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Comparative Politics

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1
Organizations that maintain a monopoly of violence over a given territory are called
  • regimes
  • Nations
  • Governments
  • States
2
Which kind of legitimacy is derived from the appeal of a specific leader or movement?
  • Charismatic
  • Abstract
  • traditional
  • Rational-legal
3
The symbol of the people—their formal representative both nationally and internationally that embodies and articulates the goals of the regime—is the
  • ambassador
  • Head of government
  • Legislature
  • Head of state
4
What is the primary difference between democratic and authoritarian regimes?
  • B. Democratic regimes emphasize a large role for the public in governance,
    while authoritarian regimes limit the public's role in decision making.
  • D. Democratic regimes do not have a judiciary branch, while authoritarian
    regimes do.
  • C. Democratic regimes are always led by a single individual, while authoritarian
    regimes can have multiple leaders.
  • A. Democratic regimes have a written constitution while authoritarian regimes
    do not.
5
What is the role of civil society in a political system?
  • C. It helps people define and advance their own interests.
  • A. It is responsible for enforcing laws and maintaining order.
  • D. It is a group of political parties competing for power.
  • B. It is the governing body of a country.
6
What is the difference between political attitudes and political ideologies?
  • B. There is no real difference as they are two ways of describing the same thing.
  • C. Political attitudes describe views regarding political change whereas political ideologies describe the balance between freedom and equality.
  • D. Political attitudes refer to the political party affiliations of individuals, while political ideologies refer to their economic status.
  • A. Political attitudes are universal sets of political values, while political ideologies are context-specific views.
7
A citizen's level of trust in government, their knowledge about politics, and their perceived ability to influence political outcomes are all aspects of
  • Legitimacy
  • Political culture
  • National identity
  • Civil society
8

What does the Human Development Index (HDI) measure that gross domestic product (GDP) does not?
  • It is measured in dollars
  • It includes the level of wealth inequality
  • It includes the value of services produced in a country
  • It includes measures of health and education
9
What differentiates an intergovernmental organization (IGO) from a nongovernmental
organization (NGO)?
  • A. NGOs are multinational whereas IGOs are only active in one country.
  • D. IGOs are composed of states, whereas NGOs are composed of individuals.
  • C. NGOs are composed of states, whereas IGOs are composed of individuals.
  • B. IGOs are multinational whereas NGOs are only active in one country.
10
The basic institutions of a country are typically laid out in either a single law or set of laws that are known as its
  • inter arma enim silent leges.
  • founding principles.
  • Magna Carta.
  • constitution.
11
The symbol of the people, their formal representative both nationally and internationally that embodies and articulates the goals of the regime, is the
  • head of state.
  • head of government.
  • legislature.
  • ambassador.
12
Which of the following statements about semi-presidential (or premier-presidential) systems is accurate?
  • Presidents in this system must be approved by the legislature.
  • Primary executive authority resides with the prime minister.
  • Presidents in this system are typically more powerful than the prime ministers.
  • It is strongly tied to the proportional representation electoral system.
13
The branch (or subfield) of political science that examines how individual countries are governed, and the similarities and differences between how different countries are governed, is known as
  • comparative politics.
  • political theory.
  • public administration.
  • international relations.
14
Which of the following two entities are most responsible for formulating and executing policy in a parliamentary system?
  • The prime minister and cabinet.
  • The head of state and the prime minister.
  • The prime minister and the judiciary.
  • The head of state and the parliament.
15
Roger views political change as risky and worries that change will only make things worse than the status quo. His political attitude is best characterized as
  • communist.
  • fascist.
  • liberal.
  • conservative.
16
The apartheid regime in South Africa was an example of a democratic but ________ regime, a regime that retains the basic structures of democracy but does not protect civil liberties.
  • populist
  • authoritarian
  • illiberal
  • libertarian
17
Social democracy as a political ideology can best be described as a sort of hybrid of what two other political ideologies?
  • Anarchism and communism.
  • Liberalism and conservatism.
  • Communism and conservatism.
