Question 1

Which of the following statements about the 2014 European Parliament (EP)elections in the United Kingdom is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) The EP's SMD electoral system produced only two UK parties with seats in the European Parliament. 
B) Only the United Kingdom's top two parties competed for seats. 
C) It was the first time in over a century that a party other than Labour or Conservative came in first in a national election. 
D) The United Kingdom Independence Party won one seat in the elections. 
A) The EP's SMD electoral system produced only two UK parties with seats in the European Parliament. 
B) Only the United Kingdom's top two parties competed for seats. 
C) It was the first time in over a century that a party other than Labour or Conservative came in first in a national election. 
D) The United Kingdom Independence Party won one seat in the elections.

Question 2

A national vote initiated by the government on a particular policy issue is commonly known as a

Accepted Answer

A) plebiscite. 
B) referendum. 
C) ballot initiative. 
D) mass ballot. 
A) plebiscite. 
B) referendum. 
C) ballot initiative. 
D) mass ballot.

Question 3

The electoral system that tends to produce a large number of political parties is

Accepted Answer

A) the single-member district system. 
B) the single transferable vote. 
C) the mixed electoral system. 
D) proportional representation. 
A) the single-member district system. 
B) the single transferable vote. 
C) the mixed electoral system. 
D) proportional representation.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about bicameralism is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Bicameralism is typically linked to unitary states,though not exclusively so. 
B) Members of lower houses typically serve longer terms than members of upper houses in bicameral systems. 
C) Bicameral systems were often retained in modern times to restrict the power of popularly elected lower houses of the legislature. 
D) Lower houses are generally weaker than upper houses in bicameral systems. 
A) Bicameralism is typically linked to unitary states,though not exclusively so. 
B) Members of lower houses typically serve longer terms than members of upper houses in bicameral systems. 
C) Bicameral systems were often retained in modern times to restrict the power of popularly elected lower houses of the legislature. 
D) Lower houses are generally weaker than upper houses in bicameral systems.

Question 5

The executive in charge of dealing with running the state and formulating policy 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 6

Which of the following statements about referenda and initiatives is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) National referenda in the United States and Canada are largely used for taxation and economic policy matters. 
B) Constitutional reform is not subject to reform by referenda because of the ease with which most referenda are passed. 
C) Formal power to call national referenda lies with the head of state in many European countries. 
D) Referenda in the United States are more often used at the national level than at the local or state level. 
A) National referenda in the United States and Canada are largely used for taxation and economic policy matters. 
B) Constitutional reform is not subject to reform by referenda because of the ease with which most referenda are passed. 
C) Formal power to call national referenda lies with the head of state in many European countries. 
D) Referenda in the United States are more often used at the national level than at the local or state level.

Question 7

Which of the following statements about Brazil's presidential system is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Rarely have presidents had legislative majorities in Brazil,complicating the policy-making process. 
B) Brazil's presidential democracy is unique among Latin American countries. 
C) Presidential systems,such as that in Brazil,lead to more cohesive party systems. 
D) When determining Brazil's executive design,intellectuals favored a presidential system while voters preferred a parliamentary system. 
A) Rarely have presidents had legislative majorities in Brazil,complicating the policy-making process. 
B) Brazil's presidential democracy is unique among Latin American countries. 
C) Presidential systems,such as that in Brazil,lead to more cohesive party systems. 
D) When determining Brazil's executive design,intellectuals favored a presidential system while voters preferred a parliamentary system.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about the relationship between democratization,modernization theory,and political elites is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) A core assertion of modernization theory is that a country with political elites will allow democratic institutions to flourish if the country develops enough natural resources to become wealthy. 
B) According to modernization theory,economic development is important to democratization,but a focus on elites shows that the type of wealth or resources has a big impact on the success of democratization. 
C) Concentration of economic assets in the hands of a few elites in power ultimately advances democracy because those elites feel secure in their positions and thus allow democratization to flourish. 
D) Decline of natural resources or economic stagnation typically forces an entrenchment of elites and a reduction of the chances for democratization. 
A) A core assertion of modernization theory is that a country with political elites will allow democratic institutions to flourish if the country develops enough natural resources to become wealthy. 
B) According to modernization theory,economic development is important to democratization,but a focus on elites shows that the type of wealth or resources has a big impact on the success of democratization. 
C) Concentration of economic assets in the hands of a few elites in power ultimately advances democracy because those elites feel secure in their positions and thus allow democratization to flourish. 
D) Decline of natural resources or economic stagnation typically forces an entrenchment of elites and a reduction of the chances for democratization.

Question 9

The idea of legal institutions to which everyone is subject is known as

Accepted Answer

A) the reign of democracy. 
B) the rule of law. 
C) majority rule. 
D) the consent of the governed. 
A) the reign of democracy. 
B) the rule of law. 
C) majority rule. 
D) the consent of the governed.

Question 10

Bicameral systems can be traced back to different representation for

Accepted Answer

A) urban and rural groups. 
B) religious groups. 
C) regional differences. 
D) economic classes. 
A) urban and rural groups. 
B) religious groups. 
C) regional differences. 
D) economic classes.

Question 11

Prime ministers can be removed through which mechanism?

