Deck 1: The Democratic Republic

Question 1

If the U.S. Constitution had no Bill of Rights

A) rights would be dependent on the political process.
B) unpopular rights would be in danger.
C) popular rights would be safe.
D) some rights would be protected by state constitutions.
E) All of the above are true.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

The Bill of Rights includes the following rights for criminal defendants

A) the right to speedy and public trial.
B) the right to silence.
C) the right to due process.
D) the right to a lawyer.
E) All of the above are true.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The total collapse of government

A) is a common event.
B) is a cyclical event.
C) is an uncommon event.
D) is accompanies every revolution.
E) None of the above is true.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Totalitarianism as a concept means

A) that the government controls all aspects of the political, social, and economic life of a nation.
B) the condition of having no government and no laws.
C) the ultimate political authority is vested in the people.
D) a limited republic where people elect officials to make decisions for them for a specific period of time.
E) a unified government.

Question 5

Politics

A) is the process of resolving conflicts.
B) is the struggle for power in organizations.
C) is the process of deciding who gets what, when, and how.
D) is involved in all levels of government.
E) All the above are true.

Question 6

As an institution, a government is unique in that

A) it has a life separate from the lives of the individuals who are part of it at any given moment in time.
B) it has the ultimate authority for making decisions and establishing political values.
C) it performs certain functions for society.
D) it is an ongoing organization, rather than an intermittent organization.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 7

According to the Sixth Amendment, the accused

A) have a right to a speedy trial.
B) can be compelled to be a witness against himself.
C) have a right to a private trial.
D) have no right to due process.
E) Options B and C are true.

Question 8

Harold Lasswell defined politics as

A) the allocation of benefits in society.
B) the way conflict in society is solved.
C) who gets what, when, and how.
D) promoting equality among citizens.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 9

To say that authority has legitimacy is to

A) say that authority is recognized by a few.
B) say that authority is broadly accepted.
C) imply that the ruler has not always been perceived as the legal power.
D) suggest that decisions are of little practical value.
E) imply that those in power do not have the good of the public in mind when making important decisions.

Question 10

Politics is

A) a process that resolves conflict within a society.
B) a struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups.
C) a type of anti-social behavior by individuals.
D) fundamentally irrelevant.
E) Options A and B are true.

Question 11

Consent of the people means

A) governments and laws derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
B) the people must consent to everything the government does.
C) government must get consent of the people before it can go to war.
D) pure democracy.
E) direct democracy.

Question 12

Politics exists

A) only in government institutions.
B) in every community that makes decisions.
C) in schools, social groups, and organized groups of individuals.
D) only in formal settings.
E) Options B and C are true.

Question 13

Aristocracy means rule by

A) the majority.
B) wealthy families.
C) highly qualified people.
D) those who can read and write.
E) religious leaders.

Question 14

Liberty is

A) freedom to do whatever you want.
B) available only in the United States of America.
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 15

Legitimacy is

A) the condition of having too much government.
B) popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise liberty.
C) popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority.
D) only needed in times of emergency.
E) possible with a narrow base of support.

Question 16

Governments have authority

A) because of special norms.
B) because people always obey the law.
C) because they control the media.
D) because people accept the government's right to establish rules and laws.
E) Options A and D are true.

Question 17

In authoritarian governments

A) freedom of speech is usually allowed.
B) the leaders may be voted out of office.
C) the right to a fair trial is considered a fundamental right.
D) government is fully controlled by a ruler.
E) All the above are true.

Question 18

Government is necessary because

A) groups compete for power in society.
B) there needs to be a means to maintain order in society.
C) a central authority is necessary to provide for the common defense.
D) a central authority is necessary to promote economic development.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 19

Government strives to protect members of society from

A) violence.
B) criminal activity.
C) instability.
D) insecurity.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 20

The most important feature of Athenian democracy was that

A) everyone could vote.
B) elected delegates made the important decisions.
C) it was an aristocracy.
D) the legislature was composed of all the citizens.
E) women had the right to vote.

Question 21

A democratic republic is different from a representative democracy in that

A) there is no king.
B) the people are the only sovereign.
C) there is a king.
D) there is an authoritarian ruler.
E) Options A and B are true.

Question 22

The right to vote for all citizens has

A) always been out of reach.
B) expanded over time.
C) been championed by the rich.
D) has always included undocumented immigrants.
E) has always included women.

Question 23

The initiative is

A) a way to remove a public official from office before the end of his or her elected term.
B) the same thing as a referendum.
C) provided for in the Bill of Rights.
D) a constitutional mechanism that takes place after a recall.
E) a procedure whereby voters can propose a law or constitutional amendment within a state.

