Deck 1: Gateways to American Democracy

Question 1

Why didn't the framers of the Constitution create a direct democracy?

A) It wasn't the best way to resist manipulative politicians.
B) Direct democracy had never been used before.
C) The people had expressed support for a government similar to a monarchy.
D) They were worried about the efficiency of ballot-counting mechanisms.
E) They believed the rights of the minority would be suppressed by the dominating majority.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

In order to achieve a "more perfect union" and solve America's problems, Americans must be which of the following?

A) Cautious and careful
B) Wild and unpredictable
C) Cold and calculating
D) Happy and trusting
E) Vigilant and engaged

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following is a problem with American democracy?

A) The government always responds to public opinion.
B) The U.S. national debt is the lowest it's ever been.
C) Political polarization is decreasing.
D) The rate of turnout in elections is at an all-time high.
E) Racial tensions persist across the country.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which of the following is the first step in the policy-making process?

A) Formulating a solution
B) Placing the problem on the agenda of the policy makers
C) Identifying the problem
D) Evaluating the effectiveness of the solution
E) Discussing whether the problem needs to be addressed

Question 5

What ancient British legal principle holds that all people are equal before the law, all are subject to it, and no one is above it?

A) Stare decisis
B) Rule of law
C) Positivism
D) Human rights
E) Habeus corpus

Question 6

Who works together to determine public policies?

A) The public, the media, and interest groups
B) Interest groups, Congress, and the Justice Department
C) Individuals, organizations, and political institutions
D) The U.S. Supreme Court, the NRA, and the public
E) The president, local police, and educational institutions

Question 7

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 8

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 9

Which of the following statements represents something that the United States has not been able to accomplish even though it has a high level of citizen involvement?

A) The nation and institutions are remarkably stable.
B) Citizens are able to petition government and criticize it.
C) Americans enjoy substantial freedom and are protected from abuses of power by the government.
D) A society has been created with high voter turnout.
E) Americans show more tolerance of different political views than most other democracies

Question 10

Which of the following is true regarding evaluation of the American political system?

A) Poverty is declining in the United States.
B) The public trust of public institutions is low.
C) Political institutions are generally unstable.
D) Political polarization is declining in the United States.
E) Voter turnout is higher in the United States than in most other democracies.

Question 11

Which of the following is absent in a republic?

A) Legislative body
B) Rule of law
C) Separation of powers
D) Bureaucracy
E) Monarch

Question 12

Which of the following are obstacles to influence that may limit access to participation?

A) Public policies
B) Problems
C) Solutions
D) Gates
E) Gateways

Question 13

To whom do most democracies give power to make laws?

A) Business leaders
B) Political parties
C) Expatriates
D) Representatives
E) All citizens

Question 14

Which of the following is not part of the policy-making process?

A) Identifying the problem
B) Formulating a situation
C) Placing the problem on the agenda of the policy makers
D) Informing the media of possible solutions
E) Enacting and implementing the solution

Question 15

Which of the following is the best description of the political value known as liberty?

A) Freedom to do whatever you want
B) Available only in the United States
C) The greatest freedom of the individual consistent with the freedom of other individuals
D) Incompatible with government authority
E) A uniquely American value

Question 16

Actions by the government to achieve a goal are known as which of the following?

A) Politics
B) Government
C) Public policy
D) Policy agenda
E) Factional decisions

Question 17

The framers of the Constitution chose to form what type of government?

A) Republic
B) Limited constitutional monarchy
C) Totalitarian regime
D) Authoritarian regime
E) Oligarchical regime

Question 18

Which of the following is another term for an avenue for participation in the political process?

A) Gateway
B) Solution
C) Gate
D) Public trust
E) Institutional participation

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the government of the United States?

A) A direct democracy
B) A republic
C) A confederation
D) A constitutional monarchy
E) An anarchy

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of direct democracy?

A) Louisiana's use of the parish
B) New England town meetings
C) The Soviet Union in the 1980s
D) Voting in party primaries
E) The electoral college system

Question 21

A republic is a form of government in which power derives from which of the following?