  • Communism and liberalism.
18
Organizations that maintain a monopoly of violence over a given territory are called
  • governments.
  • regimes.
  • nations.
  • states.
19
Amnesty International and the International Red Cross are examples of
  • transnational corporations.
  • non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
  • intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).
  • communist front organizations.
20
In terms of geographic features, the most important for shaping the United Kingdom's history politics is
  • its arid climate.
  • its status as an island nation.
  • its long-shared borders with hostile neighbors.
  • a series of mountains running through the middle of the country.
21
Why was Margaret Thatcher such a significant political figure in the United Kingdom?
  • Her tenure as prime minister marked the end of the collectivist consensus and a shift towards neoliberalism for the United Kingdom.
  • She served during World War Il and helped the United Kingdom defeat Germany.
  • She championed Brexit and it was in part through her efforts that the United Kingdom made the decision to leave the European Union.
  • She was the first Labour prime minister in several decades and she helped usher in a stronger welfare state with broader social services.
22
Why was the Magna Carta important in the evolution of the British system?
  • It created the judiciary and gave it the power of constitutional review.
  • It ushered in the industrial revolution by freeing the economy from government control.
  • It subjected the royal crown to the rule of law and began to limit their power.
  • It started the modern two-and-a-half party system in the United Kingdom.
23
The dominance of the two main political parties has been driven in large part by
  • the United Kingdom's use of proportional representation
  • the wishes of the monarchy.
  • the presence of strong labor unions and a vocal business community.
  • the United Kingdom's use of plurality single-member district voting.
24
In which of the following ways does the British democracy differ from most other parliamentary democracies in Europe?
  • The British system's head of government is not elected to a fixed term of office.
  • The majority party can enact policies with almost no checks from other branches of
    government.
  • The British system has a written constitution that is vastly more comprehensive and
    explicit than others.
  • The minority party in Parliament has abnormally strong abilities to stop the work of
    government if it disapproves of policy choices.
25
The major party on the left in the United Kingdom is the _____ Party, wheras the major party on the right is the _____ Party
  • Liberal Democrats; Labour
  • Tory; Liberal Democrats
  • Conservative; Reform UK
  • Labour; Conservative
26
Although there are many divisions in British society (as there are in all societies), which remains the most important social division?
  • Religion
  • Class
  • Race
  • Ethnicity
27
Which of the following best described the United Kingdom's economy?
  • Postindustrial, with particular strength in financial services and tourism
  • Communist, with government control of the means of production
  • Industrial, with particular strengths in steel, oil and gas
  • Agricultural, with particular strengths in wool and timber
28
Which of the following statements about British foreign relations is accurate?
  • The United Kingdom retains a relatively small army compared to its Western European counterparts.
  • Most Britons have supported the idea of full participation in the European Union.
  • The United Kingdom more strongly identifies itself with continental Europe than with its allies across the Atlantic.
  • Since the end of World War Il, the United States and the United Kingdom have been strong allies.
29
The year 1066 is considered to be pivotal in British history because
  • it was the year the Normans took over control of England from the Anglo-Saxons.
  • it marked the first in a series of genocidal invasions that left the Celts as the dominant group in society.
  • it was when the Roman Empire abandoned its outposts in Britain.
  • it marked the beginning of the English Civil War.
30
Which of the following is a characteristic of Britain's use of the single-member district (SMD) electoral system?
  • It supports the dominance of the Labour and Conservative parties.
  • It weakens the regional concentration of smaller parties.
  • It strengthens democratic rule.
  • It encourages the strength of smaller parties, which results in more coalition governments.
31
Which branch of government was reformed in 1999 to reduce the number of "hereditary peers," or members of the aristocracy, from positions of power?
  • The House of Lords.
  • The House of Commons.
  • The Supreme Court.
  • The Welsh Parliament.
32
In 1998, violence in Northern Ireland was largely ended by
  • the Catholic victory in the civil war.
  • the Protestant victory in the civil war.
  • a military intervention by the Irish Republic
  • the Good Friday Agreement.
