Political Theory
Exam Practice Tests
Course Introduction
Political Theory is an exploration of the fundamental ideas and arguments that have shaped political life and thought throughout history. This course examines the works of key political philosophers, from classical thinkers like Plato and Aristotle to modern theorists such as Hobbes, Locke, Marx, and Rawls. Students will engage with concepts such as justice, liberty, authority, rights, power, and democracy, analyzing how different theories address the organization of society, the role of government, and the relationship between individuals and the state. The course encourages critical reflection on contemporary political issues by drawing connections between enduring theoretical debates and real-world challenges.
Recommended Textbook
Understanding Politics Ideas Institutions and Issues 11th Edition by Thomas M. Magstadt
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
18 Chapters
738 Verified Questions
738 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1728 Page 2
Chapter 2: The Idea of the Public Good: Ideologies and Isms
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34344
Sample Questions
Q1) Who was the main architect behind the restoration of classical liberalism in economics during the twentieth century?
A)Friedrich Hayek
B)Milton Friedman
C)Adam Smith
D)Helmut Kohl
E)Ronald Reagan
Answer: B
Q2) Left-wing ideologies posit a view of human beings living together cooperatively, free from demeaning social divisions.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Libertarians believe in the violent destruction of government to promote individual liberty.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 4: Constitutional Democracy: Models of Representation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34346
Sample Questions
Q1) John Calhoun favored a system that would allow the federal government to dictate policies to the states.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Hudson's four models represent actual democracies.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Reserved powers are protected by which Amendment?
A)Sixth Amendment
B)Eighth Amendment
C)Tenth Amendment
D)Fourteenth Amendment
E)None of the above
Q4) Which of the following are the ideas of John Locke?
A)Meaningful freedom could not exist outside the realm of law.
B)The rule of law was unacceptable because it suppressed individual freedoms.
C)"Wherever Law ends, Tyranny begins."
D)The seventeenth century saw limited advances in the rule of law.
E)Both A and C
Page 6
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: The Totalitarian Model: A False Utopia
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34348
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following would NOT be found in the "totalitarian tool box"?
A)Assassination
B)Consolidation of property
C)Sabotage
D)Kidnappings
E)Indiscriminate bombings
Q2) Whatever the quality of leadership, total revolutions depend in the final analysis on the willingness of converts to engage in extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice in the name of the cause.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Totalitarianism is the product of just one form of ideology.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Ideology tends to paint a picture of the world as it is and offers an explanation. A)True
B)False
Q5) Why does the text refer to totalitarian regimes as false utopias?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Parliamentary Democracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34349
Sample Questions
Q1) The British prime minister serves definite and limited terms of office like the American president.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Under the 1958 Constitution, what can the President of France do?
A)Dissolve the legislature and call for new elections
B)Issue decrees having the force of law
C)Call a national referendum on virtually any matter of choice
D)Appoint and dismiss the prime minister and members of the cabinet
E)All of the above
Q3) In which of the following positions can the incumbent NOT be removed by a vote of no confidence in the lower house of the legislature?
A)The British Prime Minister
B)The French Premier
C)The German Chancellor
D)All of the above
E)None of the above
Q4) All parliamentary systems are alike.
A)True
B)False
Page 9
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 8: States and Economies in Transition: Between
Democracy and Yesterday
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34350
Sample Questions
Q1) Russia rekindled memories of the Cold War with its attack on Georgia in August of 2008.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which South American country has risen to prominence, along with China and India?
A)Mexico
B)Brazil
C)Argentina
D)Chile
E)Both B and C
Q3) The Russian economy immediately got better after the fall of the Soviet Union and the introduction of privatization.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When the Soviet Union dissolved, over half of the population was in Russia.
A)True
B)False
Page 10
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Development: Myths and Realities
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34351
Sample Questions
Q1) What does the "green revolution" refer to?
A)A military insurrection in Nicaragua in 1985
B)The dramatic rise in food production produced by modern farming techniques
C)The change in currency that often accompanies modernization
D)Modernization of the Brazilian rain forest
E)The fight to protect the environment in developing countries
Q2) Explain the paradox of Nigeria's failure and India's success.
Q3) Owing to its economic gains and an impressive growth spurt in recent years, India has surpassed the economy of China.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which state was called "the most corrupt government in the world" in the mid-1990s?
A)Sierra Leone
B)Côte d'Ivoire
C)The Democratic Republic of the Congo
D)Nigeria
E)Gambia
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 10: Political Socialization: The Making of a Citizen
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34352
Sample Questions
Q1) Profound difference in perception, outlook, and behavior can often be traced to differences in political culture.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What term describes the process by which the members of a community are taught the values of their society, which prepare them for citizenship?
A)Political ideology
B)Cultural identity
C)Political socialization
D)Idealization
E)None of the above
Q3) Approximately how much was spent on the 2008 Presidential Election?
A)$675 million
B)$925 million
C)$1.35 billion
D)$1.75 billion
E)$2.25 billion
Q4) How is the idea of citizenship related to democratic self-government? Can democracy exist without responsible citizens?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Chapter 11: Political Participation: The Limits of Democracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34353
Sample Questions
Q1) Direct referenda are often used on issues regarding the European Union.
A)True
B)False
Q2) As outsiders in the competitive "game" of politics, why are most people at a disadvantage?
