1 Democracy and American Politics Multiple-Choice Questions
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Full file at http://testbankexpress.CH/test-bank-for-struggle-for-democracy-2012-election-edition-11th-edition-edward-s-greenberg.html 1 Democracy and American Politics Multiple-Choice Questions 1. What is the central idea of democracy?
b. Rule by the majority must prevail, even if majority tyranny is the result. c. Ordinary people want to rule themselves and are capable of doing so. d. Policy is determined by tyranny of the majority. e. Majority rule violates minority rights.
b. modern democracy c. indirect democracy d. the ancient Greeks’ view of democracy e. representative democracy
b. The ultimate source of authority rests with the people. c. A democratic system is based on the concept of material equality. d. Majority rule is unacceptable because it leads to tyranny. e. Minority rule trumps majority power in close elections.
b. The opinions and preferences of citizens are combined into a binding decision through the principle of majority rule. c. Protection will be provided for basic freedoms essential to the formation and expression of the popular will and its translation into policy. d. The will of the majority is not to be the ultimate determinant of what government does. e. Each person should have the same opportunities to succeed in society.
b. equal treatment and majority rule c. political equality and equal treatment d. majority rule and political liberty e. civil liberties and equality
b. majority rules c. political equality d. popular sovereignty e. political liberty
b. if citizens are free to form and express their political opinions c. if some people can speak out but others cannot d. if the voice of the people is welcomed e. if people are encouraged to participate in politics
b. liberal democracy c. representative democracy d. self-government e. social contract
b. Congress c. political parties d. waging war e. making laws
b. the media, the courts, and the internecine political institutions c. composition, opposition, and despotism d. structural, political linkages, and governmental sectors e. skill, fortune, and opportunity
b. the voter registration system in the South that frequently disenfranchised blacks c. the official system of segregation in the South d. the official social contract used in the South e. the institution of slavery
b. Congress, the president, the federal bureaucracy, and the Supreme Court c. those enduring features of American life that influence which issues are important d. using democracy as an evaluative standard without using values or opinions e. all political actors, institutions, and processes that transmit the wants and demands of people and groups in our society to government officials
b. government actions c. tyrannical abuses of power d. media-driven social anxiety e. government factors
b. the Constitution c. waging war d. interest groups e. lawmaking
b. political actors that do not hold official public office c. institutions that transmit preferences to elected officials d. what issues become important in politics and government e. what government does
b. transmitting the desires of people to representatives in government c. overseeing the policymaking activities of Congress and the presidency d. acting on behalf of the government e. influencing the distribution of income and wealth in society
b. the “Occupy Wall Street” movement c. the focus of Congress and President Obama in 2011 and 2012 on the problem of budget deficits d. FEMA’s response to Hurricane Katrina e. September 11, 2001
b. a democracy with a large and educated ruling class where political power is concentrated c. a democracy with a small difference between the rich and the poor d. a democracy with a large and educated ruling class where economic power is concentrated e. a democracy with a small and educated ruling class where political and economic power is concentrated
b. state mandates c. nonexclusionary rights d. political liberties e. absolute equalities
b. the Supreme Court, which was becoming increasingly supportive of civil rights c. the rules established by the Constitution d. President Johnson and his support of civil rights e. Jim Crow laws
b. eighteenth-century Europe c. the United States d. North Korea e. New England town hall meetings
b. one in which each major party has a viable candidate c. one in which election rules favor the incumbent party d. one in which the costs of the campaign were paid for with public funds e. one in which there is no coercion of voters or election officials
b. that government leaders are selected in competitive elections c. that elections are free and fair d. that high-quality information is available e. that the majority rules
b. because it is incapable of promoting progress on important decisions c. because it protects human rights d. because it is found only in the United States e. because it subverts the views of the masses
b. The maps do not take into account population density within each state. c. The maps exaggerate the diversity of voters within each state. d. The maps make appropriate adjustments for the size of a state’s population e. The maps emphasize people over geographical space.
b. Participation prevents leaders from being responsible to the public. c. Participation helps to ensure that the public is well-informed about policy issues. d. Participation protects the public from overly responsive political leaders. e. Participation overcomes political apathy and political efficacy.
b. High-quality information is a prerequisite for voting in most states. c. Political leaders respond only to informed public opinion, and the public cannot be informed without high-quality information. d. High-quality information enables the formation of political opinions that are consistent with one’s values and interests. e. The media relies on high-quality information to keep politicians honest.
b. It yields inferior policy results. c. The U.S. population is too heavily concentrated on the East Coast. d. The U.S. population is too homogeneous. e. The U.S. population is too large.
