Question 1

What would be considered an acceptable form of citizenship in most authoritarian states that is not considered acceptable in a totalitarian regime?
A)Apathy
B)Ethnic cleansing of "undesirables"
C)Peaceful dissent
D)Sit-ins
E)Harassing agents of the state

Accepted Answer

In most authoritarian states, apathy or a lack of interest in politics is considered an acceptable form of citizenship because it does not challenge the authority or legitimacy of the ruling party. Totalitarian regimes, on the other hand, often require active participation and support from their citizens, viewing apathy as a threat to the regime's total control over society.

Question 2

What name has NOT been used to refer to autocratic rulers?
A)Caliph
B)King
C)President
D)Queen
E)Councilor

Accepted Answer

Caliphs, kings, queens, and some presidents have been autocratic rulers in various historical and contemporary contexts. However, the term "councilor" typically refers to a member of a council and does not denote an autocratic ruler.

Question 3

When one person is in charge of an entire government, it is commonly referred to as which of the following?
A)An autocracy
B)A democracy
C)An oligarchy
D)An aristocracy
E)A polity

Accepted Answer

An autocracy is a system of government in which supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perhaps for the implicit threat of a coup d'état or mass insurrection).

Question 4

For what reason can Plato's writings be considered a source of arguments in favor of authoritarianism?
A)The king had to be a philosopher.
B)He sets an academic precedent for an enlightened or benevolent monarchy.
C)The guardians are forced to give up their personal wealth for the benefit of the community.
D)He favored a malicious dictatorial type of rule.
E)He favored rulers who sought to be feared rather than loved.

Accepted Answer

Plato's concept of the "philosopher-king" in his work "The Republic" suggests that the ideal ruler is a wise and just philosopher, which can be interpreted as an argument for a form of enlightened or benevolent authoritarian rule.

Question 5

Totalitarian states differ from most authoritarian states in what major way?
A)They attempt to maintain power at all costs.
B)They stifle political dissent.
C)They make the servicing of the state the highest duty of each citizen.
D)They protect a free and open media.
E)They provide limited areas for political discussion.

Accepted Answer

Totalitarian states are characterized by their attempt to control all aspects of public and private life, making the service to the state the highest duty of each citizen. This is a key difference from authoritarian states, which may allow for some personal freedoms as long as they do not threaten the state's power.

Question 6

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is best described as what kind of government?
A)Constitutional monarchy
B)Theocratic regime
C)Absolutist monarchy
D)Democratic fascist
E)National socialist

Accepted Answer

Saudi Arabia is best described as an absolutist monarchy, where the king has almost complete control over the country without constitutional limitations on his power.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an authoritarian state?
A)Leaders are the sole source of law within the state.
B)Transition of power is not determined by elections.
C)Political parties are not representative of the public.
D)Elections are fair and open.
E)Limitations on freedom of expression.

Accepted Answer

Authoritarian states typically do not have fair and open elections, as these regimes often control electoral processes to maintain power, contrasting with the characteristic mentioned in option D.

Question 8

Machiavelli's The Prince insisted that which two concepts should be considered synonymous?
A)Justice and a anger
B)Revenge and a law
C)Revenge and a justice
D)Virtue and a effectiveness
E)Morality and a commitment to the pursuit of truth

Accepted Answer

Machiavelli's The Prince argues that the concepts of virtue and effectiveness in ruling should be considered synonymous, suggesting that a ruler's success is measured by their ability to maintain power and achieve their goals, rather than by moral righteousness.

Question 9

According to the writings of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Ibn Rushd, and Al-Farabi, what has played a major role in the history of authoritarianism?
A)Elitism
B)Leadership
C)Power
D)Religion
E)Wealth

Accepted Answer

These thinkers have discussed the role of religion in shaping societies and political systems, often highlighting how religious institutions and beliefs can influence authoritarian structures and governance.

Question 10

Military dictatorships, common during the Cold War era, were referred to in Latin America as which of the following?
A)Coups d'etat
B)Jefes militares
C)Juntas
D)Proxy states
E)Protectorates

Accepted Answer

Juntas were military or political groups that ruled various countries in Latin America during the Cold War era, often coming to power through coups d'état.

Question 11

The term coup d'état refers to what?
A)An overthrow of the existing regime
B)A constitutional change
C)An invasion of another state
D)The enforcement of the law
E)A weak state

Accepted Answer

A coup d'état specifically refers to the sudden, often illegal overthrow of an existing government or regime by a small group, typically from within the existing state structure.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an authoritarian state?
A)Saudi Arabia
B)India
C)China
D)Iran
E)North Korea

Accepted Answer

India is a democratic state, not an authoritarian state.

Question 13

The media are commonly referred to as what?
A)The establishment
B)Vox populi
C)The Third Estate
D)The Fifth Estate
E)The Fourth Estate

Accepted Answer

The media are commonly referred to as "The Fourth Estate," a term that highlights their role as an additional check on the three branches of government (in countries with a separation of powers) and their importance in ensuring transparency and accountability.

