Question 1

Which is the general term for the agencies and offices devoted to carrying out the tasks of government consistent with the law?

Accepted Answer

A)  government bureaucracy 
B)  government agency 
C)  cabinet department 
D)  independent agency 
E)  government corporation 
A)  government bureaucracy 
B)  government agency 
C)  cabinet department 
D)  independent agency 
E)  government corporation

Question 2

Do "street-level" bureaucrats make policy decisions?

Accepted Answer

A)  No, because policy decisions are made by higher-level bureaucrats. 
B)  No, because policy decisions are made by Congress or the president. 
C)  Yes, but only in relation to less important policies. 
D)  Yes, because their individual judgment calls create policy standards and routines. 
E)  Yes, but only in certain policy areas. 
A)  No, because policy decisions are made by higher-level bureaucrats. 
B)  No, because policy decisions are made by Congress or the president. 
C)  Yes, but only in relation to less important policies. 
D)  Yes, because their individual judgment calls create policy standards and routines. 
E)  Yes, but only in certain policy areas.

Question 3

President Bartlett creates an agency dedicated to ensuring that all U.S. trading partners must meet strict labor standards or face stiff tariffs. He staffs the agency with experts in trade and economics to ensure that the standards make sense and are followed strictly. However, he loses his bid for reelection. The incoming president believes that trade regulations are harmful and cuts funding to the agency. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  police-patrol oversight 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  bureaucratic drift 
D)  coalitional drift 
E)  bureaucratic capture 
A)  police-patrol oversight 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  bureaucratic drift 
D)  coalitional drift 
E)  bureaucratic capture

Question 4

What type of law is made within the executive-branch bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  civil 
B)  legislative 
C)  administrative 
D)  common 
E)  general 
A)  civil 
B)  legislative 
C)  administrative 
D)  common 
E)  general

Question 5

The Pendleton Act, in part, created a system of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  selective service 
B)  perennial spoils 
C)  selective admissions 
D)  civil service 
E)  private enterprise 
A)  selective service 
B)  perennial spoils 
C)  selective admissions 
D)  civil service 
E)  private enterprise

Question 6

The town of Springfield has an extensive public transportation system that has grown steadily over time in response to the city's changing needs. However, the town council realizes that it is not as efficient as it might be. The town council reviews data provided by the city's Department of Transportation and organizes an extensive rerouting of public buses in order to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization 
A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization

Question 7

Though it was intended to increase bureaucratic efficiency, the principles of privatization and marketization that were part of the ________ have in some cases led to accusations of increased fraud due to a lack of oversight.

Accepted Answer

A)  Pendleton Act 
B)  spoils system 
C)  Administrative Procedure Act 
D)  Administrative Protection Act 
E)  Grace Commission 
A)  Pendleton Act 
B)  spoils system 
C)  Administrative Procedure Act 
D)  Administrative Protection Act 
E)  Grace Commission

Question 8

Discuss the historical development of the federal bureaucracy in the United States. What were its origins? When and why did it expand? How have the movements toward privatization and marketization influenced the bureaucracy in recent decades?

Accepted Answer

A thorough answer may include the follow

Question 9

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with regulating the conduct of business corporations. To give the EPA more autonomy, it is structured so that the president is limited in his or her ability to remove those leading the agencies. This level of oversight is typical of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  an independent agency 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  cabinet department agencies 
D)  government corporation agencies 
E)  police-patrol oversight 
A)  an independent agency 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  cabinet department agencies 
D)  government corporation agencies 
E)  police-patrol oversight

Question 10

Patronage appointments resulted in ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  fairer electoral politics 
B)  less political efficacy for members of Congress 
C)  a more stable bureaucracy with less job turnover 
D)  underqualified bureaucrats and less effective implementation of government policies 
E)  increased funding for the arts 
A)  fairer electoral politics 
B)  less political efficacy for members of Congress 
C)  a more stable bureaucracy with less job turnover 
D)  underqualified bureaucrats and less effective implementation of government policies 
E)  increased funding for the arts

Question 11

Which of the following refers to the contracting of private companies by the government to conduct work that was formerly done by government agencies?

