Question 1

What is a political system called that denies ordinary people participation or representation in their government?

Accepted Answer

An authoritarian political system denies ordinary people participation or representation in their government. In such a system, all power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or a single leader, and citizens have no say in how their country is run.

Question 2

The methods and tactics of managing a political entity are called:

Accepted Answer

Politics is the most apt choice as it is the study or application of the methods and tactics of managing a political entity, including the allocation and exercise of power. Power, totalitarianism, and fascism are related concepts but do not encompass the full range of managing a political entity.

Question 3

for which of the following reasons could the supposed increase in voter turnout in the 2004 election really be just an artifact of the way that voter turnout is measured?

Accepted Answer

Only choice D provides a potential reason for an artifact in the measurement of voter turnout. If the measurement shifted from all residents of voting age to eligible voters, this could artificially inflate the turnout rate even if the actual number of people voting remained constant. The other choices suggest potential issues but do not directly relate to the measurement of turnout.

Question 4

What is it called when a government bars an individual,either temporarily or permanently,from voting?

Accepted Answer

Disenfranchisement is the act of prohibiting an individual from voting. This can be done by a government as a form of punishment (e.g. for a felony conviction) or as a way of limiting participation in elections. Suffrage refers to the right to vote. Pluralism is a political philosophy advocating for a diverse range of opinions and ideas, and voting conviction is not a commonly used term in relation to voting rights.

Question 5

Robert is walking down the street late at night when a man in a ski mask suddenly sticks a gun in his face and takes his wallet.Sociologists would say that Robert's mugger had ________ but not ________.

Accepted Answer

The mugger had power over Robert in the moment, but he did not have authority to do so. Authority implies legitimacy and permission from a higher governing body, whereas power simply means the ability to control or influence others. The mugger was acting outside of the law and did not have permission to take Robert's wallet, so he did not have authority.

Question 6

Manuel Noriega was never elected president of Panama but became its de facto ruler when he became head of the army and thus powerful enough to demand the resignation of the elected president.Given only this information,what was Noriega's government?

Accepted Answer

Noriega's rise to power as head of the army and his demand for the resignation of an elected president suggest an authoritarian government, where power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals without democratic processes. A totalitarian government would have more control over all aspects of life, including the military, and a monarchy would involve a hereditary ruler.

Question 7

The term that refers to the legitimate use of power is called:

Accepted Answer

The term that refers to the legitimate use of power is authority, which is the right to exercise power, based on some level of legitimacy, whether it is moral, legal, or customary. Government refers to the institutions, processes, and officials responsible for decision-making and policy-making. Politics refers to the activities associated with governance and the making of decisions that affect the whole society. State refers to a political entity that has sovereignty and control over a territory and its people. While all these terms are related to power, authority specifically denotes the legitimate use of power.

Question 8

According to a recent study,what percentage of the American population makes up the power elite?

Accepted Answer

The study suggests that the power elite in the United States is considerably less than 1 percent of the population.

Question 9

Which of the following techniques is used to disenfranchise part of the American population today?

Accepted Answer

Denying people who have been convicted of felonies the right to vote for the rest of their lives is a technique being used to disenfranchise part of the American population today. This is known as felony disenfranchisement and disproportionately affects people of color, who are more likely to be incarcerated.

Question 10

Systems and structures that persist over time and help organize group life are called:

Accepted Answer

Social institutions refer to the enduring and established patterns of social life that enable and constrain individual behavior. They include structures like schools, governments, economic systems, and religions, which provide avenues for socialization, regulate individual actions, and maintain social order. Social institutions are distinct from social norms, which are informal rules and shared expectations for behavior within a society; social controls, which are mechanisms used to enforce norms and prevent deviance; and pluralistic situations, which refer to situations in which society is composed of diverse and conflicting groups.

Question 11

Kim Jong Il and his father,Kim Il Sung,Korea's current and former leaders,have both restricted the basic human rights of their subjects.What type of government does North Korea have?

