Question 1

Which of the following is a difference between communism and socialism,as described by the text?

Accepted Answer

A)  Under socialism,the government owns some firms,but under communism the government does not own any major assets.
B)  Under communism,the government assumes total management of the economy,whereas under socialism,the government does not try to manage the overall economy.
C)  Under socialism,the economy operates mainly through private transactions,but under communism,the government owns a number of major industries and tries to provide for people's basic economic needs.
D)  Under communism,the government manages the economy completely but does not attempt to provide for people's basic needs; under socialism,the government does not manage the economy completely,but does attempt to provide for people's basic needs.
E)  Under socialism,the government owns more industries than a communist government does,but provides less direct benefit for individuals' welfare. B

Question 2

One example of an authoritarian regime is

Accepted Answer

A)  Great Britain.
B)  France.
C)  the United States.
D)  China.
E)  Canada. D

Question 3

What is the major barrier to political thinking?

Accepted Answer

A)  unwillingness of citizens to make the effort
B)  lack of access to governmental institutions
C)  elite control of political power resources
D)  failure of politicians and government institutions to communicate policy details to the public
E)  lack of access to news media sources outside of sensationalist television or Internet content A

Question 4

________ is the ability of persons,groups,or institutions to influence political developments.

Accepted Answer

A)  Apathy
B)  Politics
C)  Power
D)  Liberty
E)  Political culture

Question 5

Research suggests which of the following is primarily to blame for misinformation spreading easily?

Accepted Answer

A)  lack of exposure to other sources of information
B)  a failure of by the news to cover both sides of a story equally
C)  a growing disinterest in seeking out news items
D)  the growing public gap in access to more advanced forms of media transmission,such as the Internet
E)  the increasing political polarization of elected politicians

Question 6

In which of the following ways is the U.S.free-market system distinct from European economies?

Accepted Answer

A)  its lack of regulatory intervention
B)  its lack of intervention through taxation
C)  its lack of intervention through spending policies
D)  the extent to which private transactions determine the allocation of economic costs and benefits
E)  the extent to which it exercises regulatory intervention by altering interest rates

Question 7

The United States' economy operates primarily as a

Accepted Answer

A)  free-market system.
B)  free-market system with major elements of socialism.
C)  socialist system with some free-market elements.
D)  socialist system.
E)  communist system.

Question 8

To what aspect of America were William Watts and Lloyd Free referring when they labeled it "the country of individualism par excellence"?

Accepted Answer

A)  the majoritarian nature of the voting and election system
B)  the ability of any individual to aspire to high political office
C)  the judicial nature of American politics,in which any individual can challenge powerful interests
D)  the emphasis that Americans place on economic self-reliance and free markets
E)  the ability of the individual to join in labor unions and interest groups to pursue his or her political and financial self-interests

Question 9

A government's authority

Accepted Answer

A)  is evidenced when government officials use their right to exercise power.
B)  is by definition not coercive.
C)  does not include the power to arrest and imprison.
D)  ensures that lawlessness prevails most of the time.
E)  is based on pluralism.

Question 10

The Greek words demos and kratis together mean

Accepted Answer

A)  majority rule is sacred.
B)  the people rule.
C)  government is good.
D)  politics is immoral.
E)  the king is good.

Question 11

Describe the differences between how Americans define themselves and how other,older nations define what it means to be a part of their nations' cultural identity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the differences between how Americans define...

Question 12

How could one argue that America is not run by a small power elite?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How could one argue that America is...

Question 13

The process by which a society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costs is called

Accepted Answer

A)  politics.
B)  government.
C)  elitism.
D)  socialism.
E)  communism.

Question 14

In a survey of college students,the Intercollegiate Studies Association found that the best predictor of a student's later participation in the nation's civic and political life is

Accepted Answer

A)  a college degree.
B)  a solid understanding of public affairs.
C)  participation in student government.
D)  participation in Greek life.
E)  attending a school with a residential campus versus a "commuter" campus.

Question 15

As described in the text,"political thinking"

Accepted Answer

A)  is the reflection of an individual's ideological position when applied to political issues.
B)  results from an individual allowing personal bias to inform all thoughts about political issues,instead of doing objective learning or research to form an opinion.
C)  involves the careful gathering and sifting of information in the process of forming a knowledgeable view about a political issue.
D)  is the result of an individual's attempts to seek out news media that reinforce a pre-existing political bias.
E)  is a strategy taken by those seeking election to public office in which their publicly stated positions are designed to maximize their attractiveness to the widest voting bloc.

Question 16

French philosopher Michel Foucault referred to politics as "________."

Accepted Answer

A)  like making sausage
B)  the burden of citizens
C)  a means to an end
D)  war by other means
E)  a necessary evil

Question 17

Europeans have a greater acceptance than Americans of

Accepted Answer

A)  tax and social policies that redistribute wealth.
B)  the strength of the executive branch of government.
C)  the majoritarian system of government.
D)  the influence of corporate special interests in the legislative process.
E)  the influence of corporate money in the election process.

Question 18

Based on his conception of responsible citizenship,John Stuart Mill felt that the best form of government was

Accepted Answer

A)  authoritarianism.
B)  anarchism.
C)  communism.
D)  democracy.
E)  socialism.

Question 19

Which of the following describes socialism as practiced today in Sweden?

Accepted Answer

A)  The government does not attempt to manage the overall economy,but owns a number of major industries and provides for people's basic economic needs.
B)  The government manages the overall economy through ownership of most major industries,and does not allow private property.
C)  The economy operates almost exclusively on private transactions.
D)  The government does little to manage the economy and owns no major industries,serving mainly to provide for people's basic economic needs.
E)  Firms are largely free to make their own production,distribution,and pricing decisions,and individuals depend largely on themselves for economic security.

Question 20

In a constitutional system,

Accepted Answer

A)  there are no restrictions on the lawful uses of power,as long as this power is obtained by majority rule.
B)  there are lawful restrictions on a government's power.
C)  the economy is based on the free enterprise system.
D)  officials govern according to the traditions established by their predecessors.
E)  all citizens have absolute free speech rights.

Exam 1: Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible Citizen