Comparative Politics: US and Global Perspectives Practice Questions
Course Introduction
This course offers an in-depth exploration of comparative politics through the lens of both United States governance and global political systems. Students will examine key concepts such as political institutions, elections, party systems, and policy-making processes while contrasting the US political framework with those of democracies and authoritarian regimes around the world. Through case studies, critical analysis, and interactive discussions, the course emphasizes understanding the similarities and differences in political behavior, structures, and outcomes across diverse countries. By the end, students will gain a comprehensive perspective on how varying political contexts shape governance and influence current global challenges.
Recommended Textbook
The Challenge of Democracy American Government in Global Politics 13th Edition by Kenneth Janda
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18 Chapters
1303 Verified Questions
1303 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Freedom, Order, or Equality
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Sample Questions
Q1) Documents leaked by Edward Snowden showed that the National Security Agency had
A)engaged in excessive surveillance of foreign nationals' phone calls.
B)given American citizens' phone call records to foreign governments.
C)failed to adequately keep track of phone conversations in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
D)unsuccessfully attempted to protect the privacy of Americans.
E)collected data on domestic phone conversations of ordinary Americans.
Answer: E
Q2) Using the state to redistribute income is a policy based on
A)western religious tradition.
B)fundamental democratic ideals.
C)the philosophy of Karl Marx.
D)recent majoritarian political thought.
E)the writings of Thomas Jefferson.
Answer: C
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Chapter 2: Majoritarian or Pluralist Democracy
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Q1) A sign that pluralist democracy might not be working well in the United States is the A)fact that the best represented sectors in Washington are business and professional groups.
B)declining number of interest groups in Washington.
C)decentralization of the American government.
D)increased representation for low income Americans.
E)generally low levels of political knowledge among Americans.
Answer: A
Q2) In America,when the wealthy and the rest of the population have differing policy goals
A)the preference of the majority will most likely prevail.
B)the preference of "progressive" interest groups normally prevails.
C)there is no way to predict which side will win.
D)the preference of the wealthy will most often prevail.
E)Social scientists have not studied this question, so it is impossible to say which side will likely prevail.
Answer: D
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4
Chapter 3: The Constitution
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to Madison in Federalist No.10,the most common and durable source of factions has been
A)religious disputes.
B)monarchy.
C)slavery.
D)democracy.
E)unequal distribution of property.
Answer: E
Q2) The chief objective of the First Continental Congress was to
A)establish trade relations with foreign powers like France and Germany.
B)select a commander for the Continental Army.
C)draft the U.S. Constitution.
D)restore peaceful relations between the colonies and Great Britain.
E)decide how to deal with the issue of slavery.
Answer: D
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Chapter 4: Federalism
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Sample Questions
Q1) Compare the attitudes of conservatives and liberals to states' rights.
Q2) While always a part of the federal arsenal,federal grants-in-aid grew at an astonishing pace
A)during the 1860s.
B)during the 1870s. C)during the 1890s.
D)during the 1930s.
E)during the 1960s.
Q3) Suppose Congress funds elementary education by giving states a grant.The states may then designate the specific educational programs to receive the funds.This is an example of a _________ grant.
A)block
B)formula
C)carry
D)categorical
E)user
Q4) Explain what preemption means,and identify recent trends in its use and the issues that have been addressed.
Q5) Identify the key elements of cooperative federalism.
Q6) Explain the concept of dual federalism and its essential premises.
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Public Opinion and Political Socialization
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Sample Questions
Q1) Since surveying the American public about ideology began,the ideological distribution of the public has become
A)somewhat more moderate.
B)skewed toward liberalism.
C)skewed toward conservatism.
D)more bimodal.
E)more normal.
Q2) In a 2014 Gallup poll,_____ percent of Americans supported affording gay marriage the same legal status as traditional marriage.
A)5
B)14
C)32
D)54
E)67
Q3) A distribution of opinions that shows little change over time is a
A)normal
B)consistent
C)modal
D)stable
E)skewed
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Chapter 6: The Media
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Sample Questions
Q1) During a presidential election,the tendency of journalists to limit coverage of campaigns to coverage of which candidate is leading or behind in the polls at the time,rather than chiefly covering the issues,is known as
A)pack journalism.
B)pool coverage.
C)horse race journalism.
D)gatekeeping.
E)media sophistication.
Q2) Reaction to a film posted on YouTube made by an Egyptian-American that mocked the Muslim prophet Muhammad is an example of the influence of new media platforms; that they
A)impact the types of stories that get picked up by the "mainstream media."
B)impact one-third of Americans who say they read political blogs.
C)have resulted in a renewed focus on investigative journalism of party platforms.
D)bring Americans with different ideologies into greater contact with each other.
E)impact one-third of Americans who say they read political blogs and bring Americans with different ideologies into greater contact with each other.