Accepted Answer

A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization 
A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization

Question 12

The tension between U.S. representatives' shared interest in reducing government waste and their individual interests in preserving government programs that benefit their constituents often produces a/an ________ that prevents political action to improve bureaucratic efficiency.

Accepted Answer

A)  collective action problem 
B)  coordination problem 
C)  principal-agent problem 
D)  prisoner's dilemma 
E)  unstable coalition 
A)  collective action problem 
B)  coordination problem 
C)  principal-agent problem 
D)  prisoner's dilemma 
E)  unstable coalition

Question 13

Define the principal-agent problem and its relevance for understanding interactions among Congress, the president, and federal bureaucracies. Which institution or set of institutions usually acts as the principal, and which acts as the agent? What mechanisms and strategies are available to the principal to control the agent and minimize shirking?

Accepted Answer

A thorough answer may include the follow

Question 14

Bureaucracies respond to many different types of problems. Regardless of their disparate purposes, they are all intended to create ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  public goods 
B)  private goods 
C)  corporate goods 
D)  coordination dilemmas 
E)  collective dilemmas 
A)  public goods 
B)  private goods 
C)  corporate goods 
D)  coordination dilemmas 
E)  collective dilemmas

Question 15

Due to various legislation and court decisions, the American bureaucracy has been given the ability to conduct all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  legislation 
B)  adjudication 
C)  vetoing legislation 
D)  writing statutes 
E)  implementing policies 
A)  legislation 
B)  adjudication 
C)  vetoing legislation 
D)  writing statutes 
E)  implementing policies

Question 16

President Bartlett creates an agency dedicated to ensuring that all U.S. trading partners must meet strict labor standards or face stiff tariffs. He staffs the agency with experts in trade and economics to ensure that the standards make sense and are followed strictly. However, many of these experts believe that trade regulations are harmful, ultimately isolating countries and leading to poorer working conditions. Over time, agency employees' own beliefs take precedence, and they become more and more relaxed about enforcing standards and begin to decrease fines against countries that do not meet the president's labor standards. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  police-patrol oversight 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  bureaucratic drift 
D)  coalitional drift 
E)  bureaucratic capture 
A)  police-patrol oversight 
B)  fire-alarm oversight 
C)  bureaucratic drift 
D)  coalitional drift 
E)  bureaucratic capture

Question 17

Which is a federally owned corporation that generates revenue by providing a public service and is operated much like a private business with extensive autonomy from the president or Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  government bureaucracy 
B)  government agency 
C)  federal ministry 
D)  independent agency 
E)  government corporation 
A)  government bureaucracy 
B)  government agency 
C)  federal ministry 
D)  independent agency 
E)  government corporation

Question 18

The process of coalition drift is most likely to create which type of collective dilemma between a federal agency and Congress or the president?

Accepted Answer

A)  prisoner's dilemma 
B)  coordination problem 
C)  unstable coalition 
D)  collective action problem 
E)  principal-agent problem 
A)  prisoner's dilemma 
B)  coordination problem 
C)  unstable coalition 
D)  collective action problem 
E)  principal-agent problem

Question 19

The town of Springfield has an extensive public transportation system that has grown steadily over time in response to the city's changing needs. However, the town council realizes that it is not as efficient as it might be. One of the biggest drains on the system is a program that shuttles elderly citizens from point to point, but discontinuing this program would be a public relations liability for the town council, so it recruits volunteers to drive these shuttles. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization 
A)  personalization 
B)  privatization 
C)  marketization 
D)  proliferation 
E)  capitalization

Question 20

Which of the following statements best defines the bureaucratic legacy of President Reagan?

Accepted Answer

A)  On the recommendation of the Grace Commission, the Reagan administration attempted to increase efficiency through privatization and marketization. 
B)  On the recommendation of the Grace Commission, the Reagan administration increased efficiency by firing a large percentage of bureaucrats. 
C)  The bureaucracy grew under the Reagan administration, due mostly to the creation of regulatory agencies designed to oversee welfare policy. 
D)  Under the Reagan administration, the bureaucracy grew due in large part to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and its affiliated agencies. 
E)  Bureaucratic growth stagnated well before Reagan took office, but the decline is mostly attributed to Reagan's policies. 
A)  On the recommendation of the Grace Commission, the Reagan administration attempted to increase efficiency through privatization and marketization. 
B)  On the recommendation of the Grace Commission, the Reagan administration increased efficiency by firing a large percentage of bureaucrats. 
C)  The bureaucracy grew under the Reagan administration, due mostly to the creation of regulatory agencies designed to oversee welfare policy. 
D)  Under the Reagan administration, the bureaucracy grew due in large part to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and its affiliated agencies. 
E)  Bureaucratic growth stagnated well before Reagan took office, but the decline is mostly attributed to Reagan's policies.

