Chapter 1 - Politics and Political Science

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Which political science subfield studies the interface of politics and economics?
A) Public administration
B) Public policy
C) Comparative politics
D) Political theory

2. is a subfield of political science.

A) Public administration
B) Anthropology
C) Biology
D) Sociology

3. The subfield studies major thinkers and attempts to define the good polity.
A) public administration
B) comparative politics
C) public policy
D) political theory

4. Which are both true for most politicians?

A) They think practically and are skeptical of power
B) They seek popularity and hold firm views
C) They offer single causes and think abstractly
D) They seek accuracy and offer long term consequences

5. Which are both true for most political scientists?

A) They think practically and seek accuracy
B) They seek popularity and are skeptical of power
C) They offer single causes and think abstractly
D) They are skeptical of power and offer long term consequences

6. Foreign policy falls under the subfield of .

A) European Politics
B) Comparative Politics
C) Political theory
D) International Relations

7. Which of the following statements would best reflect the views of German Philosopher
Hegel?
A) Sometimes elections are impossible to predict.
B) Politicians behave in an irrational manner.
C) Political Science can be useful in explaining why people vote a certain way.
D) Predicting political outcomes is usually random.

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 8. The term, polis originated in .
A) Italy
B) The United States
C) Great Britain
D) Greece

9. Which best explains the differences between historians and political scientists?
A) Historians look for generalizations, while political scientists are reluctant to generalize.
B) Historians are reluctant to generalize, while political scientists look for generalizations.
C) Historians are more likely to look for comparisons than political scientists.
D) Historians tend to focus on nature-based explanations, while political scientists focus on
nurture-based explanations.

10. Politics could be referred to the “master science” because politics .

A) predates the other social sciences
B) is more rigorous compared to other social sciences
C) is more difficult to study than other social sciences
D) relates to other social sciences

11. Anthropology applies most to political science based on which example?

A) People are born with predispositions towards conservative or liberal views.
B) People join groups because they have innate desires to be with others.
C) Many ruling families maintained power by passing down their authority from one generation
to the next.
D) Power typically ends up with those with the most resources.

12. Which of the following did Machiavelli contribute to the study of politics?
A) Social contract theory
B) The role of power in politics
C) The role of wealth in society
D) The connection between race and politics

13. The statement, “Man is by nature a political animal” is attributed to .

A) Niccolo’ Machiavelli
B) Seymour Martin Lipset
C) Mao Zedong
D) Aristotle

14. Machiavelli is associated with the concept of .

A) culture
B) sovereignty
C) rationality
D) power

15. Rationality is based on which of the following?

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A) Reason
B) Myth
C) Culture
D) Biology

16. When people base their views on beliefs that may not be based in reality, they are
behaving .
A) irrationally
B) rationally
C) politically
D) legitimately

17. A political leaders’ ability to command respect and exercise power is known as
.
A) sovereignty
B) corruption
C) authority
D) legitimacy

18. is the use of public office for private gain.

A) Sovereignty
B) Corruption
C) Authority
D) Legitimacy

19. The notion that we acknowledge the rightful roles of our leaders or our laws is known as
.
A) sovereignty
B) authority
C) legitimacy
D) monarchy

20. Political scientists data which makes the discipline more like the natural
sciences.
A) balance
B) reason
C) rationalize
D) quantify

TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
1. Generally speaking, political scientists are skeptical of power.
Answer: True
2. Conflict and diplomacy are the primary areas of interest within the subfield of
comparative politics.
Answer: FALSE

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 3. Harold Lasswell argued that politics is the study of “who gets what.”
Answer: TRUE
4. Biological explanations of political power focus on learned behaviors.
Answer: FALSE
5. If Iraq and Iran argue over control of land area, this debate deals with sovereignty.
Answer: TRUE

FILL-IN-THE-BLANK QUESTIONS
1. Aristotle, the founder of the , called politics “the master science.”
Answer: discipline
2. Tom Paine’s discussed why America should separate from Britain.
Answer: Common Sense
3. A leader is said to have when he or she can get others to obey them.
Answer: authority
4. undermines legitimacy, such as when crooked officials are part of
government.
Answer: Corruption
5. When is low, police may be necessary to coerce the people into maintaining
order.
Answer: legitimacy

ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. How is political science an interdisciplinary major?
Answer: An ideal response will:
a. Discuss how political science relates to history, human, geography, economics, sociology,
anthropology, and psychology.
b. Discuss how history, for example, allows for comparisons across nations and time periods.
These can be compared to current political regimes.
c. Discuss how human geography is relevant because it allows us to look at how people exist
within territories.
d. Discuss how economics and politics influence each other.
e. Discuss how sociology is relevant because it allows us to examine political views of various
groups based on religion, class, gender, age, etc.
f. Discuss how anthropology is useful for its focus on culture.
g. Discuss how psychology is relevant for its contributions on attitudes and motivations behind
political behaviors.