33
The current monarch of the United Kingdom is
  • King William V.
  • Queen Elizabeth II.
  • King Charles III.
  • King George VI.
34
Which of the following descriptions of the UK prime minister is accurate?
  • Prime ministers largely cede diplomatic responsibilities to the head of state.
  • Prime ministers are frequently removed by votes of no confidence.
  • Prime ministers are responsible for maintaining the support of their fellow MPs.
  • Prime ministers are elected to a maximum term of ten years.
35
Which of the following statements about the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union (EU) is accurate?
  • The United Kingdom is a full EU member and has adopted the euro as its currency.
  • In the 2016 referendum known as "Brexit," UK citizens voted to leave the EU.
  • Until recently, people living in the United Kingdom have been fully supportive of membership in the EU.
  • The United Kingdom is a transitional member of the EU, with membership conditional on acceptance of the single currency.
36
The Magna Carta set an important precedent by establishing
  • limits on the power of the monarchy.
  • authoritarian rule.
  • liberal democracy.
  • working class power.
37
The Labour Party's devolution reforms of 1999 are best described as
  • turning over some central governmental power to regional legislatures in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
  • asserting more power for central government and blocking attempts at independence among Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
  • an increase in the number of parliamentary districts in the regions of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
  • an effort to encourage Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to seek independence.
38
How did Germany's geography affect its political development?
  • The presence of the Alps along much of its borders has protected Germany from external invasion.
  • Its lack of natural barriers has long left it externally vulnerable and internally divided.
  • As an island nation, it has long prioritized having a strong navy over a strong army.
  • Germany was one of the first European states to unify due to its advantageous location on trade routes.
39
Which of the following is true of German unification?
  • It brought rapid industrialization but not rapid democratization.
  • It happened fairly early relative to other European states.
  • It was primarily achieved under the leadership of the kingdom of Bavaria.
  • It came about as a result of World War l.
40
How did the development of West Germany and East Germany differ after World War Il?
  • West Germany chose to focus on technology and services, whereas East Germany chose to focus on industrialization and agriculture.
  • West Germany became democratic and experienced rapid economic growth, whereas East Germany became a Soviet puppet state.
  • East Germany chose to focus on technology and services, whereas West Germany chose to focus on industrialization and agriculture.
  • East Germany became democratic and experienced rapid economic growth, whereas West Germany became a Soviet puppet state.
41
What kind of political system can be found in Germany today?
  • a federal parliamentary system
  • a federal presidential system
  • a unitary parliamentary system
  • a unitary presidential system
42
What electoral rules does Germany use in the Bundestag?
  • single-member district (SMD) with plurality voting
  • proportional representation (PR)
  • a mix of proportional representation and single-member district voting
  • single-member district (SMD) with majority voting
43
What have been the two main parties in Germany since World War Il?
  • the Green Party on the center-right and the Free Democrats on the center-left
  • the Social Democrats on the center-left and the Christian Democrats on the center- right
  • the Green Party on the center-left and the Free Democrats on the center-right
  • the Social Democrats on the center-right and the Christian Democrats on the center-left
44
In part due to the prevalence of Gastarbeiter, Germany has an unusually
  • large number of immigrants.
  • religious population.
  • small number of labor union members.
  • nationalistic population.
45
Major German industrial conglomerate Siemens has half of its supervisory board selected by employees and shareholders. This is an example of what German policy?
  • Gastarbeiter
  • codetermination
  • Länder
  • Basic Law
46
Germany has been one of the two most important members in driving integration in which organization?
  • the World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • the United Nations (UN)
  • the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
  • the European Union (EU)
47
How has France's geography affected its development as a state?
  • It simultaneously facilitated foreign commerce while leaving France exposed to invasion from the northeast.
  • Internal transportation has proven quite tricky because of topography, so France has had to centralize its government in order to facilitate such trade.
  • Being an island nation encouraged the creation of a powerful navy and a large colonial empire.
  • Being surrounded by mountains has allowed France to develop without fear of foreign militaries or navies.