Question 14

According to Thomas Hobbes, the desire for authoritarianism is a natural consequence of all of these EXCEPT for which of the following?
A)Humans' greed and selfishness
B)People allowing authoritarian rulers to exist
C)Humanity's bleak existence in the time before government
D)The elimination of the death and destruction of the state of nature
E)The inherent goodness of people

Accepted Answer

Thomas Hobbes believed that the natural state of human existence was one of war and conflict, where life was "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." He argued that to escape this state of nature, people collectively agreed to surrender some of their freedoms to a sovereign authority in exchange for order and protection. This perspective does not align with the idea of the inherent goodness of people as a reason for desiring authoritarianism; rather, it is based on the need to escape the chaos of the state of nature and ensure personal security.

Question 15

Which of the following Christian scholars argued in favor of authoritarian rule?
A)Plato and Aristotle
B)Al-Farabi and Ibn Rushd
C)St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas
D)Machiavelli and Hobbes
E)Mayhew and Neustadt

Accepted Answer

St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, while not advocating for authoritarian rule per se, provided philosophical and theological frameworks that could be interpreted to support the legitimacy of monarchies and hierarchical structures within society. Augustine's City of God discusses the necessity of earthly rule in maintaining order, and Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, elaborates on the role of law and governance in achieving the common good, which has been interpreted by some to justify more authoritarian forms of governance within a Christian context.

Question 16

Which character said "Justice is only in the interest of the stronger party"?
A)Polybius in Aristotle's Politics
B)Cephalus in Plato's Republic
C)Thrasymachus in Plato's Republic
D)Polemarchus in Plato's Republic
E)Aristotle in Aristotle's Ethics

Accepted Answer

Thrasymachus is the character in Plato's Republic who asserts that "justice is nothing else than the interest of the stronger." This statement is part of a larger argument he presents against Socrates' views on justice.

Question 17

"How men actually behave is so far removed from how we ought to behave" can sum up the political philosophy of which political theorist?
A)Thomas Hobbes
B)Thucydides
C)Plato
D)Aristotle
E)Machiavelli

Accepted Answer

This statement encapsulates the political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli, who emphasized the reality of political power and human nature over idealistic views on how rulers should behave. His work, particularly "The Prince," suggests that the effective exercise of power often requires actions that are not aligned with traditional moral values.

Question 18

The writings of Machiavelli and Hobbes offered a justification for authoritarianism based on what two rationales?
A)The power of the people and the justice of the ruler
B)The security of the people and the power of the ruler
C)The state of nature and human nature
D)The religious salvation and happiness of the people
E)The power of the people and the compassion of the ruler

Accepted Answer

The answer of The writings of Machiavelli and Hobbes offered...

Question 19

Which author wrote, Leviathan : Or the Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiasticall and Civil , in which he argued that man's natural level of selfishness and greed perpetuated authoritarian rule?
A)Machiavelli
B)Hobbes
C)Rousseau
D)Plato
E)Al-Farabi

Accepted Answer

Thomas Hobbes is the author of "Leviathan: Or the Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiasticall and Civil," where he argues that the natural condition of mankind is one of war of every man against every man, necessitating authoritarian rule to maintain order.

Question 20

Which document suggested that the gods called on him to lead the people?
A)Moses' Code
B)Jesus' Code
C)Al-Farabi's Code
D)Hammurabi's Code
E)Habbitarian's Code

Accepted Answer

Hammurabi's Code is known for stating that the gods called on Hammurabi to bring justice and order, thus legitimizing his rule and laws.

Quiz 9: Comparing Executives

What would be considered an acceptable form of citizenship in most authoritarian states that is not considered acceptable in a totalitarian regime?

What name has NOT been used to refer to autocratic rulers?

When one person is in charge of an entire government, it is commonly referred to as which of the following?

For what reason can Plato's writings be considered a source of arguments in favor of authoritarianism?

Totalitarian states differ from most authoritarian states in what major way?

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is best described as what kind of government?

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an authoritarian state?

Machiavelli's The Prince insisted that which two concepts should be considered synonymous?

According to the writings of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Ibn Rushd, and Al-Farabi, what has played a major role in the history of authoritarianism?

Military dictatorships, common during the Cold War era, were referred to in Latin America as which of the following?

The term coup d'état refers to what?

Which of the following is NOT an authoritarian state?

The media are commonly referred to as what?

According to Thomas Hobbes, the desire for authoritarianism is a natural consequence of all of these EXCEPT for which of the following?

Which of the following Christian scholars argued in favor of authoritarian rule?

Which character said "Justice is only in the interest of the stronger party"?

"How men actually behave is so far removed from how we ought to behave" can sum up the political philosophy of which political theorist?

The writings of Machiavelli and Hobbes offered a justification for authoritarianism based on what two rationales?

Which author wrote, Leviathan : Or the Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiasticall and Civil , in which he argued that man's natural level of selfishness and greed perpetuated authoritarian rule?

Which document suggested that the gods called on him to lead the people?