True-False Questions 29. It is safe to say that most people do not want to live in places where there is no government to speak of at all.
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions 35. If __________ are to be useful as a way to keep government leaders responsive and responsible, they must be conducted in a fashion that is free and fair.
Short Answer Questions 41. Describe the central idea of democracy. What elements account for this idea’s widespread popularity around the world?
1. Identify the central idea of democracy as that people want and are capable of ruling themselves. 2. Discuss how democracy’s widespread popularity can be explained by its protection of human rights and recognition of intrinsic worth of human beings and equality. Democracy is also most likely to produce rational policies because of the pooled knowledge of society. Others note that democracies are more stable than other forms of government, that democracies are more likely to promote economic growth, and that democracies best allow free people to develop their natural talents.
1. Identify popular sovereignty, whereby the people are the ultimate source of government’s authority. This involves leaders being elected in competitive elections that are free and fair, people participating in the political process, availability of high-quality information, majority rule, policies that reflect the will of the people, and effective government policies. 2. List political equality, which might include examples such as the 14th amendment and civil rights. 3. Describe political liberty, which involves basic freedoms such as free speech, association, and conscience that are necessary for the formation and expression of majority opinion and how this affects public policies. Page Reference: pp. 5–17 A-head: Democracy Learning Objective: Greenberg L.O. 1.1 Skill Level: Understand the Concepts Topic: Introduction to American Government 43. How does majority tyranny threaten political liberty? What is a recent example? Answer: An ideal response will: 1. Discuss how the majority has the potential to tyrannize the rights of the minority. This was a concern of James Madison and other Founders. 2. Provide a recent example, such as Americans being hostile towards Muslims after 9/11or the disapproval of immigrants by Americans who believe these individuals are taking away jobs.
44. In what type of situation would you recommend direct democracy over representative democracy? Why? Give an example. Answer: An ideal response will: 1. Note that direct democracy requires that people are able to meet regularly to discuss issues. 2. Discuss how direct democracy may be more appropriate in small communities, areas such as New England towns where participation is encouraged, and schools and local communities. It is more likely that these citizens can meet regularly, and also be reasonably informed on issues.
45. Are the low levels of voter turnout in American elections an indication that popular sovereignty does not really exist in the United States? Why or why not? Answer: An ideal response will: 1. Indicate that the idea behind popular sovereignty is that the power resides with the people. 2. Explain how low levels of turnout undermine popular sovereignty because many people do not vote. Accordingly, power may be in the hands of the few, rather than the many. 3. Discuss how despite these limitations, other forms of participation—joining groups, working on campaigns, participating in protests—might increase popular sovereignty. Page Reference: pp. 5–17 A-head: Democracy Learning Objective: Greenberg L.O. 1.1 Skill Level: Analyze It Topic: Introduction to American Government 46. In the text’s “Using the Framework” feature, which political linkage do you think proved most influential in overcoming Southern resistance to political participation by African Americans before the Voting Rights Act of 1965? Why? Answer: An ideal response will: 1. List the political linkages such as the votes of African Americans in states outside the South, civil rights demonstrations, changes in public opinion and a sympathetic mass media, and unions and businesses favoring voting rights legislation. 2. Indicate which linkage was likely most important. For example, changing public opinion was critical in overcoming resistance to the civil rights movement. Also critical was the moral power of the movement and leaders like Martin Luther King.
Essay Questions 47. Describe the extent to which citizens are the ultimate source of government authority in the United States by explaining the seven conditions related to popular sovereignty.