48
Charles de Gaulle was able to rectify some of the flaws of the Third and Fourth Republics by insisting on what feature in the Fifth Republic's constitution?
  • a powerful executive
  • a bicameral legislature
  • a federal system
  • universal suffrage
49
Louis Xl, Louis XIV, and Napoleon were all a part of France's tradition of
  • a republic.
  • a constitutional monarchy.
  • a powerful church.
  • a strong, centralized state
50
Compared to the prime minister, the president in France
  • is elected by the National Assembly, whereas the prime minister is directly elected by the people.
  • is usually weaker, except during periods of cohabitation.
  • is weaker and is largely a ceremonial role.
  • is more powerful and has more authority to enact and enforce policy.
51
In the French political system, who is responsible for deciding constitutional disputes?
  • the Constitutional Council
  • the president
  • the National Assembly
  • the Supreme Court
52
Which of the following best summarizes the French political parties in the past several presidential
elections?
  • The far-right National Rally won a surprise victory
  • France elected its first ever Socialist president.
  • A centrist party has won, but far right parties have gained significantly.
  • The system has fragmented badly, with no candidate winning more than ten percent in the first round.
53
Ethnic and religious differences have become more important in French politics and society in recent decades due primarily to
  • immigration from other European Union countries.
  • the increasing importance of the Catholic Church in French politics.
  • immigration from Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
  • the difficulty that native French children have in learning the French language.
54
Which of the following best summarizes France's relationship with the United States in the years since World War Il?
  • France used to be a strong ally of the United States during the Cold War but has become less so in the years since.
  • France allied itself with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and has been skeptical of the United States' capitalist economy and promotion of its ideals.
  • France has long been one of the United States' closest allies, both during the Cold War and in the years since.
  • France is wary of American power and has been leery of being too engaged in institutions seen as furthering the reach of the United States.
55
The current president of France is
  • Jean-Luc Picard.
  • Jacques Chirac.
  • François Hollande.
  • Emmanuel Macron.
56
Which of the following groups wields a disproportionate amount of power in French politics, in spite of their overall decline in numbers?
  • conservatives
  • libertarians
  • Muslims.
  • farmers
57
Charles de Gaulle's political legitimacy rested in part on his
  • having descended from Napoleon's family.
  • role in bringing the Reign of Terror to an end.
  • role leading the Free French forces during World War II.
  • religious credentials.
58
In France, cohabitation refers to when
  • local governments are able to overturn legislation by means of referenda.
  • there is a coalition government made up of several parties.
  • the president lacks a working majority in the National Assembly.
  • the two houses of the French legislature are controlled by different parties.
59
Which of the following statements best describes the upper house (Sénat) of the French legislature?
  • It is directly appointed by the president.
  • It is more powerful than the lower house.
  • It is directly elected.
  • It is weaker than the lower house.
60
Which of the following was a founding principle of the French Revolution and creation of the French state that was absent from the principles of the American Revolution?
  • Commitment to a set of individual rights.
  • Republicanism
  • Separation of church and state.
  • A strong central state.
61
The Common Agricultural Policy is a key part of France's membership in the
  • World Trade Organization.
  • International Labor Organization.
  • European Union.
  • European Free Trade Agreement.
62
Which of the following has resulted from the residual strength of populist ideas in France?
  • Very low nationalist sentiment.
  • Preference for a weak central state.
  • High levels of mistrust of political institutions and parties.
  • Domination of the political scene by a few coherent political parties
63
The term dirigisme refers to a French economic policy that
  • gives the government an important role in directing the economy, favoring the establishment of "national champions" that dominate their economic sectors.
  • gives the military direct ownership of key industries.
  • emphasizes the importance of free markets and competition between businesses.
  • focuses on establishing free trade and lower non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade betwen countries.
64
Historically, the main two blocs in French politics during the Fifth Republic era were
  • the socialists and the Gaullist right.
  • the Gaullist right and the anti-Gaullist right.
  • the communists and the neo-fascists.
  • the socialists and the liberal democrats.
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