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Chapter 7: Participation and Voting
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 2012 and 2013,voters approved a number of ballot propositions,including ones in Colorado and Washington that
A)legalized marijuana.
B)banned same-sex marriage.
C)restricted sales of large soft drinks and other unhealthy products.
D)prohibited wearing clothing, including religiously-mandated items, that would obscure the wearer's face in drivers license photographs.
E)All of these choices were referenda approved in Colorado and Washington in 2012 and 2013.
Q2) Compared with other nations in the world in granting suffrage to women,the United States
A)was among the first.
B)ranked about in the middle.
C)lagged far behind.
D)was unique in extending that right without being pressured to do so.
E)was more selective in which women were extended the right.
Q3) Discuss the two major categories of political behaviors that the text indicates comprise conventional political participation.
Q4) How does political participation relate to freedom,equality,and order?
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Chapter 8: Political Parties
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Sample Questions
Q1) George Washington,generally considered sympathetic to the Federalist Party,felt that political factions
A)had negative effects on democracy.
B)should increase and multiply.
C)should be outlawed by government action.
D)were vital to a strong democracy.
E)were necessary consequences of separation of powers.
Q2) The last candidate for president elected without party competition was
A)George Washington.
B)James Monroe.
C)Martin Van Buren.
D)William Henry Harrison.
E)Abraham Lincoln.
Q3) All of the following were considered part of the "Roosevelt coalition" except A)middle-class liberals.
B)new European ethnic voters.
C)Catholics.
D)Jews.
E)African Americans.
Q4) Discuss the functions served by political parties in today's political system.
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Nominations, Elections, and Campaigns
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Q1) Which of the following is not included in the responsibilities of the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
A)Guaranteeing rough equality in fundraising between Republicans and Democrats.
B)Administering public financing of presidential campaigns.
C)Requiring full disclosure of campaign spending.
D)Enforcing limits on contributions to federal campaigns.
E)All of these choices are part of the FECs responsibilities.
Q2) The number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency
A)is 135.
B)is 270.
C)is 535.
D)varies based on whether it is an even- or odd-numbered year.
E)goes up every election.
Q3) Campaign finance laws are challenged as a violation of the _________ Amendment.
A)First
B)Fourth
C)Fifth
D)Fourteenth
E)Twenty-second
Q4) Summarize the story of the Florida recount in the 2000 election.
Page 11
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Chapter 10: Interest Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) With no one taking the lead in an interest group's traditional agenda building role,in the wake of the Newtown massacre the only legislation that passed was
A)prohibiting those younger than 18 from possessing firearms without a gun-handling skills test
B)closing the loophole in current law whereby people buying firearms at gun shows and in the internet are not subject to a background check
C)clarifying the definitions of medical and mental health conditions that disqualify a person from handgun ownership
D)expanding the list of laws for which convictions may disqualify a person from handgun ownership
E)No legislation was passed in response to the Newtown massacre.
Q2) Most lobbyists believe that public testimony before congressional committees
A)is the most effective way of influencing legislation.
B)should be televised so that all citizens have access to this information.
C)should be discontinued.
D)is less important than are private one-on-one meetings.
E)should be a matter of public record.
Q3) Identify five ways that interest groups benefit our political system.
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Page 12
Chapter 11: Congress
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Sample Questions
Q1) A letter requesting that a bill be held from Senate floor debate is also known as a(n)
A)cloture request.
B)gerrymander.
C)hold.
D)Senatorial veto.
E)sequestration.
Q2) A whip is a member of the legislature who _____________.
A)acts as leader of the party when the majority leader is unavailable
B)rounds up votes for legislation
C)controls the kinds of amendments offered on the floor of the House
D)is each party's primary liaison with the opposing party
E)determines which committees legislation will be referred to
Q3) Discuss the president's veto power over legislation passed by Congress.
Q4) In the 2013-2014 session,there were __________ women in the U.S.Senate.
A)two
B)eight
C)fourteen
D)twenty
E)twenty-nine
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Chapter 12: The Presidency
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements concerning executive orders is incorrect?
A)They are rarely issued by presidents.
B)They carry the force of law.
C)They can create or modify laws without the direct approval of Congress.
D)The Constitution does not explicitly grant the president the power to issue such orders.
E)They are issued for a wide variety of purposes.
Q2) In the modern presidency,the Cabinet
A)has assumed greater importance over the last twenty years.
B)is a minor contributor to presidential decisions.
C)fails to provide significant decision-making input or support for the president.
D)makes major domestic policy decisions but does not make foreign or defense policy decisions.
E)is the central advisory and decision-making group on which the president depends.
Q3) What are Inherent Powers? Give some examples of how have they been implemented by presidents in the years since the terrorist attacks of September 11,2001.
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14
Chapter 13: The Bureaucracy
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Sample Questions
Q1) One significant difficulty with the initial No Child Left Behind law was that
A)the initial grants offered to states were too low to motivate compliance.
