Political Science Review Questions

Front 1

The American national identity has been most strongly affected by common

A)ethnicity.
B)religious beliefs.
C)political beliefs.
D)class consciousness.
E)national origin.

Back 1

political beliefs.

Front 2

Politics is described as the process that
A)inculcates deep beliefs in idealized form.
B)gives people economic equality.
C)applies power fairly.
D)determines whose values will prevail in society.
E)provides for respect of individual differences

Back 2

determines whose values will prevail in society.

Front 3

Major patterns that characterize politics in the United States include all except which one of the following?
A)a highly fragmented governing system.
*B)little or no confidence in capitalism.
C)a high degree of pluralism.
D)extraordinary emphasis on individual rights.
E)pronounced separation of the political and economic spheres.

Back 3

*B)little or no confidence in capitalism.

Front 4

Cultural beliefs are said to be "mythical ideas," which means that they are
A)almost completely unreal.
B)perfect representations of reality.
C)symbolic postures that reflect partly what is ideal and partly what is real
D)perverted images of reality, as in the case of totalitarianism.
E)related Greek and Roman myths.

Back 4

symbolic postures that reflect partly what is ideal and partly what is real

Front 5

Political conflict within a nation is produced by the following two social conditions
A)geographical size and racial diversity.
B)scarcity and opposing values.
C)militant culture and class stratification.
D)scarcity and ethnic diversity.
E)none of the above is correct.

Back 5

scarcity and opposing values

Front 6

When compared with citizens in European democracies, Americans
A)emphasize self-reliance and trust in the marketplace for security.
B)feel that success in life is determined by forces outside their control.
C)are willing to use government for redistributing economic resources.
D)a and b only.
E)a, b and c.

Back 6

emphasize self-reliance and trust in the marketplace for security.

Front 7

The American ideal of equality of opportunity has been difficult to attain for all except which of the following groups of citizens?
A) African Americans.
B)Americans of Chinese descent.
C)Native American Indians.
D)men of European background.
E)women

Back 7

D)men of European background.

Front 8

The relatively low levels of spending on social welfare in the United States most clearly reflects the American ideal of
A)unity.
B)self-government.
C)equality.
D)individualism.
E)simplicity

Back 8

individualism

Front 9

A major characteristic of American politics is pluralism, which is
A)the power to make authoritative and binding decisions.
B)belief in equal distribution of economic resources.
C)competition for power among a great many interests of all kinds.
D)limiting access to power in society to a select few citizens.
E)multiple levels of governments all doing the same thing.

Back 9

competition for power among a great many interests of all kinds

Front 10

When people are able to control policy decisions and prevail in political conflicts they are said to have
A)political power.
B)political authority.
C)pluralism.
D)individualism.
E)diversity.

Back 10

political power.

Front 11

Fragmentation of authority in American politics is illustrated by its
A)pervasive welfare system.
B)system of checks and balances.
C)Economic complexity.
D)geographical diversity.
E)belief in "one person, one vote."

Back 11

system of checks and balances

Front 12

The American commitment to the principle of constitutionalism means that
A)there is tyranny of the majority over the minority.
B)there are limits to the rightful power of government over citizens.
C)direct democracy will be favored over representative democracy.
D)a "mixed economy" must be upheld at all costs.
E)a constitution is the only written law we will ever need.

Back 12

B)there are limits to the rightful power of government over citizens.

Front 13

14 The two kinds of inputs in the political system are termed
A)laws and decisions
B)supports and demands.
C)branches of government.
D)culture and socialization.
E)incomes and expenses.

Back 13

*B) supports and demands.

Front 14

When socialist and capitalist elements of economics are combined it is called
A)pure free-enterprise capitalism.
B)communism.
C)a fixed economy.
D)democratic socialism.
E)impossible to mix the two.

Back 14

D)democratic socialism.