Deck 16: Politics and the Economy

Question 1

Which statement about politics is FALSE?

A) It is full of hypocrisy and deception.
B) It is ridden with conflict.
C) It is uniquely separate from and unrelated to social life.
D) It protects and serves people.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is true regarding the American political process?

A) The reality is quite different from the way the process is typically described in schools.
B) For most of American history, the majority of citizens were denied the right to vote.
C) Some critics argue that American schools' failure to teach critical thinking skills are harmful to the political process.
D) All these answers are correct.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The United Kingdom is an example of a(n)

A) autocratic system.
B) constitutional monarchy.
C) formal autocracy.
D) absolute monarchy.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The struggle over power in a society is called

A) the law.
B) politics.
C) corporate governance.
D) a social system.

Question 5

In which type of democracy do voters elect the head of state?

A) proportional system
B) presidential system
C) parliamentary system
D) representative system

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the twenty-first-century Tea Party in the United States?

A) It is a loosely organized collection of activists, most of whom support conservative Republican ideas.
B) It is the first viable third party of the new century.
C) It is a social movement that has yet to really define its core theoretical underpinnings.
D) It is a coalition of activists that transcends party lines to unite those who support a flat-tax system.

Question 7

Which type of voting system is used to elect members to the U.S. House and Senate?

A) plurality voting
B) direct voting
C) proportional representation
D) two-party

Question 8

The prime minister is the head of state in which type of political system?

A) direct democracy
B) parliamentary democracy
C) "European" system
D) representative system

Question 9

In which type of political system do citizens elect delegates who carry out the policymaking processes of government?

A) direct democracy
B) proportional system
C) representative democracy
D) delegate system

Question 10

A government run by a central ruling party with a self-appointed leader is called a(n)

A) centralized government.
B) central government.
C) authoritarian government.
D) legal authority.

Question 11

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an example of a

A) charismatic autocracy.
B) constitutional autocracy.
C) constitutional monarchy.
D) traditional monarchy.

Question 12

Literally translated, democracy means

A) a system dependent upon parties.
B) rule by the people.
C) rule based upon internal opposition.
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 13

Which of the following describes voter turnout in the United States as compared to that in other countries?

A) It is among the lowest in the Western industrialized democracies.
B) It is on par with other Western industrialized democracies.
C) It is among the highest in the Western industrialized democracies.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 14

A voting system that focuses on the percentage of votes won by parties instead of individual candidates is what type of system?

A) proportional representation
B) direct representation
C) party system
D) plurality voting

Question 15

According to Max Weber, what type of power do governments represent?

A) legitimate power
B) traditional power
C) supreme power
D) democratic power

Question 16

A political system that relies on citizens' active political participation in decision making, such as in referendums, is called a(n)

A) direct democracy.
B) democratic engagement.
C) indirect democracy.
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 17

The two-party domination of the American political system can be attributed to

A) proportional representation.
B) the plurality voting system.
C) direct democracy.
D) limited political socialization.

Question 18

In which type of voting system does the candidate with the most votes win the office?

A) rational system
B) direct system
C) proportional representation
D) plurality voting

Question 19

The North Korean government is run by a central ruling party that severely restricts the civil liberties of its citizens. Which type of government does North Korea represent?

A) an absolute state
B) an absolute monarchy
C) an authoritarian government
D) a centralized government

Question 20

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Citizens with minority opinions are more likely to find a "place" in a multiparty system than those in plurality voting systems.
B) Voter turnout is generally higher in multiparty systems than in plurality voting systems.
C) Fragmentation within government is less likely in multiparty systems than in plurality voting systems.
D) There is a higher probability that governments will be more unstable in multiparty systems than in plurality voting systems.

Question 21

According to research, taking part in which high school activity contributes to increased political participation in adult years?

A) service organizations
B) sports
C) academic clubs
D) None of these have been shown to contribute to increased political participation.

Question 22

In the United States, working-class people are much less likely to vote and participate in political life than middle-class people. What is an important reason for this pattern of participation in the United States, as compared to all other Western democracies?

A) lack of financial resources
B) lack of education
C) absence of a labor or socialist party
D) class warfare

Question 23

What theory deals with how, in order to avoid social isolation, people do not voice their opinions on controversial topics when they perceive their perspective as marginal?

A) the spiral of silence
B) the conspiracy of silence
C) social silencing
D) silent dissent

Question 24

The spiral of silence inflates our perception of political consensus by ________ alternative views.

A) publicly denouncing
B) explicitly discouraging
C) refuting
D) excluding

Question 25

Politics consists of a constant negotiation among diverse interest groups competing over political influence to bring about policy change in their favor. This is consistent which theory of power?

A) interest group theory
B) power elite theory
C) power contest theory
D) pluralist theory

Question 26

Which of the following best describes the two major American political parties and their class alignment?

A) Both parties are closely aligned with major corporate interests.
B) The Democratic Party is the party of the "working people" in America and looks out for the interests of people who identify themselves as such.
C) The Republican Party is the party of the wealthy and, unlike the Democrats, relies exclusively on corporate interests.
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 27

Those who are in charge of major bureaucratic institutions, such as in business, government, or the military, wield disproportionate power in society. This is consistent with the definition of which theory of power?

