Deck 7: Political Violence

Question 1

The statement "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter":

A)is the closest we have to a law-like statement in political science.
B)runs against the whole purpose of political science objectivity.
C)was true in the past but is no longer the case.
D)was not true in the past but has become more accurate.
E)is only believed by revolutionaries themselves.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What is the difference between a revolution and a coup d'état?

A)The role of violence.
B)The role of the public.
C)The speed of change.
D)The likelihood of a successful regime change.
E)The ideology involved in the action.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

War crimes and human rights abuses can be defined as:

A)the use of violence by nonstate actors against states in order to achieve a political goal.
B)the use of violence by nonstate actors against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
C)the use of violence by states against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
D)the use of violence by civilians against states in order to achieve a political goal.
E)any form of political violence where civilians die.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Terrorism can be defined as the:

A)use of violence by nonstate actors against states in order to achieve a political goal.
B)use of violence by nonstate actors against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
C)use of violence by states against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
D)use of violence by civilians against states in order to achieve a political goal.
E)use of any kind of political violence by states or civilians.

Question 5

Nihilism can be defined as a:

A)belief that all institutions and values are essentially meaningless.
B)belief that all institutions and values are equally valid.
C)belief that all institutions and values should embrace pacifism.
D)belief that all institutions and values are a gift from God.
E)belief that all institutions and values should focus more on environmental issues.

Question 6

When looking at terrorists' backgrounds, we find that:

A)they often come from educated backgrounds.
B)they are almost always illiterate.
C)they almost always are deeply religious.
D)they usually have an extensive criminal background.
E)they oppose political change.

Question 7

What is the relationship between revolution and violence?

A)All revolutions are by definition extremely violent.
B)Revolutions are often violent, though some argue that nonviolent revolutions have occurred.
C)In the past, most revolutions were nonviolent, but they have become more violent since the end of the Cold War.
D)The degree of violence in a revolution is largely a function of whether the result is subsequent international intervention.
E)True revolutions are always peaceful.

Question 8

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 is often given as an example of which model of revolution?

A)Incipient Mobilization Model.
B)Religio-social Model.
C)Relative Deprivation Model.
D)Imperial Trigger Model.
E)Islamist Rebellion Model.

Question 9

In terms of achieving their group's objectives, terrorists:

A)are usually successful.
B)are usually unsuccessful.
C)are more successful recently than a century ago.
D)were more successful a century ago than today.
E)are more successful in rich countries than poor ones.

Question 10

The recent wave of terrorism can be compared to a similar wave that took place:

A)a century ago.
B)two centuries ago.
C)five centuries ago.
D)in democratic Athens.
E)during World War II.

Question 11

A political organization that uses violence largely against the state is best defined as a:

A)criminal organization.
B)terrorist organization.
C)guerrilla organization.
D)group of freedom fighters or revolutionaries.
E)group of reactionaries.

Question 12

Revolution can be defined as:

A)a seizure of the state by elites who wish to overturn the existing government.
B)a public seizure of the state in order to pressure a government leader to resign.
C)a public seizure of the state in order to overturn the existing government and regime.
D)any wide-ranging and rapid change in a society that produces beneficial social results.
E)a high number of deaths due to political conflict.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of an ideational explanation for political violence?

A)Nationalism.
B)Humiliation.
C)Capitalism.
D)Groupthink.
E)International law.

Question 14

Over time, studies of revolution:

A)have shifted their emphasis from the public to the state.
B)have shifted their emphasis to the importance of elite planning.
C)have shifted their emphasis to the role of the army in defending the state.
D)have shifted from a more theoretical approach to becoming largely descriptive.
E)have shifted to an emphasis on biological explanations for why people rebel.

Question 15

Studies of the relationship between economic conditions and terrorism find that:

A)terrorists almost always come from poor families.
B)terrorists almost always come from the poorest countries in the world.
C)terrorists almost always come from the working class.
D)there is not a strong correlation between economic deprivation and terrorism.
E)terrorists have almost always grown up with limited access to health care.