2. Why is culture important to political scientists?

Answer: An ideal response will:
a. Include a discussion of the nature versus nurture debate. The answer should indicate that
culture deals with what is learned.
b. Indicate that communities are formed and maintained because of cultural values which are
transmitted by parents, schools, churches, and the media.
c. Discuss the relevance of political culture in elections. For example, people may vote based on
their beliefs in equality, tolerance, or limited government.

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d. Discussjhowjculturejmayjaffectjpoliticsjandjeconomics.

3. Isjthejpublicjrational?jHowjmightjthejpublicjutilizejrationalityjtoday?
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. Includejanjunderstandingjthatjrationalityjassumesjthatjpeoplejknowjwhatjtheyjwantjandjactjinjaj
wayjtojmaximizejtheirjdesires.
b. Includejanjunderstandingjthatjrationalityjassumesjreason.
c. [Link]?jIsjitj
worthjthejtimejandjeffortjtojfollowjpolitics?

4. HowjarejLegitimacy,jSovereignty,jandjAuthorityjrelated?
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. Includejanjunderstandingjofjlegitimacy,jsovereignty,[Link]
elingjthatjthejgovernment’[Link]
[Link]
avingjthejabilityjtojcommandjrespectjtojexercisejpower.
b. [Link],jforje
[Link].
c. [Link],jlackingjle
gitimacy,jmakejauthorityjdifficultjwithoutjcoercion.

5. HowjcanjPoliticsjbejtreatedjasjajscience?
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. Includejajdiscussionjofjhowjsomejpoliticaljscientistsjhavejtriedjtojbecomejmorejlikejnaturaljsc
iences.
b. Discussjhowjpoliticaljscientistsjattemptjtojquantifyjdata,jmanipulatejdatajstatistically,jandja
ttemptjtojvalidatejhypotheses.
c. Discussjhowjpoliticaljsciencejisjanjempiricaljdiscipline.
d. Discussjhowjpoliticaljscientistsjbuildjscholarshipjbasedjonjreason,jbalance,jsupportingje
vidence,jandjthatjmuchjofjthisjscholarshipjisjbasedjonjtheory.

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 Chapterj2 Theories

MULTIPLEjCHOICEjQUESTIONS
1. wrotejRepublic.
A)j AristotlejPlat
B) o
C) [Link]
D) NiccolojMachiavelli

2. Aristotlejarguedjthatjthejbestjpoliticaljcommunitiesjwouldjbej .
A) dominatedjbyjwealthyjcitizens
B) oligarchies
C) formedjbyjelites
D) formedjbyjcitizensjofjthejmiddlejclass

3. WhichjofjthejfollowingjwouldjbejconsistentjwithjConfucius’sjvisionjofjgovernment?
A) Immoraljbehaviorjbyjrulers
B) Participationjofjthejmasses
C) Moraljbehaviorjbyjrulers
D) Limitsjonjfamilyjties

4. Whichjstatementjbestjreflectsjajdescriptivejstatement?
A) ThejBosniajandjHerzegovinajhasjajhigherjinfantjmortalityjratejthanjTurkey.
B) ThejBosniajandjHerzegovinajshouldjdojmorejtojhelpjthejpoor.
C) ThejBosniajandjHerzegovinajwouldjbenefitjfromjlowerjtaxes.
D) ThejBosniajandjHerzegovinajwouldjbenefitjfromjbuildingjmorejprisons.

5. Whichjstatementjbestjreflectsjajnormativejdescription?
A) ThejTurkeyjhasjhigherjtaxesjthanjmostjEuropeanjdemocracies.
B) ThejTurkeyjhasjlowerjtaxesjthanjmostjEuropeanjdemocracies.
C) ThejTurkeyjhasjajfederaljincomejtax.
D) ThejTurkeyjhasjtaxjratesjthatjarejtoojlow.

