Introduction to Comparative Politics
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Course Introduction
Introduction to Comparative Politics offers students an in-depth exploration of the fundamental concepts and methodologies used to systematically compare political systems, institutions, and processes across different countries. The course examines key themes such as state formation, political regimes, democratization, governance, political culture, and policy-making. Through case studies from various regions around the world, students learn to analyze similarities and differences among political systems and to understand how historical, social, and economic factors influence political outcomes. The goal is to develop critical thinking skills and a deeper appreciation for the complexity and diversity of politics in the global context.
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Introduction to Comparative Politics 6th Edition by Mark Kesselman\
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Chapter 1: Introducing Comparative Politics
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Q1) All of the following are sources of collective identity EXCEPT
A) ethnicity or race.
B) occupation.
C) religion.
D) region.
E) language.
Answer: B
Q2) The text defines a major source of political instability as
A) lack of democracy.
B) low levels of economic development.
C) intervention by international organizations.
D) intervention by neighboring states.
E) a lack of a strong sense of national identity, resulting in nationalist movements that challenge the established nation-state.
Answer: E
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Chapter 2: Britain
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Q1) New Labour may be characterized as
A) a new party that emerged under Prime Minister Tony Blair's leadership, after the centrist members broke away from the Labour Party.
B) a "third-way" alternative to the collectivism of traditional Labour Party politics and Thatcherism.
C) an appeal to workers in the high technology and the "new economy" associated with the Internet-based sectors.
D) a reorientation of the Labour Party to commit itself more fully and comprehensively to the needs of all working people in the UK.
E) the resurgence of labor unions after Margaret Thatcher's efforts to curb their influence.
Answer: B
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Chapter 3: France
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Q1) Social programs in France include all of the following EXCEPT
A) guaranteed income levels for all French citizens.
B) universal health coverage.
C) extensive educational benefits from preschool through university.
D) extensive job benefits including good pensions, job retraining and unemployment benefits.
E) free prenatal care for pregnant women.
Answer: A
Q2) Which characteristic is shared by both the ancien regime and the regimes that followed the French Revolution?
A) France was ruled by a king.
B) The state was powerful.
C) The state championed the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
D) The Catholic Church was a strong supporter of the regime.
E) France was ruled by a parliament.
Answer: B
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Chapter 4: Germany
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Q1) The secret police in East Germany was known as the A) KGB.
B) Stasi.
C) Betriebsrate.
D) Krankenhassen.
E) Faktion.
Q2) The Bundesrat's absolute veto
A) only slows the passage of legislation.
B) can only be exercised on amendments to the constitution and laws that directly affect the Lander.
C) can be overturned by a two-thirds majority vote in the Bundestag.
D) applies to an ever-growing amount of legislation due to a 2006 constitutional reform.
E) has been ruled unconstitutional by the German courts.
Q3) The Weimar Republic failed due to all of the following EXCEPT
A) resentment over the punitive conditions of the Treaty of Versailles.
B) its policies of discrimination against Jews.
C) its inability to control inflation.
D) its lack of support from a broad cross section of society.
E) unstable governments with shaky minority governments.
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Chapter 5: Japan
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Q1) Most legislation is initiated by
A) the cabinet.
B) individual members of the Diet.
C) committees of the two houses of the Diet.
D) the House of Councillors.
E) the House of Representatives.
Q2) Which of the following is TRUE of the labor movement in Japan?
A) The Allied occupation encouraged unions as a form of democratizing Japanese politics.
B) Unions were instrumental in winning concessions over wages and working conditions.
C) The rate of unionization has fallen steadily since the 1970s.
D) The number of labor disputes, like strikes and walkouts, has fallen dramatically since the 1970s to the point that they are almost nonexistent today.
E) All of the above statements are true.
Q3) The Allied occupation brought about a number of reforms to democratize and demilitarize Japan. What were the most important of these? How successful were they and in what sense?
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Chapter 6: India
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Q1) Following independence, the Congress Party owed much of its success to a system in which it rewarded its supporters with important governmental posts. This is known as A) clientelism.
B) sponsorship.
C) a party sponsorship system.
D) an affiliation system.
E) a patronage system.
Q2) President's Rule
A) refers to the constitutional provision by which the national government can suspend state government.
B) refers to the constitutional provision by which the president can remove the prime minister for acting in a manner dangerous to the state.
C) has been invoked only a few times in India's history.
D) refers to the idea that the president, rather than the prime minister, is the major political force in India.
E) was removed from the constitution by a landmark Supreme Court decision.
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Chapter 7: The United States
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Q1) Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A) The term separation of powers refers to an organization of political institutions within a state in which the executive, legislature, and judiciary have autonomous powers and no one branch dominates the others.
B) The separation of powers is common in presidential systems.
C) The separation of powers in the United States means that, compared to other democracies, the country may be unable to react quickly to societal needs and shifts in public opinion.
D) The separation of powers refers to the organization of the federal bureaucracy so that there is no overlap of authority on issues among agencies.
E) Parliamentary systems do not have separation of powers; they instead have fusion of powers.
Q2) All of the following are TRUE of the territory of the United States EXCEPT
A) it has low population densities.
B) it is rich in natural resources.
C) it is larger than any other country.
D) it faces little challenges to its boundaries.
E) it has two neighbors, neither of which is a military threat.
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Chapter 8: Russia
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Q1) Which of the following was NOT an obstacle to the market reforms of the early 1990s?