1. Note that popular sovereignty refers to the notion that the people are the ultimate source of government authority. This results in policies that reflect the wants of the people. 2. Detail that government leaders should be selected in competitive elections where politicians and challengers face the voters. 3. Explain that elections should be free and fair; there should be no coercion and the rules should not favor some candidates over others. 4. Indicate how people can participate in the political process. This could involve voting, contacting public officials, or joining associations. 5. Observe that the availability of high-quality information is needed for people to form authentic and rational attitudes about public policies and political leaders. 6. Reveal that the majority should rule, whereby government adopts policies that most people want. 7. Indicate that government policies should reflect the wishes of the people. 8. Explain that government policies should be effective. That is, they should adequately address problems.
1. Note that critics of liberal democracy argue that the majority can threaten liberty, that the people are irrational and incompetent, and that majoritarian democracy threatens minorities. 2. Indicate that despite these concerns, liberal democracies are better than alternatives. 3. Provide a response to each of the contentions of critics. For example, while critics note that the majority can threaten the liberty of the minority, the alternative is minority tyranny, which would mean that the minority tyrannizes over the majority. Moreover, there is limited evidence that the majority consistently tyrannizes over the minority. Alternatives to liberal democracies would not protect minorities to a greater extent. 4. Discuss how despite claims that the people are irrational and incompetent, there is evidence that the public is more informed, sophisticated, and stable than has been asserted.
1. Distinguish between representative and direct democracies. In a representative democracy, the people select leaders who make policies, whereas in a direct democracy, the people meet to discuss issues of the day and to make policy. 2. Argue the advantages of the chosen democracy. For example, if arguing that representative democracy is preferable, the answer would note that direct democracy is not feasible in a largely populated country. Further, if citizens are not well-informed and participation rates are low, this will undermine popular sovereignty that direct democracy espouses to promote. If arguing in favor of direct democracy, the answer should discuss how this form of democracy increases popular sovereignty because it allows the people to discuss and decide on issues. 3. Describe how the American political system might benefit from encouraging direct democracy at the state or local level, but representative democracy is preferable nationally. Page Reference: pp. 5–17 A-head: Democracy Learning Objective: Greenberg L.O. 1.1 Skill Level: Apply What You Know Topic: Introduction to American Government 50. Examine the government’s response to the BP Gulf oil spill using the analytical framework provided in your textbook. Answer: An ideal response will: 1. Discuss the structural framework as it applies to the BP Gulf oil spill. For example, the public may have shifted from concerns over cheap oil to concerns about the environment or the economic impact of the spill to businesses affected by the spill. On the other hand, the spill affected conservative states that may have had greater concern for economic issues than environmental protection. 2. Describe the political linkage framework as it applies to the BP Gulf oil spill. The public, environmental interests, the oil and gas industry, and the media all played prominent roles during the spill and afterwards. For example, the issue received an enormous amount of coverage in the media. 3. Explain the government framework as it applies to the BP Gulf oil spill. Congress, the president, and the courts all had important roles following the spill. For example, Congress has the ability to appropriate funds for clean-up. 4. Discuss the government action framework as it applies to the BP Gulf oil spill. The Obama administration implemented temporary restrictions on new drilling permits following the disaster. Following numerous lawsuits, BP will pay substantial fines and compensatory damages to those affected by the spill. Page Reference: pp. 17–20 A-head: A Framework for Understanding How American Politics Work Learning Objective: Greenberg L.O. 1.2 Skill Level: Analyze It Topic: Introduction to American Government Download the full document at http://testbankexpress.com Directory: samples samples -> Report Log for List of Users with Bills and/or Charges samples -> Report Log for New Stuff Report 'bibliography' scheduled as 'Newly published materials' samples -> Example 1: scientific literature review “Classification, Epidemiology and Natural History of Fibromyalgia” samples -> Multiple choice samples -> Multiple choice samples -> TimeLine Astrological Report Ron Howard Feb 01, 2002 to May 01, 2002 samples -> Multiple choice samples -> Multiple choice samples -> True False samples -> Review for the nclex-pn Download 107.66 Kb. Share with your friends:
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