A) elitist theory
B) institutional domination theory
C) bureaucratic domination theory
D) power elite theory

Question 28

Which theory argues that political power is fragmented among different competing groups?

A) power fragmentation theory
B) power elite theory
C) pluralist theory
D) class domination theory

Question 29

Which theory of power is most closely based on the work of Karl Marx, which views the economic system as the primary source of power?

A) class domination theory
B) class division theory
C) power elite theory
D) theory of exploitation

Question 30

According to C. Wright Mills, the greatest problem with the growing power and influence of the professional military is its leadership's ability to

A) potentially seize power.
B) influence foreign policy.
C) channel government funding.
D) promote a military definition of reality.

Question 31

What theory of power suggests that political power is concentrated in the hands of the rich?

A) power elite theory
B) class domination theory
C) pluralist theory
D) elitist theory

Question 32

The United States government is dominated by powerful military, foreign policy, and intelligence agencies. The U.S. is therefore an example of a ________ state.

A) surveillance
B) militaristic
C) national security
D) defensive

Question 33

Which of the following has been a major issue pursued by corporate lobbyists?

A) deregulation
B) tax incentives for new businesses
C) labor unions
D) government spending

Question 34

Wealthy individuals and corporations have the power to influence government policy as well as public opinion through their influence over the media, which is why they enjoy disproportionate power in society. This is consistent with the definition of which theory of power?

A) pluralist theory
B) class domination theory
C) corporate dominance theory
D) economic domination theory

Question 35

Who developed the power elite theory?

A) Max Weber
B) C. Wright Mills
C) Karl Marx
D) McFarland and Thomas

Question 36

How do the media contribute to the spiral of silence?

A) by portraying minority views as negative
B) by ignoring minority views
C) by portraying minority views as flawed
D) by ridiculing and discrediting minority views

Question 37

What group receives the greatest benefit from common tax breaks?

A) working-class families
B) small businesses
C) higher-income earners
D) large businesses

Question 38

The reason behind the Theodore Roosevelt-era military buildup was

A) expansion of American influence abroad.
B) emerging external threats.
C) excess industrial capacity.
D) geopolitical change.

Question 39

Which theory suggests that power is concentrated in the hands of a small dominant group?

A) power elite theory
B) pluralist theory
C) elitist theory
D) domination theory

Question 40

Which is the most influential lobbying sector?

A) the legal sector
B) labor unions
C) the corporate sector
D) the nongovernment sector

Question 41

Capitalism as an economic system has proven most successful in

A) creating a truly competitive market.
B) increasing living standards for everyone.
C) contributing to democracy.
D) increasing productivity and innovation.

Question 42

Military spending in the United States represents approximately what percentage of the world's military budget?

A) 12 percent
B) 19 percent
C) 25 percent
D) 36 percent

Question 43

In the United States, most citizens accept war and many support military action because ________ is pervasive in American culture.

A) the media
B) pressure to conform
C) war socialization
D) fear

Question 44

Based on the insights of Emile Durkheim, economic arrangements depend on ________ that results from social relationships. When this disappears, economies collapse.

A) mutual obligation
B) trust
C) the law
D) rationality

Question 45

Which sector received the greatest amount from the U.S. government's discretionary spending budget?

A) energy and science
B) international affairs
C) the military
D) education

Question 46

The American military has been able to overcome racist and sexist attitudes by

A) restructuring.
B) punishing discrimination.
C) enforcing new attitudes.
D) discouraging hostility.

Question 47

Economic life is social because a functioning economic system is predicated on the existence of ________ to support economic relationships.

A) social exchange
B) a market system
C) a cohesive and well-functioning society
D) a currency

Question 48

The term terrorism is generally used for political acts of violence

A) on the behalf of hostile individuals.
B) directed at a government or political system.
C) that intentionally targets noncombatants.
D) perpetrated by hostile states.

Question 49

In the all-volunteer military,

A) all classes are proportionately represented.
B) the working class and the poor are overrepresented.
C) the middle and the working classes are most represented.
D) the middle class is overrepresented.

Question 50

The contemporary economy depends on

A) government intervention.
B) independence from government.
C) a laissez-faire system.
D) deregulation.

Question 51

A truly free-market form of capitalism produces

A) healthy competition and a reduction in consumer prices.
B) flourishing democracy and freedom.
C) an enormous concentration of wealth and power.
D) an equitable distribution of wealth.

Question 52

In most states, selling marijuana is illegal, even though an apparent demand exists, and the potential for revenue if sales were legalized is not insignificant. This is an example of the fact that economies

A) must be legal.
B) do not depend on demand.
C) are sometimes irrational.
D) reflect cultural values.

Question 53

Efforts to promote security through military spending have ironically produced a deeply set sense of fear. In a world defined as dangerous, this "politics of fear"

A) silences the voice of dissent.
B) breeds animosity and hatred.
C) fragments communities.
D) increases incarceration rates.