A) A supreme mandate from the masses, rather than from divine right
B) Sectarian violence
C) The majoritarian consensus of elites
D) The citizens, but their representatives make policy and govern
E) The benevolence of the leaders

Question 22

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 23

Unlike Athens, the early United States had a population of nearly 4 million people, which made direct democracy impractical. Instead, the Framers created which of the following?

A) Dictatorship
B) Direct democracy
C) Representative democracy
D) Socialist government
E) Constitutional monarchy

Question 24

The idea that most important government decisions are made by an identifiable and stable minority that shares certain characteristics-especially wealth and business connections-is known as which of the following?

A) Oligarchy
B) Elite theory
C) Pluralist theory
D) The interest group model
E) Aristocracy

Question 25

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 26

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 27

If top political jobs for both political parties are filled only from an inner circle of top corporate leaders, this would be evidence for which of the following?

A) Elite theory
B) Substantive democracy
C) Pluralist theory
D) The interest group model
E) Authoritarianism

Question 28

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 29

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 30

Pluralist theory proposes that people's interests are protected by which of the following?

A) Interest groups
B) Political parties
C) The majority
D) Elected representatives
E) Elites

Question 31

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 32

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 33

An American who supports the creation of election districts that are likely to vote for minority candidates for public office and wants more restrictions on business is likely to be of what political ideology?

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

Question 34

According to the U.S. Constitution, power is channeled into what three branches of the government?

A) Executive, economic, legislative
B) Judicial, domestic, foreign
C) Legislative, judicial, executive
D) Judicial, legislative, military
E) Executive, legislative, federal

Question 35

Which of the following perspectives holds that society is really ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interest?

A) Majoritarian theory
B) Personality theory
C) Elite theory
D) Pluralistic theory
E) Interest group theory

Question 36

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 37

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 38

The struggle over power or influence within organizations that can grant benefits or privileges best defines which of the following?

A) National government
B) A state government
C) Elections
D) Politics
E) Political science

Question 39

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 40

Madison and the other Framers realized that the role of the new Constitution was to do which of the following?

A) Spell out the natural rights of citizens
B) Serve as a gatekeeper to power
C) Strictly limit the power of government
D) Define what is meant by "citizen" and "rights"
E) Create access to power for government officials

Question 41

Gains in civic interest lead to broader public involvement, which in turn leads to which of the following?

A) A decrease in the size of government
B) Highlighted interest group agendas
C) Advances in equality
D) Less partisanship
E) Income equality

Question 42

Which of the following is a partnership that is a psychological attachment to a particular party that relates to political ideology but is more personal than philosophical?

A) Party identification
B) Political theory
C) Political culture
D) Party faction
E) Political capital

Question 43

What is the political theory that holds that government should do what most of the people want it to do?

A) Pluralism
B) Majoritarianism
C) Elite theory
D) Proportionalism
E) Democratic centralism

Question 44

The process by which the people determine how government will respond to the needs and opinions of the people is known as which of the following?

A) Politics
B) Self-interest
C) Political culture
D) Political participation
E) Popular sovereignty

Question 45

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

Question 46

In monarchies, autocracies, and oligarchies, a single person or small elite rules society. These systems are by definition which of the following?

A) Democratic
B) Undemocratic
C) Fascist
D) Responsive
E) Anarchist

Question 47

The expectation that incomes will level out or that standards of living will be roughly the same for all citizens is known as which of the following?

A) Equality of opportunity
B) Political equality
C) The leveling effect
D) Welfare equality
E) Equality of outcome

Question 48

In an autocracy, leaders typically rely on which of the following to maintain order?

A) Free and fair elections
B) A popularly elected group of sheriffs
C) A strong army or secret police force
D) Reappointment by the national legislature
E) A team of problem solvers that listen to the people and their needs

Question 49

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 50

Which of the following provides the most common way to remove elected officials from office and can be the primary mechanisms for forging responsiveness?

