Introduction to Comparative Politics Exam Review
Course Introduction
Introduction to Comparative Politics surveys the fundamental concepts and approaches used to analyze political systems around the world. The course examines how different countries organize their governments, the variety of political institutions they adopt, and the dynamics of regime change, political participation, and policy-making. By comparing democratic and authoritarian systems, students explore the impact of culture, history, economic development, and social movements on national politics. Through case studies from various regions, the course equips students with analytical tools to critically evaluate political outcomes and understand contemporary global challenges.
Recommended Textbook
Essentials of Comparative Politics Fifth Edition by
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11 Chapters
385 Verified Questions
385 Flashcards
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Patrick H. ONeil
Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction
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Sample Questions
Q1) In which of the following ways were behaviorialism and modernization theory similar?
A)They both constituted a set of hypotheses about how countries develop.
B)They both rejected the study of politics as a means to generate specific policy outcomes.
C)They both constituted new, more scientific attempts to study politics.
D)They both constituted a set of methods about how to approach politics.
E)They both attempted to broaden comparative politics outside of the European model.
Answer: C
Q2) Which of the following forms of research or data would more likely be used by a quantitative research study than by a qualitative research study?
A)economic data
B)interview data
C)observational research
D)archival data
E)documentary research
Answer: A
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3
Chapter 2: States
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following was a key characteristic of the first modern states that emerged from the European Dark Ages?
A)reduced urbanization
B)expansion of the serfdom/farming model
C)greater concentration of wealth in the hands of lords
D)less authoritarian power in the hands of a centralized government
E)increased domestic stability
Answer: E
Q2) Which of the following characteristics is more likely to be seen in a unitary state than in a federalist state?
A)asymmetric division of power between regional bodies
B)exacerbated ethnic conflict
C)limited local policymaking
D)devolution of taxation to regional bodies
E)weakened state efficiency
Answer: C
Q3) How is power typically divided in a federal system? What conditions in a country are most likely to lead to a system of asymmetric federalism?
Answer: Answer :Answers will vary.
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Page 4
Chapter 3: Nations and Society
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Q1) What are the most important political aspirations related to national identity? What major factors can contribute to the formation of a national identity?
Answer: Answer :Answers will vary.
Q2) In Ronald Inglehart's conception of political culture, what form of society stands in opposition to a traditional society?
A)religious or fundamental
B)nationalistic
C)secular-rational
D)nation-state
E)modernistic
Answer: C
Q3) National identity is:
A)often derived from ethnic identity.
B)never derived from ethnic identity.
C)always derived from religious identity.
D)never derived from religious identity.
E)becoming a less influential institution in politics.
Answer: A
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Chapter 4: Political Economy
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Q1) In what key ways does social democracy differ from liberalism? In what ways is it similar? How would supporters of neocorporatism defend that model as a key element of social democracy?
Q2) Which political-economic system views the economy as an instrument to serve state power and national sovereignty?
A)social democracy
B)communism
C)mercantilism
D)liberalism
E)anarchism
Q3) Over the past two decades, most countries around the world have:
A)increased economic liberalization.
B)decreased economic liberalization.
C)increased their social democratic institutions.
D)become more mercantilist.
E)reduced their internal income inequality.
Q4) What are the relative benefits and drawbacks of the major measurements-purchasing power parity, the Gini index, and the Human Development Index-in measuring relative wealth and inequality across countries?
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Chapter 5: Democratic Regimes
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Q1) Should democracies rely more on initiatives or referenda to decide policy, or are forms of indirect democracy better? Why or why not?
Q2) Which of the following is more likely to be a problem in a presidential system than in a parliamentary system?
A)a policy disagreement between the legislative and the executive that results from a very small party in the legislature holding up a law by denying it a majority vote
B)a policy disagreement between the legislative and executive that restricts lawmaking for a long period, even if the executive has become unpopular with the electorate
C)the weakening of the judiciary over time as a result of conflicts between presidential and legislative authority
D)the growth of power in political parties as presidential candidates become more beholden to party loyalists
E)unstable policymaking due to the indeterminate amount of time the president is in office
Q3) Why does civil society matter, and do you think it is in any way connected to the idea of the rule of law? How? Why?
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Chapter 6: Nondemocratic Regimes
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Sample Questions
Q1) A system wherein authoritarian regimes sanction a limited number of organizations to represent the public (and restrict unsanctioned ones) is known as:
A)neocorporatism.