Question 54

Government assistance is ________ to the success of a business.

A) unnecessary
B) essential
C) a hindrance
D) encouragement

Question 55

What did Max Weber mean by the term social economics?

A) the calculating nature of social interaction
B) the interconnection between economy and social life
C) economics as a social science
D) systems of exchange in small-scale societies

Question 56

The United States is the only nation in the Western world whose health care system is organized on the principles of a business model rather than a public service. This is a testament to the fact that economies

A) are not always opportunistic.
B) reflect cultural values.
C) are sometimes irrational.
D) are independent systems.

Question 57

In order to adopt the military culture, soldiers must undergo

A) physical training.
B) resocialization.
C) a change in attitude.
D) humiliation.

Question 58

What proportion of the total U.S. government's discretionary spending goes to the military?

A) 6 percent
B) 33 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 54 percent

Question 59

Free-market, or laissez-faire, capitalism promotes

A) government regulation.
B) an unregulated market.
C) consumer protection.
D) no-cost business environments.

Question 60

Which strategy from the civilian sector has the military embraced in recent years?

A) financing
B) layoffs
C) outsourcing
D) deregulating

Question 61

The 1929 stock market crash and the subsequent Great Depression of the 1930s was caused by a variety of factors, but these are perhaps best described as

A) excessive government involvement.
B) greed.
C) a herd mentality.
D) an inherent instability in the capitalist system.

Question 62

In the global economy,

A) corporations enjoy considerable leverage over governments.
B) governments enjoy considerable leverage over corporations.
C) governments enjoy considerable leverage over citizens' interests.
D) consumers enjoy considerable leverage over corporations.

Question 63

By the 1980s, the global economy produced a new economic climate that encouraged policies to focus on

A) job creation.
B) regulation of business and finance.
C) deregulation.
D) increased taxation.

Question 64

Mixed economies are characteristic of a combination of free-market capitalism and

A) pro-business policies.
B) freedom-restricting policies.
C) socialist policies.
D) a focus on deregulation.

Question 65

In which system does a small group of people possess the power to influence government decision making the most?

A) socialist system
B) free-market capitalist system
C) democratic socialist system
D) mixed economic system

Question 66

Countries with ________, such as Canada, were able to weather the financial storm of 2008 almost unaffected.

A) more capital reserves
B) more stable governments
C) strong banking regulation
D) marginal economic systems

Question 67

Which country currently practices authoritarian capitalism?

A) China
B) North Korea
C) Norway
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 68

Which was NOT a factor that contributed to the financial crisis of 2008?

A) corporate fraud
B) deregulation
C) complicated financial instruments
D) greedy homebuyers

Question 69

As part of the New Deal, the government intervened to address extreme unemployment by implementing

A) legislation that outlawed labor strikes.
B) a welfare-to-work program.
C) a public works program.
D) All these answers are correct.

Question 70

Characteristics of democratic socialism include public ownership of some key industries and astute management of important natural resources. The revenue from this sector is typically used to

A) build up the military sector.
B) finance a wide range of social welfare programs.
C) fund surveillance programs.
D) maintain the power position of the leading party.

Question 71

An authoritarian capitalist system is characterized by restricted civil rights and freedoms in combination with

A) state-owned companies.
B) market-based economies.
C) centralized economies.
D) mixed economic systems.

Question 72

________ was an important factor in both the savings and loan crisis in the 1980s and the financial crisis of 2008.

A) Excessive governmental involvement
B) Excessive regulation
C) Deregulation
D) None of these answers is correct.

Question 73

A capitalist economic system ________ government intervention and involvement.

A) must be free from
B) works only with very limited
C) is unsustainable in the long run without
D) is in principle contradictory to

Question 74

The laissez-faire form of capitalism ________ democracy.

A) undermines
B) strengthens
C) contributes to freedom and
D) is opposed to the principles of

Question 75

Some countries have a combination of a democratic political system and a socialist economy, which has produced

A) poor economic outcomes.
B) limited civil liberties.
C) a very high standard of living.
D) slow growth and high unemployment.

Question 76

One of the outcomes of a truly free-market capitalist system is

A) a fully competitive market.
B) monopolization.
C) a regulated business environment.
D) reductions in inequality.

Question 77

In the nineteenth-century United States, major government intervention and change was brought about by

A) the threat of a financial meltdown.
B) external forces.
C) social movements.
D) market mechanisms.

Question 78

________ typically results from an unregulated economic environment.

A) A reduction of social problems
B) A robust and stable economy
C) Crime and violence
D) Abuse of concentrated economic power

Question 79

The reforms of the New Deal dominated the economic system in the United States until

A) globalization began to change the economic structure.
B) the 1960s changed society.
C) the Carter administration's economic vision.
D) the deregulation of the 1990s.

Question 80

The New Deal policies introduced in 1933 were an effort to

A) stabilize and revive the system of capitalism.
B) socialize major industries and banks.
C) realize a government takeover of the financial sector.
D) implement socialism.