Question 1

The ability of constitutional courts to strike down legislation even in the absence of a specific court case is known as review.

Accepted Answer

A) concrete 
B) abstract 
C) appellate 
D) activist 
A) concrete 
B) abstract 
C) appellate 
D) activist B

Question 2

Single-member district systems are

Accepted Answer

A) electoral systems in which a candidate must win an absolute majority of the vote in a district to win the seat. 
B) electoral systems in which the candidate with the largest share of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
C) electoral systems in which the percentage of votes a party receives in a district will determine how many seats that party will win. 
D) two-round systems for electing presidents and prime ministers. 
A) electoral systems in which a candidate must win an absolute majority of the vote in a district to win the seat. 
B) electoral systems in which the candidate with the largest share of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
C) electoral systems in which the percentage of votes a party receives in a district will determine how many seats that party will win. 
D) two-round systems for electing presidents and prime ministers. B

Question 3

Which of the following statements about referenda in the European Union and France is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) After 1969,referenda have been used for only domestic issues in France. 
B) Since 2000,there have been over 40 referenda dealing with international issues within the EU. 
C) Both de Gaulle and Napoleon were unsuccessful at using referenda. 
D) In 2005,voters passed an EU constitution through a referendum. 
A) After 1969,referenda have been used for only domestic issues in France. 
B) Since 2000,there have been over 40 referenda dealing with international issues within the EU. 
C) Both de Gaulle and Napoleon were unsuccessful at using referenda. 
D) In 2005,voters passed an EU constitution through a referendum. B

Question 4

Which of the following was an effect of the rapid development of many Asian countries in the 1970s on the study of democracy?

Accepted Answer

A) It demonstrated that elites were the driving force behind early democratization. 
B) It helped to discredit modernization theory. 
C) It proved that a middle class was essential for democratization. 
D) It demonstrated that overall poverty is not an impediment to democratization. 
A) It demonstrated that elites were the driving force behind early democratization. 
B) It helped to discredit modernization theory. 
C) It proved that a middle class was essential for democratization. 
D) It demonstrated that overall poverty is not an impediment to democratization.

Question 5

A diverse fabric of organizations created by people,not necessarily political,to help define and advance their own interests is known as

Accepted Answer

A) the oligarchy. 
B) civil society. 
C) public networks. 
D) civic autonomy. 
A) the oligarchy. 
B) civil society. 
C) public networks. 
D) civic autonomy.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about constitutional courts in the world is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Trials have more influence on constitutional interpretation in countries with a fused appellate and constitutional court than those without a fused system. 
B) In those countries that have it,the right of judicial review is typically implicit (like in the United States). 
C) All liberal democracies endow the constitutional court with the power of judicial review. 
D) Almost all constitutional courts in modern democracies ensure lifetime tenure for their judges. 
A) Trials have more influence on constitutional interpretation in countries with a fused appellate and constitutional court than those without a fused system. 
B) In those countries that have it,the right of judicial review is typically implicit (like in the United States). 
C) All liberal democracies endow the constitutional court with the power of judicial review. 
D) Almost all constitutional courts in modern democracies ensure lifetime tenure for their judges.

Question 7

In which of the following ways does a proportional representation (PR)system differ from a single-member district (SMD)system?

Accepted Answer

A) In a PR system,individual candidates win by plurality vote instead of a majority vote. 
B) Each constituency in a PR system has only one representative. 
C) In a PR system,votes cast for a candidate or party that does not win are essentially wasted. 
D) Voters in a PR system are typically more willing to vote for smaller parties. 
A) In a PR system,individual candidates win by plurality vote instead of a majority vote. 
B) Each constituency in a PR system has only one representative. 
C) In a PR system,votes cast for a candidate or party that does not win are essentially wasted. 
D) Voters in a PR system are typically more willing to vote for smaller parties.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about semi-presidential systems is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Prominent semi-presidential systems typically place most of the power with the prime minister. 
B) The prime minister is typically the initiator of policy. 
C) Constitutional courts are often less powerful as a result of appointment by the president. 
D) Semi-presidential systems have gone out of favor and have decreased in number during the last two decades. 
A) Prominent semi-presidential systems typically place most of the power with the prime minister. 
B) The prime minister is typically the initiator of policy. 
C) Constitutional courts are often less powerful as a result of appointment by the president. 
D) Semi-presidential systems have gone out of favor and have decreased in number during the last two decades.

Question 9

Which of the following is more likely to be a problem in a presidential system than in a parliamentary system?

Accepted Answer

A) weakening of the judiciary over time as a result of conflicts between presidential and legislative authority 
B) policy disagreement between a legislature and the executive that restricts lawmaking for a long period,even if the executive has become unpopular with the electorate 
C) policy disagreement between a legislature and the executive that results from a very small party in the legislature denying a law a majority vote 
D) growth of power in political parties as presidential candidates become more beholden to party loyalists 
A) weakening of the judiciary over time as a result of conflicts between presidential and legislative authority 
B) policy disagreement between a legislature and the executive that restricts lawmaking for a long period,even if the executive has become unpopular with the electorate 
C) policy disagreement between a legislature and the executive that results from a very small party in the legislature denying a law a majority vote 
D) growth of power in political parties as presidential candidates become more beholden to party loyalists

Question 10

What is meant by the term liberal democracy?