Question 24

To ensure that majority rule does not become oppressive, modern democracies

A) limit political participation to individuals who are properly educated.
B) guarantee the rights of minorities.
C) embrace the concept of majority rule.
D) apply term limits to elected officials.
E) require two-thirds support of the legislature before a law can be enacted.

Question 25

Popular sovereignty means

A) that the sovereign is popular.
B) that the sovereign is supported by the people.
C) that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people.
D) only one sovereign can serve at a time.
E) the sovereign can serve only two terms.

Question 26

Theorists describe pluralism as

A) the struggle between the poor and wealthy classes.
B) the struggle among groups to gain benefits for their members.
C) a theory of how democracy should not function.
D) a way to settle disputes by armed conflict.
E) a way for one group to dominate the political process.

Question 27

The type of government the United States has is

A) a direct democracy.
B) a representative democracy.
C) a confederation.
D) a constitutional monarchy.
E) an anarchy.

Question 28

A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official from state office before his or her term has expired is called

A) a referendum.
B) direct democracy.
C) a recall.
D) an initiative.
E) popular sovereignty.

Question 29

All of the following are principles of democratic governments except

A) universal suffrage.
B) majority rule and protection of minority rights.
C) free, competitive elections.
D) limited government.
E) limited suffrage.

Question 30

A majority vote means the support of

A) two-thirds of the voters.
B) the plurality of the voters.
C) three-fifths of the voters.
D) more than 50 percent of the voters.
E) the voters from the major ethnic group.

Question 31

The concept of political socialization refers to

A) the process by which beliefs and values are transmitted to new immigrants and to our children.
B) political movements in support of Socialism.
C) the process by which religious values are transmitted only through the media.
D) the gradual development of social programs within our national government.
E) the government taking over the economic sector of the country.

Question 32

A political culture is a

A) written set of codes that dictate political action.
B) process that transmits value to immigrants and children..
C) major problem for rulers of stable forms of government.
D) patterned set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics.
E) manifestation of pluralism.

Question 33

Elite theory

A) implies that the president must come from the party that holds the majority in Congress.
B) emphasizes governmental control over economic policy, but not social institutions.
C) 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) indicates that a single ruler controls all aspects of the government but not economic and social institutions.
E) is the perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interests.

Question 34

Versions of elite theory suggest that

A) elites rely on the input from interest groups within society.
B) a small elite class makes most of the important decisions.
C) society is ruled by elites who exercise power for self-interest.
D) children who are not part of the elite class can never enter it.
E) Options B and C are true.

Question 35

The practical limitations of pluralism theory include

A) the wealthy are overrepresented.
B) one group may dominate the political process.
C) conflict may divide the United States into hostile camps.
D) individuals have more than one self-interest.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 36

A referendum takes place when

A) Congress rejects a law passed by a state legislature.
B) the United States Supreme Court rejects a law because it violates the U.S. Constitution.
C) the president refers his or her budget plan to the Congress before the start of a fiscal year.
D) a state legislature refers an act of legislation to the voters for approval or disapproval.
E) voters choose the candidates that will represent their political party.

Question 37

The Founders were wary of direct democracy because

A) the masses were considered too uneducated to self govern.
B) too prone to the influence of demagogues.
C) too likely to subordinate minority rights for majority rights.
D) might resort to mob rule.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 38

The theory that politics involves conflict among interest groups using bargaining and compromise is known as

A) pluralism.
B) elite theory.
C) liberalism.
D) majoritarianism.
E) libertarianism.

Question 39

The concept of universal suffrage refers to

A) the right of all adults to vote for a representative in government.
B) the right of all citizens to run for office.
C) the right of universal healthcare for all.
D) the belief that all persons deserve a fair trial.
E) a system of relationships between the states.

Question 40

The political theory that states that in a democracy, the government ought to do what the majority of the people want is called

A) elite theory.
B) majoritarianism.
C) pluralism.
D) direct democracy.
E) limited government.

Question 41

Evidence that the gap between rich and poor has grown includes

A) salaries have stagnated in the last ten years.
B) the number of millionaires and billionaires has grown.
C) it is harder to advance in the United States as compared to other developed nations.
D) the income of the top 5 percent has grown faster than other sectors.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 42

Capitalism is

A) a political theory developed by Karl Marx.
B) an economic system marked by the private ownership of wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.
C) incompatible with property rights as a wealth-creating mechanism.
D) Named for the centralization of economic power in the capitol city.
E) unpopular in the United States.