6. AristotlejandjJohnjLockejmightjagreejonjwhichjpoint?
A) Thejimportancejofjvotingjrightsjforjalljcitizens
B) Thejimportancejofjpropertyjrights
C) Thejimportancejofjchangingjparadigms
D) Thejimportancejofjthejscientificjmethod

7. ThomasjHobbesjwrotejthatj“thejlifejofjmanj[is]jsolitary,jpoor,jnasty,jbrutish,jand
.”
A) endless
B) tiring
C) short
D) depressing

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 8. Whichjofjthejfollowingjisjmostjconsistentjwithjthejideajofjajsocialjcontract?
A) Governmentjshouldjbejlimitedjtojensurejindividualjfreedom.
B) Individualsjjoinjandjstayjinjciviljsociety.
C) Citizensjpreferjsolitaryjlivesjtojlivingjinjgroups.
D) Citizensjarejmorejconcernedjwithjtheirjownjsocialjsituationjthanjthejcommunity.

9. WhichjofjthejfollowingjwasjofjgreatestjconcernjtojJohnjLocke?
A) Freedomjofjspeechjforjall
B) Powerjresidedjwithjthejproletariat
C) Thejrightjtojproperty
D) Votingjrights

10. Socialjcontracts,jthejstatejofjnature,jandjciviljsocietyjarejphrasesjthatjarejbestjassociatedjw
ithj .
A) thejcontractualists
B) Marxists
C) behavioralism
D) systemsjtheory

11. Whichj ofjthejfollowingjisjmostjconsistentjwithjthejconceptjofjthej“generaljwill”jac

cordingjtojRousseau?
A) Creatingjajparkjforjthejcitizensjtojenjoy
B) Usingjpublicjdollarsjsojthatjsomejcitizensjcanjattendjprivatejschools
C) Offeringjtaxjbreaksjtojonejautojmanufacturingjplant
D) Lowjturnoutjinjelections

12. KarljMarxjusedjthejtermj tojreferjtojeverythingjbuiltjonjtopjofjthejeconomy.

A) thejsocialjcontract
B) institutions
C) behavioralism
D) superstructure

13. Whichjofjthejfollowingjwouldjmostjlikelyjbejsupportedjbyjthejbourgeoisie?
A) Equalityjforjall
B) Ajrevoltjbyjthejproletariat
C) Minorityjrights
D) Conflictjforjeconomicjgain

14. AccordingjtojKarljMarx,jwhatjwouldjlikelyjreplacejcapitalism?
A) Communism
B) Socialism
C) Feudalism
D) Conservatism

15. Whichjofjthejfollowingjisjajcriticismjofjbehavioralism?
A) Behavioralismjisjnotjvalue-free.

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B) BehavioralismjhasjneverjbeenjusedjinjthejUnitedjStates.
C) Naturaljsciencejmethodsjcannotjbejappliedjtojthejsocialjsciences.
D) Behavioralismjfocusesjtoojmuchjonjthejbigjpicture.

16. DavidjEastonjisjmostjassociatedjwithjwhichjofjthejfollowing?
A) Behavioralism
B) Marxism
C) SystemsjTheory
D)j ModernizationjTheory

17. Hegeljisjmostjassociatedjwithjwhichjtheory?
A) Marxism
B) Modernization
C) Positivism
D) Rational-Choice

18. SeymourjMartinjLipsetjwrotej .
A) ThejPrince
B) Arthashastra
C) SocialjContract
D) PoliticaljMan

19. Rational-ChoicejTheoryjisjmostjrelatedjtojwhichjofjthejfollowing?
A) Behavioralism
B) ModernizationjTheory
C) GamejTheory
D) Contractualism

20. Rational-
Choicej theoryjbecamejpopularjamongjpoliticaljscientistsjduringjwhatjtimejperiod?
A) PriorjtojWorldjWarjI
B) PriorjtojWorldjWarjII
C) Thej1950s
D) Thej1970s

TRUE/FALSEjQUESTIONS
1. Realistsjfocusjonjthejworldjasjitjshouldjbe.
Answer:jFALSE
2. PoliticaljtheoryjwasjlimitedjtojEuropejuntiljthej20thjCentury.
Answer:jFALSE
3. ThomasjHobbes’sjworkjmightjbejusefuljinjexaminingjRwandanjgenocides.
Answer:jTRUE
4. KarljMarxjcalledjthejrulingjclassjthejproletariat.
Answer:jFALSE

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 5. Rational-choicejtheoristsjarguejthatjbehaviorjcannotjbejpredicted.
Answer:jFALSE