B)the federal government lacked bureaucratic manpower to analyze the data it demanded the states collect for it.
C)the questionable constitutionality of the act slowed state agencies' desire to follow it.
D)states were allowed to set their own standards for what constituted acceptable student performance.
E)too many tasks necessary for implementing the law were outsourced to private for-profit education companies.
Q2) Discuss the impact of deregulation in the telephone and food and drug industries.
Q3) The thorough and lengthy process the FDA uses to evaluate drugs was validated by the controversy involving
A)Plan B.
B)steroids.
C)thalidomide.
D)provastin.
E)hypoglyceritol.
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Chapter 14: The Courts
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Sample Questions
Q1) When judges adjudicate cases and present explanations justifying their rulings,they publish them in the form of A)writs.
B)precedents.
C)opinions.
D)briefs.
E)treatises.
Q2) At stake in the Marbury v.Madison decision was whether William Marbury
A)was entitled to financial relief for damage to his reputation.
B)was eligible for election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
C)had been unjustly tried twice for the same offense.
D)had committed treason against the United States.
E)had a legal right to be hired as a justice of the peace in the District of Columbia.
Q3) The appellate jurisdiction of the U.S.Supreme Court can be changed by A)Congress.
B)no one.
C)the president.
D)the Justice Department.
E)the Supreme Court itself.
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Page 16
Chapter 15: Order and Civil Liberties
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Sample
Questions
Q1) A reporter obtained information from a confidential source pertaining to an ongoing criminal grand jury investigation.The free press standard that the reporter must adhere to in this situation requires that the reporter
A)go to jail for contempt rather than reveal the information.
B)divulge the information from the source but not give the name of the source.
C)give whatever testimony the reporter is capable of giving.
D)divulge information only if the name of the confidential source is revealed first.
E)decline to appear before the grand jury.
Q2) A U.S.Court of Appeals held in 2013 that when Daniel Ray Carter,Jr.,an employee of the Sheriff's office in Hampton,Virginia ____________,it was constitutionally protected symbolic speech.
A)"liked" a Facebook page
B)placed a campaign sign in his yard
C)wore an arm band protesting police brutality
D)attended a pro-immigration rally
E)participated in a march supporting separation of church and state
Q3) Discuss the dispute and outcome of two Supreme Court decisions governing constitutional guarantees for criminal defendants.
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Page 17
Chapter 16: Equality and Civil Rights
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Q1) In Sweatt v.Painter,the Supreme Court
A)specifically reaffirmed the separate-but-equal doctrine.
B)ruled that the University of Texas Law School must at a minimum hire black teachers to provide a legal education for black students.
C)decided that the University of Texas was justified in not creating a blacks-only law school.
D)determined that steps the University of Texas Law School had taken on behalf of Sweatt were satisfactory.
E)failed to revisit the Plessy-era separate-but-equal doctrine.
Q2) President Lyndon Johnson considered civil rights legislation
A)his top priority.
B)something he must work on in remembrance of John Kennedy, who introduced civil rights legislation before being assassinated.
C)unrealistic.
D)unimportant compared to his other legislative initiatives.
E)something that the legislature should work on, and not the president.
Q3) Discuss how the Supreme Court in the post-Civil War era undermined the significance of the Civil War amendments to the Constitution.
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Chapter 17: Economic Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain the difference between laissez-faire economics and Keynesian economics.
Q2) The __________ Amendment empowered the national government to collect taxes on income.
A)Sixteenth
B)Nineteenth
C)Twenty-first
D)Twenty-sixth
E)Twenty-eighth
Q3) The value of the goods and services actually produced is called the nation's
A)productive capacity.
B)economic outlook.
C)GSB.
D)composite wealth.
E)gross domestic product.
Q4) Discuss some of the reasons that America's system of taxation does not do more to promote economic equality.
Q5) Describe the process through which the U.S.budget is developed and passed.
Q6) Explain the difference between fiscal policy and monetary policy,and provide some examples of each.
Q7) Explain the basic premises of supply-side economics.
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Chapter 18: Policymaking and Domestic Policy
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Q1) Explain how the Social Security tax works,and how Social Security's pay-as-you-go system poses problems for its future solvency.
Q2) The Johnson administration's promise to end poverty in a decade did not come to pass,and critics who claimed President Johnson's War on Poverty failed based their assessments on the fact that
A)the states had too much control over the Great Society programs.
B)taxes were increased on the poor to pay for the Great Society programs.
C)poverty became more concentrated in rural and inner city areas.
D)poverty rates increased nationwide.
E)None of these choices is true.
Q3) A citizen who donates money to a favored charity is taking advantage of a A)distributive policy.
B)regulation.
C)tax deduction.
D)redistributional policy.
E)tax expenditure.
Q4) Who,other than the poor,are recipients of public assistance,and what types of assistance do they receive?
Q5) Identify and define the four stages in the policymaking process.
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