Accepted Answer

A) democratic system that values equality above all 
B) democratic system that values personal freedom above all 
C) democratic system that promotes process,liberty,and minority rights 
D) democratic system that promotes participation,competition,and liberty 
A) democratic system that values equality above all 
B) democratic system that values personal freedom above all 
C) democratic system that promotes process,liberty,and minority rights 
D) democratic system that promotes participation,competition,and liberty

Question 11

In a presidential system,the president typically serves as

Accepted Answer

A) head of state. 
B) head of government. 
C) both head of state and head of government. 
D) neither head of state nor head of government. 
A) head of state. 
B) head of government. 
C) both head of state and head of government. 
D) neither head of state nor head of government.

Question 12

Is a presidential system more democratic than a parliamentary system? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

Answers may vary on which syst

Question 13

The executive who symbolizes and represents the people is the

Accepted Answer

A) head of government. 
B) head of state. 
C) chief executive. 
D) chancellor. 
A) head of government. 
B) head of state. 
C) chief executive. 
D) chancellor.

Question 14

In a parliamentary system,the prime minister serves as

Accepted Answer

A) head of state. 
B) head of government. 
C) both head of state and head of government. 
D) neither head of state nor head of government. 
A) head of state. 
B) head of government. 
C) both head of state and head of government. 
D) neither head of state nor head of government.

Question 15

In which of the following ways does a parliamentary system differ from a presidential one?

Accepted Answer

A) Prime ministers are directly elected by the people,while presidents must be elected indirectly through an electoral college. 
B) Election dates are more easily altered in presidential systems than in parliamentary systems. 
C) Prime ministers must command a majority to stay in office;presidents do not. 
D) Presidents are more easily removed from office than prime ministers. 
A) Prime ministers are directly elected by the people,while presidents must be elected indirectly through an electoral college. 
B) Election dates are more easily altered in presidential systems than in parliamentary systems. 
C) Prime ministers must command a majority to stay in office;presidents do not. 
D) Presidents are more easily removed from office than prime ministers.

Question 16

Civil rights typically refers to the promotion of

Accepted Answer

A) equality. 
B) freedom. 
C) civic duties. 
D) republicanism. 
A) equality. 
B) freedom. 
C) civic duties. 
D) republicanism.

Question 17

Describe the benefits that political parties bring to a democracy.How might the structure of political parties differ between proportional representation systems and single-member district systems?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note the primary func

Question 18

What are the most important differences between a single-member district system and a proportional representation system? Which is more democratic? Which is more efficient?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note that single-memb

Question 19

Should democracies rely more on initiatives or referenda to decide policy,or are forms of indirect democracy better? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note that a political

Question 20

Proportional representation systems can be defined as

Accepted Answer

A) electoral systems in which the candidate with the majority of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
B) electoral systems in which the candidate with the plurality of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
C) electoral systems in which the percentage of votes a party receives in a district will determine how many seats that party will win. 
D) two-round systems for electing presidents and prime ministers. 
A) electoral systems in which the candidate with the majority of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
B) electoral systems in which the candidate with the plurality of the vote in a district wins the seat. 
C) electoral systems in which the percentage of votes a party receives in a district will determine how many seats that party will win. 
D) two-round systems for electing presidents and prime ministers.

Exam 6: Democratic Regimes

The ability of constitutional courts to strike down legislation even in the absence of a specific court case is known as review.

Single-member district systems are

Which of the following statements about referenda in the European Union and France is accurate?

Which of the following was an effect of the rapid development of many Asian countries in the 1970s on the study of democracy?

A diverse fabric of organizations created by people,not necessarily political,to help define and advance their own interests is known as

Which of the following statements about constitutional courts in the world is accurate?

In which of the following ways does a proportional representation (PR)system differ from a single-member district (SMD)system?

Which of the following statements about semi-presidential systems is accurate?

Which of the following is more likely to be a problem in a presidential system than in a parliamentary system?

What is meant by the term liberal democracy?

In a presidential system,the president typically serves as

Is a presidential system more democratic than a parliamentary system? Why or why not?

The executive who symbolizes and represents the people is the

In a parliamentary system,the prime minister serves as

In which of the following ways does a parliamentary system differ from a presidential one?

Civil rights typically refers to the promotion of

Describe the benefits that political parties bring to a democracy.How might the structure of political parties differ between proportional representation systems and single-member district systems?

What are the most important differences between a single-member district system and a proportional representation system? Which is more democratic? Which is more efficient?

Should democracies rely more on initiatives or referenda to decide policy,or are forms of indirect democracy better? Why or why not?

Proportional representation systems can be defined as

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