Question 1

The pluralist model is rooted in a __________ perspective which assumes that people share a consensus on central concerns, such as freedom and protection from harm, and that the government serves important functions no other institution can fulfill.

Accepted Answer

The pluralist model is rooted in the functionalist perspective, which assumes that society is made up of interdependent parts that work together to create social order and stability, and that the government serves important functions no other institution can fulfill.

Question 2

Although __________ theorists acknowledge that the government serves a number of important purposes in society, they assert that government exists for the benefit of wealthy or politically powerful elites who use the government to impose their will on the masses.

Accepted Answer

This description aligns with the conflict theory, which sees society as the result of the struggle between different groups for power and resources. Conflict theorists argue that the government serves the interests of elites, who use the power and resources of the state to maintain their dominance over the rest of society.

Question 3

Representative democracy is not always equally accessible to all people in a nation. The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 provided __________.

Accepted Answer

The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 provided full voting rights for women, not for African Americans or people of color. Desegregation of public schools in the South was not achieved until the 1950s and 1960s through court cases and civil rights activism.

Question 4

According to C. Wright Mills, the media

Accepted Answer

According to C. Wright Mills, the media perceived the public to accept the status quo, meaning that they didn't challenge the existing power structures or question the status quo. Mills believed that the media had become too closely aligned with powerful interests and had lost its capacity to serve as a critical voice for the public.

Question 5

According to sociologist __________, the power elite is made up of leaders at the top of business, the executive branch of the federal government, and the military.

Accepted Answer

The concept of the power elite was introduced by C. Wright Mills, who argued that the top leaders in business, government, and the military hold disproportionate power and control over society. Marx, Merton, and Durkheim have different theories and concepts, but they do not specifically focus on the power elite.

Question 6

One example of a(n) __________ regime was the National Socialist (Nazi) party in Germany during World War II; military leaders there sought to control all aspects of national life, not just government operations.

Accepted Answer

A totalitarian regime seeks to control all aspects of society, not just government operations. The Nazi party in Germany during World War II is a textbook example of a totalitarian regime, where the government controlled everything from the media to education and even people's personal lives.

Question 7

Examples of __________ include the AFL-CIO (representing the majority of labor unions) and citizen groups such as the American Conservative Union and Zero Population Growth.

Accepted Answer

The given examples represent special interest groups, which are organizations that advocate for specific issues or policies on behalf of their members or supporters. Power elites refer to a small group of people who hold disproportionate amounts of wealth, power, or influence in society. The ruling class refers to those who hold political power and make decisions that affect society as a whole. Political action committees are organizations that raise and distribute funds to support political candidates and campaigns. None of these categories fit the examples given in the question.

Question 8

According to sociologist __________, the purpose of government is to socialize people to be good citizens, to regulate the economy so that it operates effectively, and to provide necessary services for citizens.

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim believed that the purpose of government is to socialize individuals to be good citizens, to regulate the economy so that it operates effectively, and to provide necessary services for citizens. He believed that government plays an important role in maintaining social order and ensuring that society functions smoothly.

Question 9

In the United States, people have a voice in the government through __________, whereby citizens elect representatives to serve as bridges between themselves and the government.

Accepted Answer

In a representative democracy like the United States, citizens elect representatives to make decisions and laws on their behalf. This is different from direct participatory democracy where citizens directly make decisions themselves. Symbolic democracy and independent involvement democracy are not commonly used terms to describe forms of government.

Question 10

__________ are organizations of special interest groups that solicit contributions from donors and fund campaigns to help elect (or defeat) candidates based on their stances on specific issues.

Accepted Answer

Political action committees (PACs) are organizations that are created by interest groups, corporations, or labor unions to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections. They are highly regulated by federal election law and must disclose their donors and their expenditures. PACs often support candidates who they believe are likely to support their specific interests or issues.

Question 11

__________ are political coalitions made up of individuals or groups that share a specific interest they wish to protect or advance with the help of the political system.