Which is the general term for the agencies and offices devoted to carrying out the tasks of government consistent with the law?

Do "street-level" bureaucrats make policy decisions?

What type of law is made within the executive-branch bureaucracy?

The Pendleton Act, in part, created a system of ________.

Though it was intended to increase bureaucratic efficiency, the principles of privatization and marketization that were part of the ________ have in some cases led to accusations of increased fraud due to a lack of oversight.

Discuss the historical development of the federal bureaucracy in the United States. What were its origins? When and why did it expand? How have the movements toward privatization and marketization influenced the bureaucracy in recent decades?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with regulating the conduct of business corporations. To give the EPA more autonomy, it is structured so that the president is limited in his or her ability to remove those leading the agencies. This level of oversight is typical of ________.

Patronage appointments resulted in ________.

Which of the following refers to the contracting of private companies by the government to conduct work that was formerly done by government agencies?

The tension between U.S. representatives' shared interest in reducing government waste and their individual interests in preserving government programs that benefit their constituents often produces a/an ________ that prevents political action to improve bureaucratic efficiency.

Bureaucracies respond to many different types of problems. Regardless of their disparate purposes, they are all intended to create ________.

Due to various legislation and court decisions, the American bureaucracy has been given the ability to conduct all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Which is a federally owned corporation that generates revenue by providing a public service and is operated much like a private business with extensive autonomy from the president or Congress?

The process of coalition drift is most likely to create which type of collective dilemma between a federal agency and Congress or the president?

Which of the following statements best defines the bureaucratic legacy of President Reagan?

Introduction

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Rights and Liberties

Congress

The Presidency

The Judiciary

Public Opinion

Political Participation

Interest Groups and Social Movements

Political Parties

Elections and Campaigns

Mass Media and the Press

Economic Policy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 7: The Bureaucracy

Which is the general term for the agencies and offices devoted to carrying out the tasks of government consistent with the law?

Do "street-level" bureaucrats make policy decisions?

What type of law is made within the executive-branch bureaucracy?

The Pendleton Act, in part, created a system of ________.

Though it was intended to increase bureaucratic efficiency, the principles of privatization and marketization that were part of the ________ have in some cases led to accusations of increased fraud due to a lack of oversight.

Discuss the historical development of the federal bureaucracy in the United States. What were its origins? When and why did it expand? How have the movements toward privatization and marketization influenced the bureaucracy in recent decades?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with regulating the conduct of business corporations. To give the EPA more autonomy, it is structured so that the president is limited in his or her ability to remove those leading the agencies. This level of oversight is typical of ________.

Patronage appointments resulted in ________.

Which of the following refers to the contracting of private companies by the government to conduct work that was formerly done by government agencies?

The tension between U.S. representatives' shared interest in reducing government waste and their individual interests in preserving government programs that benefit their constituents often produces a/an ________ that prevents political action to improve bureaucratic efficiency.

Bureaucracies respond to many different types of problems. Regardless of their disparate purposes, they are all intended to create ________.

Due to various legislation and court decisions, the American bureaucracy has been given the ability to conduct all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Which is a federally owned corporation that generates revenue by providing a public service and is operated much like a private business with extensive autonomy from the president or Congress?

The process of coalition drift is most likely to create which type of collective dilemma between a federal agency and Congress or the president?

Which of the following statements best defines the bureaucratic legacy of President Reagan?

Introduction

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Rights and Liberties

Congress

The Presidency

The Judiciary

Public Opinion

Political Participation

Interest Groups and Social Movements

Political Parties

Elections and Campaigns

Mass Media and the Press

Economic Policy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy

Filters