, and Parliament
D)the Parliament, the Senate, the courts, and the executive

Question 14

The Marxist approach is synonymous with the class approach.

Question 15

The behaviour of individual politicians is an example of the political psychology approach.

Question 16

Which statement best describes the notion of the embedded state?

A)Elites cannot operate with total autonomy because of the fusion of state and society.
B)The state wields an enormous amount of power, unchecked by societal norms.
C)Individuals view the powers of the state to be entrenched within all aspects of society.
D)Politicians are unable to operate without the bureaucratic functions of the state.

Question 17

Issues include only those demands that the authorities have taken under serious consideration.

Question 18

According to the institutional approach, what are the two main elements of politics and government that are considered to be the main essence of political analysis?

A)institutions and the constitution
B)bureaucracy and law
C)constitution and law
D)bureaucracy and courts

Question 19

Why is the pluralist approach appropriate for the study of Canadian politics?

A)Most interests in Canada are equally represented by at least one pressure group.
B)The original framework of the Canadian political system allowed for the consideration of a diversity of interests.
C)Canada has always been a diversified society, especially in terms of ethnic and religious diversity.
D)Rigid party discipline allows for interest groups to align themselves with particular political parties.

Question 20

According to political science, what are the three different types of power?

A)coercion, authority, legitimacy
B)authority, influence, coercion
C)influence, legitimacy, respect
D)authority, coercion, influence

Question 21

Describe how power resolves political issues.

Question 22

Explain the relationship between authorities, input, output, and feedback and how these relate to the Canadian political system.

Question 23

How are demands transmitted to the authorities? Which method do you think is most effective, and why?

Question 24

Consider the rising costs of postsecondary education.Apply each of the different approaches to the study of politics to the economic concerns of postsecondary students.

Question 25

Compare and contrast two of the five approaches to the study of politics (institutional, state- based, political sociology, political psychology and political behaviour approaches and rational choice approach).