Question 16

Political violence is defined as:

A)violence outside of state control that is politically motivated.
B)violence conducted by the state that is politically motivated.
C)violence conducted against civilians.
D)violence conducted by one state against another.
E)violence between military forces.

Question 17

Guerrilla warfare can be defined as the:

A)use of violence by nonstate actors against states in order to achieve a political goal.
B)use of violence by nonstate actors against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
C)use of violence by states against civilians in order to achieve a political goal.
D)use of violence by civilians against states in order to achieve a political goal.
E)use of any kind of political violence by states or civilians.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of an institutional explanation for political violence?

A)Radicalism.
B)Humiliation.
C)Presidentialism.
D)Groupthink.
E)International law.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of an individual explanation for political violence?

A)Radicalism.
B)Humiliation.
C)Capitalism.
D)Groupthink.
E)International law.

Question 20

What is the relationship between differing explanations for political violence?

A)They are typically seen as being in competition but can be used in conjunction with other.
B)Ideational factors are now viewed as more convincing than any other explanation.
C)Most scholars now agree that constitutional problems are the root of such violence.
D)Scholars no longer believe that political violence can be understood through social science methodology.
E)There are, as of yet, no attempts to generate differing explanations for political violence.

Question 21

Scholars interested in the ideas of religion and political violence wonder if similar factors might eventually influence:

A)some antipoverty and labor organizations.
B)some environmental and animal rights groups.
C)some "border security" and anti-immigration groups.
D)people who believe in alien abduction and a government cover-up.
E)some advocates of improved health care.

Question 22

One reason regime change as a means of stopping terrorism might NOT work is because:

A)such actions often produce new regimes that are more conducive to violence.
B)the costs outweigh the benefits of lives saved.
C)the United Nations will not permit it.
D)terrorism operates outside of regimes.
E)regimes can, in fact, never be changed.

Question 23

What is the difference between a terrorist, a guerrilla, a revolutionary, and a freedom fighter? How do these terms relate to one another?

Question 24

In your opinion, what are the most effective ways to limit political violence?

Question 25

What are some of the reasons terrorism occurs?

Question 26

Studies of the relationship between regime type and terrorism find that:

A)terrorism is strongest in democratic regimes.
B)terrorism is strongest in authoritarian regimes.
C)terrorism is strongest in illiberal or transitional regimes.
D)there is not a strong correlation between regime type and terrorism.
E)terrorism is strongest in totalitarian regimes.

Question 27

Terrorism can be first traced back to which important modern event?

A)French Revolution.
B)American Revolution.
C)English Revolution.
D)Iranian Revolution.
E)Russian Revolution.

Question 28

Some warn that too much centralized power to fight terrorism could lead to:

A)unitary government.
B)a surveillance state.
C)hyperdemocracy.
D)nihilism.
E)illiberalism.

Question 29

What is the relationship between religion and political violence?

A)It can only be found in monotheistic religions that believe in "one true God."
B)Fundamentalism inevitably leads to political violence.
C)Religious violence and political violence are separate issues.
D)Religion and politics can lead to violence when they clash over modernity.
E)Politics forces religion to become violent.

Question 30

What are some of the explanations for why revolutions occur?

Question 31

One idea often associated with apocalyptic beliefs and political violence is that of:

A)cosmic peace.
B)cosmic war.
C)cosmic pain.
D)cosmic destruction.
E)cosmic juncture.

Question 32

Individual-focused studies of terrorism often draw comparisons between terrorist groups and:

A)state bureaucracies.
B)political campaigns.
C)folk customs.
D)religious cults.
E)sports teams.

Question 33

The relationship between terrorism and revolution is:

A)one of means and ends.
B)that they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum.
C)that they are unrelated.
D)that only the latter is legitimate.
E)that they are the same thing.

Question 34

What is the objective of terrorism? Of revolution? How are the two related?

Question 35

Terrorists often seek to destabilize democracies because:

A)they hate public participation.
B)it is easier than running for office.
C)weakened democratic processes help justify their use of violence.
D)they hope that this will provoke the democracy into attacking their neighboring states.
E)they wish for the public to rally around their democratic institutions in response.