Political Science Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is a key characteristic of a military coup d'état?

Legal and non-violent transfer of power

Democratic election of a new government

Peaceful protest against the government

Illegal and violent seizure of power (correct)

What is a key difference between a committee-based legislature and a debating legislature?

Committee-based legislatures are more common in authoritarian regimes

Committee-based legislatures place greater emphasis on plenary meetings (correct)

Committee-based legislatures are smaller in size

Committee-based legislatures are more representative of the people

What is selection bias in the context of comparing cases?

A type of survey research

A type of statistical analysis

Cases selected for comparison being unrepresentative of the wider population (correct)

A method to ensure representative samples

What is the purpose of a vote of confidence?

To form a government Signup and view all the answers

What is the independent variable in Duverger's Law?

The structure of the party system Signup and view all the answers

In what type of system is split-ticket voting most common?

Semi-presidential systems Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of gladiators in the context of political participation?

They are from high-status social groups Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of competitive authoritarian regimes?

Substantive electoral competition with incumbent advantages Signup and view all the answers

What is a common consequence of presidential regimes according to Juan Linz's argument?

Democratic breakdown and deadlock Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a filibuster in the US legislatures?

To prolong debate and delay voting Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a party introducing primaries for its candidates?

The selectorate is broadened Signup and view all the answers

What is split-ticket voting?

Voting for a different party or politician in executive and legislative elections Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of a semi-presidential system according to Duverger?

The president has opposite him a prime minister dependent on the confidence of parliament Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of hybrid regimes?

They have a mix of democratic and authoritarian elements Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of the rise of TV as a channel of political communication?

It has made personalities of leaders the key factor impacting voter choice Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of a single-party system?

No other parties than the ruling one are allowed to exist Signup and view all the answers

According to O'Donnell and Schmitter's theory of regime change, what commonality do most transitions exhibit?

A gradual liberalization of the authoritarian regime Signup and view all the answers

What is the means by which parliaments can hold governments accountable?

No-confidence vote Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of comparison in political science?

To identify causal relationships between variables Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT part of a cleavage?

Government policy Signup and view all the answers

What type of reasoning involves asking 'what if' questions about historical events?

Counterfactual reasoning Signup and view all the answers

What party type best describes parties that originated from social movements and rely on professional party organization and state subsidies?

Cartel party Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe a system in which citizens largely accept the authority of the state and believe in civic participation?

Civic culture Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of second-order elections?

They have lower voter turnout than first-order elections Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe a system of government in which power is divided between different levels of government and is constitutionally entrenched?

Federalism Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the idea that elites force people to participate in political rallies to show support for the regime?

Mobilization Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe a system in which a president is directly elected but has mainly ceremonial powers?

Ceremonial system Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon of the simultaneous holding of two or more executive offices by different individuals?

Cohabitation Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the density of trade union membership in a given population?

Trade union density Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the concept of a system in which collective decisions are made through a series of interactions?

Governance Signup and view all the answers

What is the most accurate way of describing a system where talent, achievement, and qualifications determine advancement?

Meritocracy Signup and view all the answers

In a country where judges formulate rulings based on precedents from prior judicial cases, what concept describes this situation?

Common Law Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between power and influence?

Power is the ability to force one's will, while influence is the ability to persuade Signup and view all the answers

What type of coalition has been formed when a center-right party with 50 seats and a center-left party with 42 seats form a government together?

Grand Coalition Signup and view all the answers

What term best describes the idea that the outcome of a political or social process depends on earlier decisions that lead down a particular path?

Path Dependence Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of single-case study according to Lijphart?

Historical Case Study Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best approximates the meaning of the term 'iron triangle'?

A network of interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees that work together to shape policy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following measures can be seen as part of the New Public Management?

Privatization of public services Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Political Science Concepts

Military coups d'état refer to the illegal, violent seizure of power by the military.
A committee-based legislature places greater emphasis on plenary meetings than a debating legislature.
Selection bias means that cases selected for comparison are unrepresentative of the wider population.

Political Systems

In semi-presidential systems, split-ticket voting is most common, leading to cohabitation.
Presidential systems are more likely to result in democratic breakdown due to a zero-sum mentality, which often produces deadlock.
In a single-party system, no other parties are allowed to exist.

Political Participation

High-status social groups are more likely to be 'gladiators' in terms of political participation than low-status social groups.
Consumer politics refers to the increasing passivity of voters and their susceptibility to political marketing.

Interest Groups

Cartel parties prevent giving public party funding to their competitors.
Corporatism as a system of interest group representation privileges peak interest groups and organizations.
Protective interest groups promote selective benefits; promotional interest groups deliver collective benefits.

Political Regimes

A competitive authoritarian regime has substantive electoral competition, yet incumbents enjoy unfair advantages due to their control over state resources.
The notion of political regimes describes the rules and procedures structuring electoral participation in defective democracies.
Hybrid regimes mix democratic and authoritarian elements, referred to as grey zone regimes.

Government and Leadership

A vote of confidence is the vote a legislature takes to form a government.
In modern democracies, parties have increasingly colluded to reduce competition.
A filibuster is a parliamentary committee procedure to delay legislation or a debating technique in the US legislatures.

Political Communication

The rise of TV as a channel of political communication has made personalities of leaders the key factor impacting voter choice.

Federations and Bureaucracy

Federations can be slow in their decision-making, particularly during social crises.
Providing patronage is one of the means by which an authoritarian regime can sustain itself.

Democracy and Elections

Multi-party systems often lead to coalition government.
Issue voting has increased in contemporary European democracies.

Research and Methodology

A single-case study can be characterized as a typical case of Communist regimes concluding that all Communist regimes become developmental authoritarian regimes with a market economy eventually.

Political Concepts

The term 'iron triangle' describes the idea that the outcome of a political or social process depends on earlier decisions that lead down a particular path.
Non-departmental agencies and commissions in modern bureaucratic systems are an example of bureaucratic authoritarianism.
Trade union density is a term associated with the proportion of workers who are members of a trade union.
The Westphalian System refers to a system of sovereign states that recognize each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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Description

This quiz covers various topics in political science, including legislation, government, and political systems.