Accepted Answer

Special interest groups are composed of individuals or organizations that share a common interest, usually related to a specific policy issue or industry. They often work to influence the political system in order to promote their agenda and protect their interests. Political action committees (A) are a specific type of special interest group that raises and spends money on political campaigns. Power elites (B) and ruling class (D) are more theoretical concepts that refer to the small group of individuals who hold disproportionate power and influence in society, but they do not specifically refer to organized groups with specific policy goals.

Question 12

According to the __________ model, power in political systems is widely dispersed throughout many competing interest groups.

Accepted Answer

The pluralist model suggests that power in political systems is widely dispersed among various interest groups, rather than being centralized in the hands of a single ruling elite or class. This model emphasizes the role of competition and bargaining among interest groups in shaping policy outcomes, rather than the dominance of any one group or individual. Therefore, option A is the best choice.

Question 13

Contemporary functionalists state that there are four main functions of government. Which of the following was not cited as a main function of government?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring intimacy within the family was not cited as a main function of government by contemporary functionalists. The other three options (maintaining law and order, planning and directing society, and handling international relations, including warfare) were cited as main functions.

Question 14

Which of the following is a false statement concerning C. Wright Mills and his view of the media and journalists?

Accepted Answer

Mills believed that media communication was largely a one-way process, with limited interaction or feedback from audiences, contrary to the idea of a two-way process.

Question 15

To keep people from rebelling, __________ governments enforce conformity. People are denied the right to assemble for political purposes, access to information is strictly controlled, and secret police enforce compliance, creating an environment of constant fear and suspicion.

Accepted Answer

The characteristics mentioned in the statement, such as strict control of information, denial of the right to assemble, and the use of secret police, are commonly associated with totalitarian governments. Monarchies and democracies can also enforce conformity, but they typically do so through different means and with varying levels of severity. Authoritarian governments may share some characteristics with totalitarian ones but are often less extreme in their actions.

Question 16

__________ is a political system in which the people hold the ruling power either directly or through elected representatives.

Accepted Answer

Democracy is the political system in which the people hold the ruling power either directly (as in direct democracy) or through elected representatives (as in representative democracy). Totalitarianism, authoritarianism and monarchy are all forms of governance in which power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or a single person, rather than being distributed among the broader population.

Question 17

According to the __________ model, power in political systems is concentrated in the hands of a small group and the masses are relatively powerless.

Accepted Answer

The elite model of political power argues that a small group of individuals, typically wealthy and well-connected, hold disproportionate power and influence in political systems while the majority of people have limited power to affect change. This view contrasts with the pluralist model, which emphasizes the role of diverse interest groups and democratic processes in shaping political power structures. The ruling class model and dominant group model are related but narrower focuses on particular types of elite power structures rather than the broader elite model.

Question 18

In a mass society the dominant type of communication is what?

Accepted Answer

In a mass society, the dominant type of communication is the formal media, such as television, radio, newspapers, and the Internet. These modes of communication have a wide reach and are capable of transmitting information to a large audience, making them particularly effective in shaping public opinion and influencing social norms. While interpersonal networks, cell phones, and family and friends may also play a role in communication, they are not as pervasive or influential as the formal media.

Question 19

__________ requires that citizens be able to meet together regularly to debate and decide the issues of the day.

Accepted Answer

Direct participatory democracy involves citizens directly participating in the decision-making process by regularly meeting to debate and decide on issues. Representative democracy involves citizens electing representatives to make decisions on their behalf, while symbolic democracy emphasizes symbolic gestures and participation in political processes without actually giving citizens a significant say in decision-making. Independent involvement democracy is not a commonly recognized form of democracy.

Question 20

The U.S. Constitution requires that each state have __________ senators and a minimum of __________ member in the House of Representatives. The current size of the House of Representatives (435 seats) has not changed since the apportionment following the 1910 census.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Constitution requires each state to have two senators and a minimum of one member in the House of Representatives. The current size of the House of Representatives has been fixed at 435 seats since the apportionment following the 1910 census.

Quiz 13: Politics and the Economy in Global Perspective.