Question 43

All of the following are fundamental values of American political culture except

A) economic and personal liberty.
B) private property.
C) equality of race, gender and religion.
D) radical egalitarian beliefs.
E) market based capitalism.

Question 44

Liberals endorse all of the following except

A) civil rights.
B) improving the welfare of individuals.
C) a limited role for the government in helping individuals.
D) government regulation of the economy.
E) tolerance for political and social change.

Question 45

The following statement would be compatible with __________ ideology. "The government should have no role in providing health care for the country. People should provide their own health care."

A) liberal
B) conservative
C) communist
D) socialist
E) extreme liberal

Question 46

The concept that all people are of equal worth

A) was fixed at the time of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
B) expanded in the nineteenth century but narrowed in the twentieth century.
C) was extended and elaborated over time.
D) has been limited in recent years.
E) was extended only in the last twenty years.

Question 47

Unlike liberals or conservatives, socialists advocate

A) personal liberties.
B) private property rights.
C) market capitalism.
D) private investment in governmental systems.
E) replacing investor ownership of businesses by government ownership.

Question 48

All of the following are true of libertarians except

A) libertarians support personal civil liberties.
B) libertarians advocate redistribution of income.
C) libertarians support laissez-faire capitalism.
D) libertarians oppose most government activities.
E) libertarians more strongly support property rights.

Question 49

Political gridlock

A) is a consequence of divided government.
B) is caused by political polarization.
C) is caused by increased discipline in the two parties.
D) has caused political rhetoric to rise in media outlets.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 50

The following statement would be compatible with __________ ideology. "The government should only provide security and an environment conducive to capitalism."

A) liberal
B) conservative
C) communist
D) socialist
E) libertarian

Question 51

In the United States, basic guarantees of liberty are found in

A) the Declaration of Independence.
B) the annual Congressional budget report.
C) the Bill of Rights.
D) the statement of Rights and Responsibilities.
E) National Rights Foundation.

Question 52

The right to own property is all of the following except

A) a widespread desire in America.
B) likely to provide power and liberty to those who own it.
C) a source of economic instability.
D) fundamental to the capitalist system.
E) promotes economic equality.

Question 53

The word liberalism stems from the word liberty. Liberals in the nineteenth century

A) were in favor of governmental solutions to social problems.
B) were skeptical of government and in favor of traditional opinions.
C) were in favor of organized labor and assistance to the poor.
D) embraced religious influence in politics.
E) were in favor of government spending in times of economic difficulty.

Question 54

The following statement would be compatible with __________ ideology. "The government should act to create jobs during an economic crisis."

A) liberal
B) conservative
C) anarchist
D) libertarian
E) extreme conservative

Question 55

The two most important sources of political socialization are

A) the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
B) the rapid growth of unemployment and uncontrolled immigration.
C) the family and the educational system.
D) television and the Internet.
E) the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution.

Question 56

A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of government is called

A) a political culture.
B) a dogma.
C) an ideology.
D) the political spectrum.
E) political science.

Question 57

Conservatives endorse all of the following except

A) a limited role for the national government in helping individuals.
B) government action to support traditional values.
C) patriotism.
D) redistribution of income.
E) the belief that the individual is responsible for his or her own well-being.

Question 58

Tension over the size of government dates back to

A) before the American Revolution.
B) the Civil War.
C) the Reagan Administration.
D) the Bush Administration.
E) the Great Depression.

Question 59

Which political ideology would support active government control over major economic sectors?

A) Liberalism
B) Conservatism
C) Socialism
D) Libertarianism
E) Laissez-faire capitalism

Question 60

Opposition to big government is in conflict with citizens' desire for

A) quality schools.
B) safety and security.
C) programs for the elderly.
D) lower taxes.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 61

Draw a diagram depicting the political spectrum in the United States incorporating information from the four major ideologies.

Question 62

Why do you think that socialism has made little headway in America, despite its popularity in other parts of the world?

Question 63

Describe the origins of the Tea Party and the Occupy Together movements and explain their divergent viewpoints on important issues.

Question 64

Describe the different viewpoints on the role of government in society as promoted by liberals and conservatives.

Question 65

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

Question 66

Describe the consequence to the daily life of an average citizen in a country without the Bill of Rights.

Question 67

Compare and contrast direct democracy to representative democracy. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? In what situations might a direct democracy work? When is a representative democracy more feasible?

Question 68

Describe the origins of inequality in America today. How might inequality be addressed through governmental policies?

Question 69

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

Question 70

Describe the problem of healthcare in the U.S. and how the two main ideologies would attempt to solve the problem..