Question 1

The Bill of Rights

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights added specific protections for individual liberties, further limiting the power of the majority to infringe upon those rights. It did not enhance the executive branch's powers, nor did it increase the majoritarian nature of government. While it did address some issues related to corporate influence, this was not its primary focus.

Question 2

Europeans have a greater acceptance than Americans of

Accepted Answer

Europeans generally have a stronger belief in the role of government in ensuring social welfare and reducing income inequality through taxation and redistribution policies. This is reflected in their political and economic systems, which prioritize social welfare programs and universal healthcare. Americans, on the other hand, tend to prioritize individualism and free-market capitalism, which often leads to resistance towards tax policies that redistribute wealth.

Question 3

The Bill of Rights added to the Constitution,among other things,

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights added ten amendments to the Constitution, including the First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech. The other options listed are not correct as they refer to other aspects of the Constitution that were not included in the Bill of Rights.

Question 4

Which of the following is an accurate description of the prevalence of college education in the United States?

Accepted Answer

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2019, roughly one in four adults twenty-one years of age and older in the United States is a college graduate.

Question 5

What is a major limit on majoritarianism suggested by the text?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a major limit on majoritarianism...

Question 6

In which of the following policy areas does the U.S.spend more than European nations?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. spends significantly more on military policy than European nations. In fact, the U.S. spends more on its military than the next seven highest-spending countries combined, including several European nations.

Question 7

To what aspect of America were William Watts and Lloyd Free referring when they labeled it "the country of individualism par excellence"?

Accepted Answer

William Watts and Lloyd Free were referring to the American culture's emphasis on individualism, particularly in terms of economic self-reliance and free markets. This is evident in many aspects of American society, including capitalism, entrepreneurship, and the pursuit of the "American Dream." It is this emphasis on the power of the individual to succeed economically that sets America apart from many other nations.

Question 8

Which of the following describes socialism as practiced today in Sweden?

Accepted Answer

Sweden practices a form of socialism known as the Nordic model. The government owns a number of major industries such as healthcare, education, and energy, and provides for people's basic economic needs through a generous social welfare system. However, the economy still operates largely on private transactions, and firms are free to make their own production, distribution, and pricing decisions. This is different from option B, which describes a command economy with no private property, and from option D, which describes a welfare state with minimal government involvement in the economy. Option E also does not accurately describe the role of government in Sweden's economy.

Question 9

The average incomes of minimum-wage workers in the United States and Europe reflect a greater influence of which of the following in the United States,when compared to Europe?

Accepted Answer

Corporate power has a greater influence on the average incomes of minimum-wage workers in the United States when compared to Europe. The US has weaker labor protections and more pro-business policies, allowing corporations to drive down wages and benefits for workers. In Europe, there are stronger labor protections and more pro-worker policies, resulting in higher wages for minimum-wage workers.

Question 10

Which of the following is a difference between communism and socialism,as described by the text?

Accepted Answer

According to the text, communism involves the government assuming total control and management of the economy, while socialism does not attempt to manage the overall economy.

Question 11

As described in the text,"political thinking"

Accepted Answer

The text describes political thinking as involving the careful gathering and sifting of information in the process of forming a knowledgeable view about a political issue. This suggests that political thinking requires a thoughtful and informed approach, rather than simply relying on personal biases or preconceived notions.

Question 12

The fact that farmers have more influence over agricultural price-supports than do other groups is an example of

Accepted Answer

Pluralism refers to the idea that power in society is distributed among many groups and interests, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few elites. In this case, the fact that farmers have more influence over agricultural price-supports than other groups illustrates the concept of pluralism, as it suggests that multiple groups have a say in shaping policy outcomes.

Question 13

Which of the following has democracy come to mean in practice?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following has democracy come...

Question 14

To what degree is American democracy majoritarian,and what are the limits to that majoritarianism?

Accepted Answer

The answer of To what degree is American democracy majoritarian,and...

Question 15

In which of the following ways is the U.S.free-market system distinct from European economies?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. free-market system is distinct from European economies in the extent to which private transactions determine the allocation of economic costs and benefits. This means that the market forces play a bigger role in the U.S. economy compared to European economies, which have more government intervention in terms of regulations, taxation, and spending policies. The extent to which interest rates are altered for regulatory intervention is similar in both the U.S. and European economies.

Question 16

Research suggests which of the following is primarily to blame for the increase in faulty perceptions of news items among the public?

Accepted Answer

Changes in the forms of communication, such as the rise of social media and the internet, have significantly altered how news is produced, shared, and consumed, leading to an increase in the spread of misinformation and faulty perceptions of news items among the public.

Question 17

Which of the following characterizes journalist Walter Lippmann's views on democracy?

Accepted Answer

Walter Lippmann believed that a significant problem with democracy was that most citizens lacked the information necessary to make informed decisions and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. He argued that there was a need for an educated, intellectual elite to guide and inform the decisions of the citizenry.

Question 18

What was the result of the ruling in the Supreme Court case Citizens United v.Federal Election Commission?

Accepted Answer

The ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission resulted in corporations and unions no longer being barred by law from spending money on U.S. federal elections that was derived from their economic activity. This ruling allowed for the creation of Super PACs, which can spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns as long as they are technically not coordinated with a candidate's campaign.

Question 19

How many lawyers does the United States have in comparison to Britain,Germany,and Italy?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. has approximately 1.3 million lawyers, which is roughly one lawyer per 300 people. In comparison, Britain has one lawyer per 1,000 people, Germany has one lawyer per 1,200 people, and Italy has one lawyer per 300 people. Therefore, the U.S. has roughly twice as many lawyers on a per capita basis compared to these three countries.

Question 20

Roughly two-thirds of all lobbyists in the nation's capital represent

Accepted Answer

According to the given information, approximately two-thirds of all lobbyists in the nation's capital represent business firms. This means that out of all the options given, the representation of business firms is the highest among lobbyists in Washington D.C.

Quiz 1: Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible Citizen