Accepted Answer

A) impeachment 
B) vote of no confidence 
C) plebiscite 
D) recall vote 
A) impeachment 
B) vote of no confidence 
C) plebiscite 
D) recall vote

Question 12

The origins of British democracy can be traced back to the

Accepted Answer

A) Magna Carta,1215. 
B) Bill of Rights,1689. 
C) Patronage Act,1752. 
D) Reform Act,1911. 
A) Magna Carta,1215. 
B) Bill of Rights,1689. 
C) Patronage Act,1752. 
D) Reform Act,1911.

Question 13

What is meant by the term republicanism?

Accepted Answer

A) system that emphasizes separation of powers and representation of the public through elected officials 
B) system rooted in the ideology of liberalism,with its emphasis on individual rights and freedoms 
C) system that emphasizes conservative political values 
D) system that values equality among individuals above individual rights 
A) system that emphasizes separation of powers and representation of the public through elected officials 
B) system rooted in the ideology of liberalism,with its emphasis on individual rights and freedoms 
C) system that emphasizes conservative political values 
D) system that values equality among individuals above individual rights

Question 14

Which of the following statements about legislative structures is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Upper houses of bicameral systems always fulfill a strictly ceremonial role. 
B) The majority of liberal democracies have bicameral systems. 
C) Larger countries are more likely to have unicameral systems. 
D) Smaller countries are more likely to have bicameral systems. 
A) Upper houses of bicameral systems always fulfill a strictly ceremonial role. 
B) The majority of liberal democracies have bicameral systems. 
C) Larger countries are more likely to have unicameral systems. 
D) Smaller countries are more likely to have bicameral systems.

Question 15

Which of the following accurately describes a component of a mixed electoral system?

Accepted Answer

A) Voters are allowed two votes,one for a candidate and one for a party. 
B) Voters are allowed two votes,one for a prime minister and the other for a legislative representative. 
C) Voters participate in a combination of proportional representation and multimember districts. 
D) Voters are allowed two votes,but split ticket voting is not allowed. 
A) Voters are allowed two votes,one for a candidate and one for a party. 
B) Voters are allowed two votes,one for a prime minister and the other for a legislative representative. 
C) Voters participate in a combination of proportional representation and multimember districts. 
D) Voters are allowed two votes,but split ticket voting is not allowed.

Question 16

A political scientist notes that in a particular voting district,an elected representative has formed an especially close bond with her constituents,and that during her past term she even voted against the will of her party in order to better represent the people in her district.This political scientist would most likely use this observed relationship to argue that:

Accepted Answer

A) single-member district systems are more representative than proportional representation systems. 
B) mixed electoral systems are more representative than single-member district systems. 
C) parliamentary systems are more representative than presidential. 
D) more referenda and initiatives are needed to allow for greater participation by voters in the policy-making process. 
A) single-member district systems are more representative than proportional representation systems. 
B) mixed electoral systems are more representative than single-member district systems. 
C) parliamentary systems are more representative than presidential. 
D) more referenda and initiatives are needed to allow for greater participation by voters in the policy-making process.

Question 17

Describe the role of economic modernization and political elites in theorizing about the emergence of democracy.Why are overall levels of wealth not enough to predict whether a country will opt for democratic reforms?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note that modernizati

Question 18

Which of the following statements best describes the correlative relationship between the type of executive in a country and the type of electoral system used to elect the legislature?

Accepted Answer

A) Countries that use a single-member district system have presidential executives,while those with prime ministers rely on proportional representation. 
B) Countries that use a single-member district system have prime ministers,while presidential systems rely on proportional representation. 
C) There is no correlation between type of executive and the kind of electoral system used to elect the legislature. 
D) Semi-presidential systems use proportional representation to elect both the president and the legislature. 
A) Countries that use a single-member district system have presidential executives,while those with prime ministers rely on proportional representation. 
B) Countries that use a single-member district system have prime ministers,while presidential systems rely on proportional representation. 
C) There is no correlation between type of executive and the kind of electoral system used to elect the legislature. 
D) Semi-presidential systems use proportional representation to elect both the president and the legislature.

Exam 6: Democratic Regimes

Which of the following statements about the 2014 European Parliament (EP)elections in the United Kingdom is accurate?

A national vote initiated by the government on a particular policy issue is commonly known as a

The electoral system that tends to produce a large number of political parties is

Which of the following statements about bicameralism is accurate?

The executive in charge of dealing with running the state and formulating policy is the

Which of the following statements about referenda and initiatives is accurate?

Which of the following statements about Brazil's presidential system is accurate?

Which of the following statements about the relationship between democratization,modernization theory,and political elites is accurate?

The idea of legal institutions to which everyone is subject is known as

Bicameral systems can be traced back to different representation for

Prime ministers can be removed through which mechanism?

The origins of British democracy can be traced back to the

What is meant by the term republicanism?

Which of the following statements about legislative structures is accurate?

Which of the following accurately describes a component of a mixed electoral system?

Describe the role of economic modernization and political elites in theorizing about the emergence of democracy.Why are overall levels of wealth not enough to predict whether a country will opt for democratic reforms?

Which of the following statements best describes the correlative relationship between the type of executive in a country and the type of electoral system used to elect the legislature?

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