A) Elections
B) Impeachment
C) Interest groups
D) Political parties
E) Indictments

Question 51

"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 52

Equality of opportunity can be understood to mean which of the following?

A) All citizens have the right to vote.
B) All citizens will be both happy and free.
C) All citizens will experience the same standard of living.
D) All citizens must equally participate in government.
E) All citizens will be treated equally before the law.

Question 53

According to the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, the functions of government do not include which of the following?

A) Establish justice
B) Promote economic security
C) Provide for the common defense
D) Promote the general welfare
E) Ensure domestic tranquility

Question 54

With regard to political ideology, most Americans are considered to be which of the following?

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

Question 55

If you were born between 1982 and 2003, you are part of the generation that social scientists have identified as which of the following?

A) Baby boomers
B) Generation X
C) Generation Y
D) Millennials
E) Idealists

Question 56

The idea that each citizen must have a chance to have his or her voice heard in government is the root of which of the following?

A) Political economy
B) Self-determination
C) Political culture
D) Political equality
E) Civil society

Question 57

The idea that citizens get involved in the political process because they want to be part of the voluntary organizations of society that enable communities to flourish is known as which of the following?

A) Civic interest
B) Self-interest
C) Community interest
D) Political interest
E) Pluralist interest

Question 58

Which of the following groups favors government efforts to increase equality, which includes higher taxes on the wealthy and greater provision of social benefits to those in need?

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

Question 59

American political culture as a whole generally favors which of the following over communal approaches to property and poverty?

A) Socialism
B) Marxism
C) Strict equality
D) Individualism
E) Communism

Question 60

Clean air is an example of which of the following that no one can be excluded from and that benefits all citizens?

A) Private goods
B) General welfare
C) Public goods
D) Self-interest
E) Public policy

Question 61

As Madison and the other Founders noted, the best check on excesses of power that threaten a fair and just government is which of the following?

A) An activist Supreme Court
B) A powerful executive
C) An engaged public
D) A bipartisan Congress
E) Knowledgeable bureaucrats

Question 62

Do you believe that pluralism or elite theory is the more accurate description of American politics? Why?

Question 63

College students who want lower college loan interest rates, baby boomers who want increases in Social Security payments, and parents who want more money spent on public education are all looking out for which of the following?

A) Their political participation
B) Their civic interest
C) Their self-interest
D) Their partisanship
E) Their political socialization

Question 64

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

Question 65

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 66

Explain how a liberal, a libertarian, and a conservative would respond to a government program used to promote traditional moral values.

Question 67

Which of the following is true regarding college costs?

A) The costs of both public and private colleges have decreased in recent years.
B) College affordability is a concern for almost all college students.
C) Congress has done nothing to fund financial aid for college students.
D) College affordability is the most talked-about subject on today's political agenda.
E) Both public and private college costs have remained stable over the last decade.

Question 68

Describe public policies that encourage you to participate in American democracy.

Question 69

Define social contract.

Question 70

Compare and contrast direct democracy with representative democracy, and explain why direct democracy is seldom used in governmental elections in the twenty-first century in the United States.

Question 71

Explain the role that interest groups play in the pluralist democratic model.

Question 72

Participating in the public sphere obviously includes voting, but it also includes which of the following other activities?

A) Writing letters to your representatives in Congress
B) Volunteering for a political campaign
C) Attending political rallies
D) Social networking in support of a candidate
E) All of these are correct.

Question 73

The ways that the federal government helps support individuals in their efforts to attend college include which of the following?

A) Pell Grants
B) Work-study programs
C) Low-interest college loans
D) Tax breaks for education
E) All of these are correct.

Question 74

Explain the difference between the ideologies of liberals and libertarians.

Question 75

Why are monarchies, autocracies, and oligarchies inherently undemocratic?

Question 76

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 77

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

Question 78

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 79

Discuss the ways that civic interest and self-interest can influence government and society.

Question 80

The Tea Party movement has aligned itself for the most part with which of the following political parties?

A) Democrat
B) Socialist
C) Libertarian
D) Communist
E) Republican