A)They don't understand the game very well.
B)They don't get to make the rules.
C)They can't break the rule and get away with it.
D)All of the above are correct.
E)None of the above is correct.
Q3) The most accurate public opinion polls utilize
A)multiple choice questions.
B)random sampling,
C)open ended questions.
D)stratified sampling.
E)random digit dialing.
Q4) Soft money refers to contributions given to a political party rather than a specific candidate.
A)True
B)False
Page 13
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 12: Political Leadership: The Many Faces of Power
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34354
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the qualities discussed in theChapter is the most important for a leader to have? Which is the least important? Explain.
Q2) Luck and circumstances have no bearing on the careers of great leaders.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The idea of statecraft has only been developed in modern times.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus was a protest action that was pre-planned to make a political statement.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Under Sadat, Egypt was the first Arab country to recognize Israel as a sovereign state.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Compare and contrast the political records of Winston Churchill to Anwar Sadat. How are they different, and how are they the same?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: Issues in Public Policy: Politics, Principles, Priorities,
and Practicies
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34355
Sample Questions
Q1) In the Bakke reverse-discrimination case, the Supreme Court held that all affirmative action programs were unconstitutional.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What are the five goals of democratic government? Give examples of how the United States government has attempted to achieve each one. Then give an example of how two of these goals have come in conflict. Have attempts been made to resolve this conflict? How successful have they been?
Q3) What did Thomas Hobbes believe was the main responsibility for government to provide?
A)Prosperity in moderation
B)Justice for all
C)Safety from harm
D)Racial equality
E)Limited privacy
Q4) The exclusionary rule holds that when evidence has been illegally obtained, it may not be used in court.
A)True
B)False
15
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 14: Revolution: In the Name of Justice
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34356
Sample Questions
Q1) José Ortega y Gasset argued that the masses cannot and should not rule society in general. Do the experiences of governments and revolutions in the 20th century confirm this way of thinking, or contradict it? Explain.
Q2) Explain different theories on the causes of revolution as explained by Burke, Paine, and Locke. Which do you find most convincing?
Q3) What was the "Reign of Terror?"
A)Robespierre's response to rising political opposition
B)Hitler's purge of his "Brown Shirts"
C)British name for the march to Boston back from Concord in April 1775
D)Stalin's purge of the unfaithful
E)John Locke's theory about government and the current political climate
Q4) According to Jefferson, a government's legitimacy can be traced to the ability to protect the freedoms of the individual and how it conforms to the will of the majority.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Paine argues that revolution is always justified against monarchism. Are there conditions under which revolution would be justified against a democratic government? Explain.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 16
Chapter 15: War: Politics by Other Means
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34357
Sample Questions
Q1) Which term best describes a war that generates violence and destruction well beyond a nation's intention?
A)Proxy war
B)Catalytic war
C)Total war
D)Accidental war
E)None of the above
Q2) Who argued that totalitarian governments are inherently aggressive?
A)Hannah Arendt
B)Hans Morgenthau
C)James Dougherty
D)Robert Pfaltzgraff
E)None of the above
Q3) The just war doctrine only justifies defensive wars.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Rousseau might be seen as part of the intellectual tradition that glorified war.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Can we sustain a war against an idea, concept, or condition? Explain.
Page 17
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 16: Terrorism: Weapon of the Weak
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34358
Sample Questions
Q1) Which term is used to define terrorism that involves the governments, citizens, and interests of more than one country?
A)State-sponsored terrorism
B)International terrorism
C)Domestic terrorism
D)Transnational terrorism
E)None of the above
Q2) Discuss the three long-term historical forces that helped create a climate conducive to terrorism.
Q3) Groups seeking to destabilize society generally have _____ motives?
A)ideological
B)societal
C)nationalist
D)environmental
E)separatist
Q4) The case of the Tamil Tigers demonstrates the principle that time is on the side of the insurgents, and that they will win a prolonged conflict.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: World Politics: The Struggle for Power
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34359
Sample Questions
Q1) Due to the rapid advance of information technology a $1,500 computer today is far more powerful than a $10 million computer of the 1970s.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Monroe Doctrine is an example of what type of foreign policy?
A)Imperialist
B)Status quo
C)Unipolar
D)Expansionist
E)Regionalist
Q3) In addition to the five declared nuclear powers, which other country is known to possess nuclear weapons?
A)India
B)Japan
C)Germany
D)Australia
E)Both B and C
Q4) Discuss how IT advancements are making changes in governments and diplomacy throughout the world.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 19
Chapter 18: International Organizations: Globalization and the Quest for Order
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
41 Verified Questions
41 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/34360
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the first principle of international political life?
A)Self-preservation
B)National identity
C)Military might
D)Diplomacy
E)Legitimacy
Q2) During the 1990s the United Nations has conducted peacekeeping efforts in Cambodia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, East Timor, the Congo, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Why has the United Nations NOT completely succeeded?
A)Nations have not been ready to give up enough sovereign power to make the charter truly enforceable.
B)It has been inadequately funded.
C)It has consistently failed to act when necessary.
D)China has refused to join.
E)Its bureaucracy is too cumbersome to be effective.
Q4) What are the major problems confronting international organizations such as the United Nations? Can these obstacles be overcome? How?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 20