Deck 17: Democracy in Action We, the People

Question 1

The framers of the Constitution provided for the formation of political parties.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In the pluralist view, political decisions are usually compromises.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Elitists subscribe to the notion that force holds society together.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The chief characteristic of American political parties is that they are based on the ideology of capitalism.

Question 5

Apathy and alienation are two of the reasons offered as explanations for the failure to vote.

Question 6

Americans express great faith in the democratic processes and in every one's right to self government.

Question 7

American parties are distinctive in that there are so many of them, reflecting every shade of the political spectrum.

Question 8

The most important function of political parties is to determine and define the ideals of the people, clarifying them in the form of issues.

Question 9

Elitists are usually identified with the conflict school of thought.

Question 10

Pluralists maintain that power is diffused among numerous interest groups.

Question 11

The basic purpose of interest groups is to seize and exercise political power by legal means.

Question 12

The principal activity of interest groups is selecting candidates for public office.

Question 13

Most PACs have a conservative orientation.

Question 14

The majoritarian model of democracy interprets the statement "government by the people" to mean that decisions are to be made by the majority of the people.

Question 15

Karl Marx and C. Wright Mills are associated with the pluralist position regarding the location of power.

Question 16

The voters have a choice because there is competition among elites.

Question 17

Interest groups act as checks on other interest groups as well as on governmental actions and public officials.

Question 18

Interest groups, unlike Congress, provide representation on other than geographical bases.

Question 19

To seize and exercise political power by legal means is the fundamental purpose of interest groups.

Question 20

The "winner-take-all" principle means that the party that wins the majority of votes in a given district or state carries the entire district or state.

Question 21

The American party system is experiencing a renaissance, with many new parties coming into existence.

Question 22

The non-voters in the United States belong mostly to the higher social classes. They do not vote because they are already in privileged positions.

Question 23

The danger of relying on the mass media for information is that in communicating information, interpretation becomes necessary, and bias easily creeps in.

Question 24

Information in the guise of "sound bites" presents the danger of distorting the truth, rather than informing the public.

Question 25

Most media in the United States are public, funded and run by the government.

Question 26

The political process:

A) allows those representing minority views to try to become the majority
B) favors those representing majority views
C) allows those in positions of power to ignore the people's wishes
D) none of the above

Question 27

Which of the following is identified with the elitist view?

A) C. Wright Mills
B) Karl Marx
C) Paul Samuelson
D) Pat Robertson
E) BOTH Mills AND Marx

Question 28

According to Marx, which group constituted a ruling elite?

A) The proletariat
B) The bourgeoisie
C) The workers for the owners of the means of production
D) The military

Question 29

Political scientists Dye and Zeigler maintain that:

A) the elite may be influenced by the masses, but it is more likely that it influences the masses
B) the elite constitutes a monolithic ruling class
C) elite groups have maximum control over decisions that affect the majority of people
D) the elite works against the public good

Question 30

In C. Wright Mill's view, what group constitutes an elite?

A) Church leaders and educators
B) The corporate rich only
C) High ranking military officers only
D) High echelon politicians only
E) The military-industrial-governmental complex

Question 31

The American democratic system is based on:

A) the dignity of the individual
B) representation of the majority
C) protection of minority rights
D) none of the above
E) all of the above

Question 32

The school of thought that considers power to be brokered by various interest groups is called:

A) pluralism
B) power elitism
C) absolute power
D) authoritarianism

Question 33

C. Wright Mills maintains that the nation is really ruled by:

A) the masses
B) a power elite
C) representatives of the people
D) the participants in the political process

Question 34

The power elite are drawn from among the:

A) military and business leaders
B) middle-class urban residents
C) union leaders
D) intellectuals

Question 35

The elitist school of thought asserts that:

A) the elite is not always against the masses
B) the elite always works against the public interest
C) the elite displays a monolithic power structure
D) the masses should rebel against the elite

Question 36

A pluralist in the U. S. would maintain that:

A) power is spread through multiple centers
B) policy reflects the wishes of a few elites
C) significant decisions are made by the upper classes
D) power is in the hands of a small homogeneous class of leaders

Question 37

Advocates of the elitist approach believe that the ruling elite maintains its power by:

A) physical force
B) manipulation of the masses
C) explaining the truth to the people
D) none of the above

Question 38

The synthesis of the elitist and pluralist approaches, realist democracy,
Assumes that:

A) voters do have a choice in elite competition
B) the elites have a consensus on basic democracy
C) new groups can become the new elite
D) none of the above
E) all of the above

Question 39

The main purpose of a political party in a democracy is to:

A) eliminate the opposition
B) gain power
C) eliminate power
D) control the media

Question 40

Political parties in the U. S. have the function to:

A) define the interests of the people in the form of a platform
B) provide personnel to run the government
C) engage in political socialization
D) be the loyal opposition
E) all of the above

Question 41

The unique two party system in the United States is based on:

A) the need to have religious representation in government
B) proportional representation
C) extremist ideologies
D) broad agreement on basic principles

Question 42

Proposed political party reforms in the U.S. include:

A) greater ideological division
B) increasing numbers of Independents
C) greater freedom of action for candidates
D) adopting a winner-takes-all principle

Question 43

The nation with the longest political campaign period is:

A) Italy
B) the United States
C) England
D) all nations take the same time to campaign

Question 44

The political organization that may have too much influence on elected officials because of its generous contributions is the:

A) Republican Club
B) Democratic Club
C) Political Action Committee
D) Rules Committee

Question 45

Interest groups have the following traits:

A) they present official candidates to the electorate
B) they have the goal of complete control of the government
C) they put their names on ballots
D) they are only accountable to themselves

Question 46

The positive functions of interest groups include:

A) informing public officials of the opinions of constituents
B) debating public issues
C) checking on other interest groups
D) none of the above
E) all of the above

Question 47

The negative functions of interest groups include:

A) they are representative of a minority of people
B) they are democratic
C) they are accountable to the public
D) none of the above

Question 48

Surveys of American voters reveal:

A) a general support of the government
B) full support of democratic principles
C) the majority of people and political leaders are equally committed to democratic values
D) a general cynicism about government

Question 49

Americans voting in local elections represent the following percentage:

A) 60%
B) 10%
C) 90%
D) 50%

Question 50

Which American is most likely to vote?

