Question 1

Aristotle believed that democracy was the best form of government.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle considered polity, a mix of democracy and oligarchy, as the best form of government, rather than pure democracy, which he saw as flawed.

Question 2

Questions such as "is the population trusting or cynical?" and "is the country religious or secular" tap into the political culture of the country.

Accepted Answer

Political culture refers to the deeply rooted norms, values, beliefs, and attitudes that shape a population's political behavior and perceptions, including their levels of trust or cynicism and the role of religion in public and private life.

Question 3

Nations construct states; states are not able to construct nations.

Accepted Answer

Nations are typically defined by shared cultural, historical, or ethnic identities, while states are political entities with defined territorial boundaries and governance structures. States can indeed play a significant role in constructing or shaping national identity through policies, education, and symbols.

Question 4

Some argue that the current wariness of Americans of giving Washington too much power is a direct product of our revolutionary path to independence from a strong monarch. This view is referred to as path-dependent development.

Accepted Answer

Path-dependent development suggests that historical events and decisions significantly shape the current attitudes, policies, and institutions of a society. The American wariness of centralized power can indeed be seen as a result of the country's revolutionary history and struggle for independence from a strong monarch, reflecting a path-dependent development where past events influence present attitudes.

Question 5

Socrates said that for a government to be considered democratic, there must have been at least two turnovers in power.

Accepted Answer

Socrates did not specifically discuss the criteria for a government to be considered democratic in terms of turnovers in power. His discussions on governance, as recorded by his students like Plato, focused more on the nature of justice, the role of the philosopher-king, and the qualities of different forms of government rather than specific criteria like turnovers in power.

Question 6

Catholic countries have had an easier time with secularization than protestant countries.

Accepted Answer

Catholic countries have often experienced more intense struggles with secularization due to the Catholic Church's historically strong institutional presence and influence on societal norms, which contrasts with the more individualistic and diverse nature of Protestantism that can more easily adapt to secular values.

Question 7

All parliamentary systems are more stable than presidential systems.

Accepted Answer

Stability in governance depends on various factors such as political culture, legal framework, and societal context, rather than solely on whether a country adopts a parliamentary or presidential system. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and examples of stable and unstable governments exist within each type.

Question 8

If you are able to convince your friends to do what you want, you have power over your friends.

Accepted Answer

Power is the ability to influence or outright control the behavior of people, and convincing your friends to do what you want is a form of influence.

Question 9

U.S. politics is characterized by its pure pragmatism rather than ideology.

Accepted Answer

U.S. politics is significantly influenced by both ideology and pragmatism, with political parties and individuals often guided by a mix of ideological beliefs (such as liberalism, conservatism, progressivism) and practical considerations.

Question 10

The political culture approach to comparative politics, introduced in the 1950s, explains political systems in terms of people's values.

Accepted Answer

The political culture approach, indeed introduced in the 1950s, primarily by Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba, focuses on understanding political systems through the analysis of the underlying values, beliefs, and attitudes of the people within those societies.

Question 11

According to Aristotle, which form of government is ruled by many who rule in the interest of all?

Accepted Answer

Aristotle considered polity as the form of government where many rule in the interest of the common good, distinguishing it from democracy, which he saw as rule by the many in their own interest.

Question 12

If the U.S. successfully pressures China to decrease its human rights violations, despite the fact that China does not want to, the U.S. is exerting __________.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. is exerting power in this scenario because power refers to the ability of one actor (in this case, the U.S.) to influence another actor (China) to do something it would not otherwise do, such as decreasing its human rights violations.

Question 13

Which of the following is a characteristic of democracy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a characteristic...

Question 14

Under the "two-turnover" test, when is a democracy considered stable?

Accepted Answer

The "two-turnover" test for a stable democracy refers to the occurrence of at least two peaceful transitions of power through elections, where the ruling party or government leadership is replaced by the opposition. This criterion emphasizes the importance of a political system's ability to facilitate peaceful changes in leadership as a key indicator of democratic stability.

Question 15

Which of the following countries is considered "not free" by Freedom House?

Accepted Answer

Freedom House classifies Russia as "not free" due to its authoritarian government, restrictions on political rights and civil liberties, and lack of free and fair elections.

Question 16

Who was the founder of political science who argued that comparison is the best method of study?

Accepted Answer

Aristotle is often considered the founder of political science, and he emphasized the importance of comparative methods in studying political systems to understand their functioning and governance.

Question 17

Political __________ are structures of power that are sometimes spelled out in constitutions but which have often simply evolved over time.

Accepted Answer

Political institutions are structures of power that can be formally outlined in constitutions or evolve over time, encompassing entities like legislatures, executives, and judiciaries.

Question 18

The Iroquois in the United States would be considered a __________, as it is a group of people psychologically bound together by a common culture.

Accepted Answer

The Iroquois would be considered a nation because a nation is defined as a large group of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, or history. The term does not necessarily imply a country or state but rather the social and cultural bonds that unite a group of people.

Question 19

In the context of comparative politics, a __________ is the sovereign entity comprising governmental institutions and laws.

Accepted Answer

A state is the correct term in comparative politics for a sovereign entity that comprises governmental institutions and laws. It is a concept that includes the organization of power within a defined territory, unlike a nation, which refers more to a group of people with common characteristics such as culture and language. A territory is a specific area of land, and a kingdom is a type of state ruled by a king or queen, but neither term defines the sovereign entity comprising governmental institutions and laws as accurately as "state" does.

Question 20

If you are the leader of a country, but constantly defer to the leader of the neighboring country to make decisions, your state lacks __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you are the leader of a...

Quiz 1: The Uses of Comparative Politics