FILL-IN-THE-BLANKjQUESTIONS
1. NiccolojMachiavelli’sj wasjaboutjgettingjandjusingjpoliticalj .
Answer:jThejPrince;jpower
2. ThejGermanjtermj refersjtojthejspiritjofjthejtimes.
Answer:jZeitgeist
3. Formaljstructuresjofjgovernment,jlikejthejpresidencyjorjthejcourts,jarejreferredjtojas
.
Answer:jinstitutions
4. j
theoryjwouldjlikelyjpredictjthatjdemocracyjmightjfollowjajnationjoncejitjbecomesjwealt
hy.
Answer:jModernization
5. Rational-Choicejtheoristsjmightjemployj
theoryjtojstudyjhowjpoliticaljactorsj
mightjbehave.
Answer:jgame

ESSAYjQUESTIONS
1. ExplainjConfucius’jvisionjforjajgood,[Link] yourjstate?
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. DiscussjhowjConfucius’sjvisionjforjgood,jstablejgovernmentjwasjbasedjonjthejfamilyjandjc
orrect,jmoraljbehaviorjinstilledjinjrulersjandjruledjalike.
b. [Link]
ample,jthejanswerjcouldjdiscussjhowjpeoplejlearnjpoliticaljbeliefsjfromjparents.
c. [Link],jinjtimesjof
jwar,jconflict,jetc.
d. [Link],jpoliticiansjh
avejbeenjcaughtjinjscandalsjthatjmayjunderminejwhatjConfuciusjsuggested.

2. ContrastjthejContractualists’jstatejofjnaturejandjthejconsequencesjofjeachjvision.
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. Discussjthatjthej“statejofjnature”jexistedjbeforejcivilization.
b. DiscussjhowjHobbesjviewedjthejstatejofjnaturejasjincrediblyjharsh.
c. DiscussjhowjLocke’sjviewsjwerejlessjpessimistic,jthoughjcivilizationjwouldjbejnecessaryjtojs
ecurejpropertyjrights.
d. DiscussjhowjRousseaujwasjmorejoptimisticjaboutjindividuals,jbutjitjwasjsocietyjthatjcorruptedjth
[Link],jwhichjwasjwhatjthejcommunityjwanted.
e. Indicatejhowjalljofjthesejtheoristsjacknowledgejthatjpeoplejenterjintojcontractsjtojcreatejajciviljso
ciety.

3. WhatjarejthejweaknessesjinjMarxistjTheory?
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
1. Discussjhowjinjsomejplaces,jlikejthejSovietjUnion,jMarxismjledjtojtyranny.
2. DiscussjhowjcontraryjtojMarx’sjpredictions,[Link],jforjexample,jd
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idjnotjpredictjthejadaptivejabilityjofjcapitalism.

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3. Discussjhowjcapitalismjisjnotjajsinglejsystem,[Link]
ates,jFrance,jSingapore,jandjJapanjalljhavejsomewhatjdifferentjcapitalistjsystems.

4. Whatj werejthejadvantagesjandjdisadvantagesjofjthejbehavioraljapproachjtojstudyingjp
olitics?jEvaluatejsomejproblemsjwithjthisjapproach.
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. Discussjhowjbehavioristsjfocusjonjactualjbehaviors.
b. Behavioristsjmadejsignificantjcontributionsjonjattitudes,jvaluesjofjcitizens,jandjonjvotingjb
ehavior.
c. Discussjhowjcriticsjofjbehavioristsjnotedjthatjthisjviewjwasjstatic,jconservative,jandjnotjvalue-
[Link],jbehavioristsjoftenjfocusjonjsta
blejdemocraticjsystems,jratherjthanjconflictjareas,[Link]
notedjthatjbehaviorismjfocusesjonjnarrowjtopics,[Link]
ssjhowjthisjnarrowjfocusjmightjbejproblematic.

5. Evaluatej [Link]
alogy.
Answer:jAnjidealjresponsejwill:
a. DiscussjhowjDavidjEastonjsuggestedjthatjthejpoliticaljsystemsjwerejanalogousjtojajbiologicaljs
ystemjthatjcontainedjajfeedbackjloop.
b. Discussjhowjcitizenjdemands,jwhichjarejinputs,jarejacknowledgedjbyjgovernmentjdecisionj
[Link]
caljorganismjfunctions.
c. [Link],jthejanswerjmightjdiscussjhowjfeedbackjmayjalte
[Link],jPresidentjNixonjendedjthejmilitaryjdraftjafterjthejVietnamjwarjb
[Link]
mentjdecisionsjandjhowjthisjcomparesjtojbiologicaljsystems.

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