Accepted Answer

Totalitarianism is a type of government where a single party or individual has complete control over all aspects of society and restricts the basic rights and freedoms of its citizens. This describes North Korea's government under both Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung.

Question 12

Why do politics,education,and religion all appear in the same chapter of your text?

Accepted Answer

Political, religious, and educational concerns often overlap in everyday life. For example, political decisions can impact education policies and religious beliefs can influence political ideologies. Therefore, it is common for these three subjects to appear together in sociological discussions.

Question 13

What do schools,churches,and governments all have in common?

Accepted Answer

Schools, churches, and governments are all examples of social institutions, which are structures or organizations that provide a framework for individuals to interact with each other and with society as a whole. They play an important role in shaping social norms, values, and behaviors. While their importance may vary depending on the context and time period, they have historically been significant in shaping society and continue to do so in modern times.

Question 14

On January 30,2005,Iraq held what many claim were the first free and fair elections in its history,after many decades of military dictatorship.This was seen as the first step in transforming Iraq into a:

Accepted Answer

The fact that the elections were free and fair suggests that Iraq is moving towards democracy, where citizens are able to choose their leaders through fair and open elections. The other options (theocracy, totalitarian regime, constitutional monarchy) do not necessarily entail free and fair elections or the ability of citizens to choose their leaders in the same way as a democracy.

Question 15

In Who Governs,Robert Dahl examined the way power was distributed in New Haven,Connecticut,and concluded that a wide variety of actors played a role in the political decision-making process.What theory of power did Dahl's findings illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Dahl's findings illustrate the theory of pluralism, which suggests that power is dispersed among various groups and individuals in society, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a small elite or authoritarian government.

Question 16

What is the most extreme form of authoritarianism called?

Accepted Answer

Totalitarianism is the most extreme form of authoritarianism, where the government has total control over all aspects of citizens' lives, including the economy, media, and even their thoughts and beliefs. Monarchy is a form of government where a single ruler, typically a monarch, holds absolute power. A dictatorship involves ruling by a single person or small group, but it may not involve the same level of control as totalitarianism. The power elite refers to a small, powerful group that controls the government and society, but it is not necessarily a form of government itself.

Question 17

Abdullah II of Jordan succeeded his father,Hussein bin Talal,as ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1999.This makes his government a:

Accepted Answer

Abdullah II of Jordan is a monarch, as he inherited his position from his father, who was also a monarch. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary system and an appointed upper house of parliament. Therefore, the best choice is A: monarchy.

Question 18

The majority of appointed U.S.Treasury secretaries have been either former partners and/or managers of Goldman Sachs,a global investment management firm.Sociologists would argue that this overlap between private business and the federal government is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The power elite refers to a small group of individuals who hold significant influence and control in both the private and public sectors. The fact that many Treasury Secretaries have ties to Goldman Sachs suggests a concentration of power among a select group of individuals in the finance industry, indicating the presence of a power elite.

Question 19

C.Wright Mills identifies the small and unified group of people who occupy the highest positions of the major economic,political,and military institutions and exercise tremendous influence in American social life as:

Accepted Answer

According to C.Wright Mills, the small and unified group of people who occupy the highest positions of the major economic, political, and military institutions and exercise tremendous influence in American social life are the power elite. The other options - different interest groups, political action committees, and the media - may also have influence, but they do not represent the concentrated and unified power that the power elite holds.

Question 20

Since 1917,all Puerto Ricans have been considered U.S.citizens,but they are not represented in Congress and cannot cast ballots in presidential elections.In this sense they are:

Accepted Answer

Puerto Ricans are not allowed to vote in presidential elections and are not represented in Congress, which means they are disenfranchised. The other options are not relevant to the situation of Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens who cannot participate fully in the democratic process.

Quiz 10: Social Institutions: Politics, Education, and Religion