B)corporatism.
C)clientelism.
D)rent-seeking.
E)kickbacks.
Q2) Can authoritarian rule be legitimate? Why or why not? Should all people live under democracy? What are the possible benefits and potential dangers that result from promoting this goal?
Q3) Which of the following best describes the relationship between civil society and nondemocratic regimes?
A)Civil society always promotes democracy and opposes nondemocratic rule.
B)Elimination of civil society by nondemocratic regimes can sometimes encourage populist ideology.
C)Nondemocratic regimes often seek to empower and expand civil society.
D)Nondemocratic regimes wield such power that civil society is irrelevant.
E)Nondemocratic regimes attempt to eliminate the idea of the state as an arena for social organization.
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Page 8
Chapter 7: Political Violence
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Sample Questions
Q1) Revolution is most accurately defined as:
A)the application of political violence by citizens against elites.
B)a spontaneous outburst of widespread violence in a state due to ideational reasons.
C)a public seizure of the state in order to overturn the existing government and regime.
D)any wide-ranging and rapid change in a society that produces beneficial social results.
E)the replacement of a regime's existing repressive policies with more inclusive or democratic ones.
Q2) Political violence is defined as:
A)violence outside of state control that is politically motivated.
B)violence conducted by the state that is politically motivated.
C)violence conducted against civilians for political purposes.
D)violence conducted by one state against another.
E)violence between military forces.
Q3) How have the use of institutional, ideational, and individual explanations for political violence evolved in the work of political scientists? Are they employed differently for explaining terrorist and revolutionary violence?
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Chapter 8: Developed Democracies
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Sample Questions
Q1) The European Union was created as a response to the:
A)destruction caused by World War II.
B)destruction caused by World War I.
C)failure of the League of Nations.
D)rise of Japan as an economic superpower.
E)end of the Cold War.
Q2) The process by which powers are sent down to local levels of government is known as:
A)decentralization.
B)devolution.
C)integration.
D)peripheralism.
E)designation.
Q3) Germany, Canada, and the United States are comparable in ________ but very different in ________.
A)the size and nature of the welfare system; the nature of postmodern values
B)their Gini index measure of inequality; public policy toward immigration
C)level of economic development; their Gini index measure of inequality
D)political structure; the level of economic development
E)the nature of postmodern values; public policy toward immigration
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Chapter 9: Communism and Postcommunism
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Sample Questions
Q1) The bourgeoisie are the:
A)working class.
B)communist revolutionaries.
C)property-owning middle class.
D)aristocratic elites.
E)military.
Q2) The ________ is the name Marx chose for the system of economic production, including the level of technology (the "means of production").
A)superstructure
B)determination
C)base
D)proletariat
E)bourgeoisie
Q3) Why was communism unable to provide the benefits that it promised in theory? Are there inherent flaws in communist theory, or did those in power misapply its principles?
Q4) How do we evaluate the economic transitions that postcommunist countries have undergone as either successful or unsuccessful? Have some models shown more promise than others? Why?
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11
Chapter 10: Developing Countries
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Q1) Which is the better place to begin improving less-developed countries-focusing on infrastructure and living standards, or focusing on good governance?
Q2) One recent innovation to help alleviate poverty in poorer countries through small loans to small businesses is known as:
A)macrofinance.
B)microcredit.
C)millennial loan programs.
D)structural loans.
E)flexible funding.
Q3) Which of the following might be a Washington Consensus policy recommendation to a less developed country that would be opposed by a supporter of import substitution policy?
A)creating state-owned businesses
B)investing heavily in domestic agriculture
C)raising tariffs to reduce foreign imports
D)reducing state power
E)promoting private domestic industry
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Chapter 11: Globalization and the Future of Comparative
Politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the process of historical globalization, the late nineteenth century saw the rise of the first:
A)modern state structures.
B)NGOs and IGOs.
C)international bodies to manage trade agreements.
D)international terrorist organizations.
E)multinational corporations.
Q2) How might globalization shape democracy? How might globalization shape your responsibilities as a citizen of your country or of the world?
Q3) Which of the following ultimately resulted from the establishment of the Bretton Woods system?
A)an increase in national sovereignty
B)establishment of the World Trade Organization
C)the International Criminal Court
D)the restriction of international trade
E)greater national control over trade agreements
Q4) Describe the arguments for globalization as both a positive economic force that will raise the standards of living and a negative economic force that will bring about a "race to the bottom."
13
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