A) The lack of an effective tax collection system
B) Inadequate state regulation
C) Resistance from regional leaders and oligarchs
D) Continued government subsidization of ineffective operations
E) All of the above were obstacles to the reforms.
Q2) Soft authoritarianism refers to
A) a tightening of political controls combined with a loosening of economic controls.
B) the re-emergence of the communist party as a political force in Russia.
C) Russia's increasingly militant actions in its near abroad.
D) a system of informal and formal mechanisms that assure the dominance of a ruling group despite the existence of some forms of political competition and opposition.
E) the use of repressive political controls designed to limit opposition.
Q3) It may be argued that history has had a tremendous negative effect on Russia's political transition. Citing specific examples, illustrate how several historical factors have inhibited the development of democracy in Russia.
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Chapter 9: Brazil
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Q1) The implication of the phrase para ingles ver (for the English to see) is that
A) transparency of democratic elections is important.
B) democracy is just a show for outsiders.
C) Brazilians feel dominated by the United States.
D) there is a division between English and non-English speakers in Brazil.
E) business entities in Brazil operate under English law.
Q2) The process of trading favors and protection for political support is called
A) coronelismo.
B) patrimonialism.
C) clientelism.
D) caudillo.
E) bossism.
Q3) The term bureaucratic rings refers to
A) the clientelistic networks established by private interests and mid-level bureaucrats.
B) the organizational structure of the Brazilian bureaucracy.
C) the corporatist nature of Brazilian policy making.
D) official corruption.
E) the clientelistic networks established between foreign commercial interests and mid-level bureaucrats.
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Chapter 10: Mexico
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Q1) The PRI historically was organized in a corporatist fashion in which the interests of certain social groups were represented through national organizations. Which of the following was NOT a group that was represented in the party's structure?
A) Labor
B) Peasants
C) The Catholic Church
D) The military
E) The popular sector
Q2) How has recent drug-related violence affected the country's politics? Does such violence fundamentally threaten the ongoing democratic transition?
Q3) The term mestizo refers to people
A) of mixed Amerindian and Spanish descent.
B) who are half American and half Mexican.
C) who emigrate from Mexico to America.
D) who live in Mexico but come from elsewhere in Central America.
E) descended from Mayan Indians.
Q4) How might Mexico be a useful example for other countries moving from authoritarian rule towards democratic rule?
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Chapter 11: South Africa
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Q1) Pass laws
A) required all Africans, at all times, to carry internal passports in which were stamped the permits required for them to travel between the countryside and cities.
B) required that all Africans had to formally decline, or "pass," to vote in national elections.
C) were put into place by a coalition government comprised of the Labour and National Parties.
D) were supported by the South African Communist Party as a means of gaining electoral support from Whites.
E) were kept in place until the end of apartheid.
Q2) Which of the following statements about the status of public health in post-apartheid South Africa is FALSE?
A) Infant mortality rates have fallen slightly.
B) Life expectancy rates have risen.
C) The country has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world.
D) Hospitals in the main urban centers have deteriorated because health funding has gone to the countryside.
E) There has been greater access to health care for all citizens.
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Chapter 12: Nigeria
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Q1) A recent survey has indicated that most Nigerians
A) prefer democratic rule over other alternatives.
B) have concerns about the pace of democratization.
C) have begun to question the merits of democratic rule.
D) prefer democratic rule over other alternatives but are concerned about both the slow pace of reform and corruption.
E) believe that it is necessary to divide the country into separate nations along ethnic lines.
Q2) Which of the following statements about the country's precolonial era is NOT true?
A) Several precolonial societies had democratic elements.
B) Centralized states developed in both the north and the south.
C) Parts of the area were occupied by stateless societies without diffuse political authority.
D) Islam was introduced through a series of jihads.
E) The Fulani Empire held sway until British colonial authority was imposed on Northern Nigeria in 1900.
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Chapter 13: Iran
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Q1) Which of the following describes the difference between the Revolutionary Guard and the regular military?
A) The former is reserved for Muslims and the latter for non-Muslims.
B) The former is a volunteer militia created during the Iran-Iraq War.
C) The former receives about double the funding of the latter.
D) The former protects the country from internal threats whereas the latter protects it from external ones.
E) The former is a reservist unit whereas the latter is full time.
Q2) Iran's main economic problem has been
A) the impact of a population explosion.
B) declining tax revenue.
C) instability in the world oil market.
D) the impact of economic sanctions due to its nuclear enrichment program.
E) the lack of qualified workers due to the emigration of 3 million workers following the Islamic Revolution.
Q3) Compare and contrast Iran's reformers and conservatives. How do the beliefs of these two groups compare to one another? What has been their impact upon Iranian politics?
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Chapter 14: China
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Q1) The Chinese Communist Party promotes the development of a harmonious socialist society that means one in which
A) the average standard of living for all citizens increases steadily.
B) there is both a higher average standard of living for the country as a whole and a more equitable distribution of income.
C) income equality is emphasized.
D) income inequality is permitted but social inequality is not.
E) income equality is sought while political controls remain in force.
Q2) Compare and contrast the leadership of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. What do you see as the main differences between them? Do you see any similarities? What would you count as the major achievements and shortcomings of each? Finally, in what ways to Jian Zeming and Hu Jintao represent change and/or continuity with the past leadership?
Q3) The most powerful organizations in China's communist party-state are the
A) National Party Congress and the Central Committee.
B) Politburo and the Standing Committee.
C) Standing Committee and the Central Committee.
D) Politburo and the Secretariat.
E) Politburo and the Central Commission.
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