Deck 1: One Republic Two Americas

Question 1

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.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Political leaders in the United States initially extended equal treatment to which of the following groups?

A) Men who owned property
B) Men who had been born in one of the 13 original colonies
C) White men and women
D) All men, regardless of race
E) All citizens

Answer 2

A

Question 3

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 3

E

Question 4

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 5

Which of the following is a significant issue that the U.S. government is facing today?

A) A decrease in the national debt
B) A decrease in global competition and foreign trade
C) An increasing gap in the income and wealth of individuals
D) A shortage of homes available for purchase
E) An overabundance of available social welfare funding

Question 6

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 7

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 8

The set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics that are shared by all citizens is known as which of the following?

A) Politics
B) Political culture
C) Political socialization
D) Socialism
E) A social contract

Question 9

The theory that individuals form communities by mutual consent, giving up some of their individual liberty in order to gain the protection of government, is known as which of the following?

A) Divine right
B) Social contract
C) A Leviathan
D) Communitarianism
E) Elitism

Question 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

What is the basis for power and legitimacy in American government?

A) Consent of the governed
B) Universal suffrage
C) One man, one vote
D) Rights to life and liberty
E) Majority rule

Question 14

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 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

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 17

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 18

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 19

Which of the following is one of the most enduring shared American political values?

A) A belief in wealth distribution
B) A belief in the right to privacy
C) A belief in the appropriate size and scope of government
D) A belief in the rule of law
E) A belief in monarchical rule

Question 20

To whom do most democracies give power to make laws?

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

Question 21

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 22

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 23

If the people hold the power over the government through elections, but policy decisions are made by the people's elected representatives, we can say that the government is which of the following?

A) Autocracy
B) Communist utopia
C) Representational oligarchy
D) Socialist monarchy
E) Democratic republic

Question 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

North Korea is known for its lack of freedom of speech, press, and assembly.  The needs of the ruler and regime are paramount, and dissent often means imprisonment or death.  These are the characteristics of which of the following?

A) Democratic republic
B) Majoritarian democracy
C) Totalitarian
D) Republic
E) Direct democracy

Question 28

Initiative, referendum, and recall are examples of which of the following?

A) Oligarchy
B) Representative democracy
C) Anarchy
D) Direct democracy
E) Direct egalitarianism

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

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 31

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 32

Which of the following is the type of government found in the original U.S. Constitution?

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

Question 33

The concept in which the Constitution provides the fundamental structure of government and describes what the national government can and cannot do is called which of the following?

A) Limited government
B) Popular sovereignty
C) Representative democracy
D) Majority rule
E) Majoritarianism

Question 34

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 35

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 36

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 37

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 38

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 39

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

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

Question 40

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 41

Which of the following is one of the major challenges of globalization?

A) The dual citizenship of many of those employed by multinational corporations
B) That no single government can regulate multinational corporations
C) The lack of an easy way to pay for goods and services in a global economy
D) That multinational corporations are accountable only to the country where the business began
E) That it drives up prices for all Western consumers

Question 42

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

Question 43

"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 44

A socialist would likely be in favor of which of the following?

A) Prohibition of workers' organizations and trade unions
B) Elimination of Social Security and Medicare programs
C) Government taking over the oil industry in order to control oil and gas prices
D) Privatization of the national park system
E) Elimination of the federal national minimum wage

Question 45

Which of the following is a flaw with majoritarianism that can be harmful?

A) The majority can make decisions that are harmful to the minority.
B) The decisions are difficult to enforce.
C) A group of elites can end up with all the decision-making power.
D) Interest groups can become the decision makers.
E) It doesn't take into account the beliefs of ordinary citizens.

Question 46

Why is the growing Hispanic population politically important?

A) Hispanics are more likely to vote on issues, rather than affiliate with a political party.
B) Hispanics are more likely to affiliate with a political party than to vote on particular issues.
C) Hispanics have the highest rate of new voter registration of any ethnic group.
D) Hispanics have the highest rate of voter participation of any ethnic group.
E) Hispanics give the majority of their support to Democratic candidates.

Question 47

The concept that in a democracy the government should listen to what most people want is known as which of the following?

A) Limited government
B) Majoritarianism
C) Elitism
D) Pluralism
E) Totalitarianism

Question 48

Which of the following nations will challenge America as a global economic power as we approach the mid-twenty-first century?

A) Great Britain
B) France
C) China
D) South Africa
E) Canada

Question 49

An increased demand on Social Security and Medicare in the United States can be linked to which of the following?

A) A declining birth rate
B) An increasing number of immigrants
C) An increasing number of senior citizens
D) The declining income of workers 20 to 35 years old
E) An increased number of apathetic voters

Question 50

With larger numbers of Americans aged 65 and over, what government programs will face difficult challenges as America approaches the mid-twenty-first century?

A) NASA and food stamp programs
B) Social Security and Medicare
C) Medicaid and welfare programs
D) National parks and environmental grants
E) Arts and education programs

Question 51

Demographically, the United States is becoming which of the following?

A) An elderly nation with the bulk of its citizens over age 65
B) A middle-aged nation with a growing population of elderly
C) A middle-aged nation with a stagnant population
D) A youth-oriented nation with rapidly rising birth rates
E) A youth-oriented nation with the bulk of its citizens under age 30

Question 52

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 53

The challenges posed by environmental change include which of the following?

A) Political, technological, and global
B) Political expertise and monetary issues
C) Political proficiency and fiscal issues
D) Political, but limited to developed countries
E) Political, but limited to developing countries

Question 54

Which of the following is the belief that government should take an active role in reducing poverty and regulating the economy, support civil rights, and have a tolerance for social change?

A) Liberalism
B) Conservatism
C) Authoritarianism
D) Libertarianism
E) Traditionalism

Question 55

The belief in individuals being responsible for their well-being, a limited role of government, and a support for policies favoring traditional values are characteristics of which of the following?

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

Question 56

What consequence is global warming thought to have on the United States?

A) Greater number of heat waves impacting the agricultural industry
B) The increase in hurricanes and coastal damage to large populations on seacoasts
C) The increasing deforestation throughout the Plains and Upper Midwest
D) Crushing rains and flooding in the Great Lakes region
E) More snow in areas such as the Great Lakes

Question 57

Which of the following is the comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government?

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

Question 58

Support for Barack Obama from the Hispanic, Black, and Asian American communities showed that balancing the needs of each group would be an ongoing challenge for which political party?

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

Question 59

A Hispanic is someone who claims heritage from which of the following?

A) Both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking ancestors
B) The island of Hispaniola
C) Nations of the North American continent
D) Spanish conquistadors
E) A Spanish-speaking country other than Spain

Question 60

Which of the following is a major change the United States will face in the coming years?

A) The possibility of revolts against state governments
B) An increased number of nation-states in the world
C) The continuing failure of small farmers and loss of food sources
D) A dramatic increase in population growth
E) A decline in economic dominance

Question 61

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 62

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 63

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

Question 64

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 65

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

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

Explain the difference between the ideologies of liberals and libertarians.

Question 68

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