A) A poor, young black
B) An educated middle-aged white
C) Someone voting for the local school board
D) Someone who does not identify with either party

Question 51

A predisposition toward certain points of view is called:

A) attitude
B) action
C) opinion
D) conviction

Question 52

In regard to public and political opinion:

A) they are the same
B) public opinion is limited to a few issues
C) political opinion deals with all matters
D) political opinion is all opinions expressed on political issues

Question 53

The relationship of the mass media and politicians can be described as:

A) political control of the media
B) media subversion of government
C) nonexistent
D) symbiotic and adversarial

Question 54

Many Americans are politically apathetic and alienated because:

A) they are experiencing universal adult suffrage
B) they feel that conventional political participation is meaningless
C) politicians work only for their own interest
D) they are deeply divided by ideology

Question 55

Popular participation in the political process:

A) has always been a fact of life in the U. S.
B) has increased with the education of the electorate
C) is more difficult in complex mass societies
D) is forbidden by the Constitution

Question 56

Interest groups may be defined as:

A) groups of people interested in specific legislation
B) groups of people who want to enter politics
C) wealthy and civic minded people with excessive leisure time
D) coalitions of individuals with similar attitudes and interests who attempt to influence public policy

Question 57

According to the "broker rule" school of thought:

A) power is in the hands of a small group of individuals
B) Wall street brokers and other bankers hold the effective reins of government
C) power is diffused among numerous interest groups who compete and compromise on the decision making process
D) the fewer interest groups exist, the greater the stability of the political system

Question 58

The chief function of interest groups is to:

A) provide group representation above and beyond that provided by our elected officials in Congress
B) provide geographic representation
C) bring into the open obscure problems to be solved
D) choose candidates for political office

Question 59

Public policy, according to elitists, tends to reflect:

A) the demands of the masses
B) the values of the elites
C) the ideals of the society
D) the compromises necessary to temper ideals with reality

Question 60

Which of the following groups has traditionally had the worst voting record in the United States?

A) Urban and suburban residents
B) The young and underprivileged
C) College educated professionals
D) White collar workers

Question 61

The factors influencing the political behavior of American voters include:

A) mass media
B) socialization
C) social class
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 62

The classic, textbook model of democracy is referred to as the:

A) Lockean model
B) referendum model
C) majoritarian model
D) Madisonian model

Question 63

The process of circulating petitions in order to place specific issues before the legislators is called:

A) impressment
B) appeasement
C) innuendo
D) initiative
E) interdiction

Question 64

What function do politicians serve, according to pluralists?

A) Front men
B) Statesmen
C) Shills, or decoys
D) Power and interest brokers

Question 65

C. Wright Mills wrote that the "power elite" controls:

A) all political and social issues
B) the major issues like war and peace
C) the election of all national officials
D) access to Supreme Court appointments

Question 66

A modified version of elitist theory holds that:

A) elite members identify with middle-class values
B) the masses can, on occasion, influence the elite
C) elites vary in their degree of openness
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 67

Elites:

A) do not always triumph
B) cannot always be identified
C) are not public decision-making bodies
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 68

Pluralists believe that American parties and interest groups:

A) play outside the rules of the game
B) agree with the ideology of free enterprise
C) operate purely in terms of self-interest
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 69

Elitist theorists:

A) endorse the use of brute force when necessary
B) observe that force is seldom used in a brazen manner by American elites
C) believe that the elites themselves are brainwashed
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 70

Public policy is:

A) what the government does
B) what the government fails to do
C) a plan of action
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 71

Interest groups abound because:

A) Americans are ready "joiners"
B) Americans are not a homogeneous people so there are many conflicting interests
C) they substitute for the weaker political parties
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT an interest group?

A) The National Rifle Association
B) The American Association of Retired People
C) Lobbyists of America
D) The Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Question 73

According to Robert Salisbury, the crucial factor in turning awareness of an issue into an organized movement is:

A) money
B) mass media
C) leadership
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 74

Effective social movement leadership requires:

A) taking tactical advantage of trends and opportunities
B) marketing skills
C) procedures for succession
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 75

Shortcomings of interest groups include:

A) injecting partisan ideologies into political parties
B) creating splinter parties
C) the dissemination of biased information
D) stifling minority voices

Question 76

The numbers of PACs:

A) doubled since 1974
B) tripled since 1974
C) quadrupled since 1974
D) increased nearly sevenfold since 1974

Question 77

The leaders of interest groups tend to be:

A) in accord with the agenda of the rank and file
B) more liberal than the rank and file
C) more conservative than the rank and file
D) unaware of the concerns of the rank and file

Question 78

Political parties link:

A) PACs to Congress
B) heterogeneous groups to coalitions
C) extremists to government
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 79

The Democratic Party dates back to:

A) 1789
B) 1792
C) 1823
D) 1854
E) 1902

Question 80

The framers of the Constitution:

A) were all Federalists
B) were all Whigs
C) made no provision for political parties
D) expressly forbade political parties
E) none of the above