Multiple Choice Quiz

Please answer all questions.


1	The American national identity has been most strongly affected by common
		A)	ethnicity.
		B)	religious.
		C)	political beliefs.
		D)	class consciousness.


2	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.


3	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.


4	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


5	The __________ is the set of rules determining who will exercise the authority of government.
		A)	Constitutionalism
		B)	Democracy
		C)	Elections
		D)	Two-party system


6	The two kinds of inputs in the political system are called
		A)	laws and decisions.
		B)	supports and demands.
		C)	branches of government.
		D)	culture and socialization


7	Which of the following is a core ideal of the American political culture?
		A)	liberty
		B)	diversity
		C)	unity
		D)	all of the above


8	The fact that Americans "form an indivisible union" relates best to the ideal of
		A)	equality.
		B)	diversity.
		C)	unity.
		D)	self-government.


9	Which of the following has not usually resisted the expansion of the government's social welfare role?
		A)	liberal Democrats
		B)	conservative Republicans
		C)	business groups
		D)	anti-tax groups


10	Compared to the American educational system, the European educational system can best be described as
		A)	class-based.
		B)	one of equal opportunity for all.
		C)	purely a vocational system.
		D)	none of the above.


11	One effect of the American government's system of checks and balances is
		A)	an unusually quick decision-making process.
		B)	the absolute guarantee that governmental power will not be abused.
		C)	that the three branches of the federal government operate completely independently.
		D)	extreme fragmentation of governing authority.


12	In what type of economic system does the government take the biggest role in managing the economy?
		A)	capitalism
		B)	socialism as practiced in democratic nations
		C)	communist-style socialism
		D)	a "mixed economy" system


13	Which theory places the most emphasis on the role of interest groups in explaining who governs America?
		A)	majoritarianism
		B)	pluralism
		C)	elitism
		D)	none of the above


14	The "most basic concept of politics" is
		A)	authority.
		B)	power.
		C)	legitimacy.
		D)	liberty.


15	Governmental authority differs from other types of authority in society due to its
		A)	potential level of coercion.
		B)	geographical pervasiveness.
		C)	both a and b is correct.
		D)	neither a nor b is correct.


16	The Greek words "demos" and "kratis" together mean
		A)	majority rule is sacred.
		B)	the people rule.
		C)	government is good.
		D)	politics is immoral.


17	One fear about majority rule in a democracy is that it could lead to
		A)	apathy on the part of the people.
		B)	tyranny by suppressing the minority.
		C)	the election of incompetent leaders.
		D)	all of the above.


18	Important principles of capitalism include
		A)	free enterprise.
		B)	self-reliance.
		C)	an open marketplace.
		D)	all of the above.


19	The concept of majoritarianism means that
		A)	the majority determines public policy.
		B)	the majority is following in all policy areas.
		C)	both a and b are correct.
		D)	neither a nor b is correct.


20	Sociologist C. Wright Mills was a proponent of
		A)	pluralist theory.
		B)	elite theory.
		C)	majoritarianism.
		D)	none of the above.


21	In the political system model, public opinion and voting would represent
		A)	political inputs.
		B)	political outputs.
		C)	governmental structures.
		D)	none of the above.


22	The most important question involving a democracy is
		A)	Will leaders protect the principle of constitutionalism?
		B)	Who should govern?
		C)	What is the relationship of people to their government?
		D)	What cultural ideas will be important in the future of America?


23	Authority is
		A)	the process by which it is determined whose values will prevail in the making of public policy
		B)	the ability of a person or institution to control policy decisions.
		C)	the recognized right of an official or institution to make decisions.
		D)	all of the above.


24	Between 1820 and 1990, which country sent the most immigrants to the United States?
		A)	Ireland
		B)	Canada
		C)	Philippines
		D)	Germany


25	Two things common to all governments are
		A)	a powerful president and large amounts of revenue
		B)	a means of raising revenue and the power of coercion
		C)	a legislature and extensive social programs
		D)	an independent judiciary and widespread civil liberties

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