Test Bank for Analyzing American Democracy Politics
and Political Science, 2e by Jon Bond (All Chapters)
2025\2026 Questions and Correct Answers
Chapter 1
1 models are inspired by economics, and assume that political decisions involve weighing
costs and benefits. models are inspired by psychology and sociology, and assume that
political decisions are a product of factors such as upbringing by parents.
Answer: Rational choice
Behavioral
2 means each individual should receive the same amount of material goods
regardless of their contribution to society.
(A) Equality of opportunity
(B) Equality under the law
(C) Social equality
(D) Economic equality
Answer: (D) Economic equality
3 In a direct democracy, who is/are the principle political decision makers?
(A) Citizens
(B) The president
(C) Representatives
(D) None of the above
Answer: (A) Citizens
4 Fifty percent plus one of all members or all eligible voters is know as
(A) a simple majority.
(B) an absolute majority.
(C) a blowout.
(D) a plurality.
Answer: (B) an absolute majority.
5 The largest percentage of a vote, when no one has a majority, is known as
(A) a simple majority.
(B) a minority win.
(C) a plurality.
(D) an absolute majority.
Answer: (C) a plurality.
,6 In which form of government do all the citizens have the opportunity to participate in the
process of making authoritative decisions and allocating resources?
(A) Democracy
(B) Autocracy
(C) Oligarchy
(D) Constitutional monarchy
Answer: (A) Democracy
7 A form of government in which the power to make decisions and allocate resources is
vested in one person is called
(A) oligarchy.
(B) autocracy.
(C) democracy.
(D) constitutional monarchy.
Answer: (B) autocracy.
8 Which of the following is NOT considered a basic form of government?
(A) Autocracy
(B) Oligarchy
(C) Initiative
(D) Democracy
Answer: (C) Initiative
9 The idea that people should be free from discrimination and class or social barriers is called
(A) social equality.
(B) democracy.
(C) political freedom.
(D) popular sovereignty.
Answer: (A) social equality.
10 The idea that people believe their views are “normal” and “common sense” and therefore
shared by most people is known as
(A) limited government.
(B) democracy.
(C) false consensus.
(D) ideology.
Answer: (C) false consensus.
11 Harold D. Lasswell's definition of is “who gets what, when, and how.”
(A) power struggle
(B) democracy
, (C) government
(D) politics
Answer: (D) politics
12 In Polisciland all important decisions are made by a single individual who serves as
supreme ruler for life. Polisciland has what form of government?
(A) Democracy
(B) Autocracy
(C) Federalism
(D) Oligarchy
Answer: (B) Autocracy
13 Political scientists who adopt science as the best means to gain useful knowledge about
politics and government are most interested in
(A) identifying which form of government is best.
(B) constructing empirical theories and testing explanations of why politics works the way it does.
(C) normative theory.
(D) using the scientific method to indoctrinate students to agree with their partisan and ideological
values.
Answer: (B) constructing empirical theories and testing explanations of why politics works the way it
does.
14 As a core democratic principal, majority rule is more important than
(A) political freedom.
(B) political equality.
(C) both of the above.
(D) none of the above.
Answer: (D) none of the above.
15 In which type of election do voters have an opportunity to make specific policy decisions?
(A) Recall elections
(B) Initiative and referendum
(C) Issue election
(D) Amending election
Answer: (B) Initiative and referendum
16 is a term used to describe a society in which organized, influential minority
interests dominate the political process.
(A) Pluralistic
(B) Elitist
(C) Diverse
, (D) None of the above
Answer: (B) Elitist
17 Questions and debates that can be answered by careful observation can be described as
(A) empirical.
(B) normative.
(C) impossible.
(D) rare.
Answer: (A) empirical.
18 All of the following are basic goals of science EXCEPT:
(A) description.
(B) explanation.
(C) valuation.
(D) prediction.
Answer: (C) valuation.
19 A monarchy (in its pure form) is an example of an autocracy. Why?
Answer:
20 What term describes Aristotle’s view of the formation of the state, which contends that the
state naturally developed like a living being?
Answer:
21 An election in which a state legislature refers a proposed law to the voters for their
approval is defined as
(A) an initiative.
(B) a referendum.
(C) an open primary.
(D) an exit poll.
Answer: (B) a referendum.
22 What academic discipline is dedicated to the study of government, political institutions,
processes, and behavior?
(A) Political Science
(B) Biology
(C) History
(D) Economics
Answer: (A) Political Science
23 The idea that individual preferences should be given equal weight describes .
(A) political equality
and Political Science, 2e by Jon Bond (All Chapters)
2025\2026 Questions and Correct Answers
Chapter 1
1 models are inspired by economics, and assume that political decisions involve weighing
costs and benefits. models are inspired by psychology and sociology, and assume that
political decisions are a product of factors such as upbringing by parents.
Answer: Rational choice
Behavioral
2 means each individual should receive the same amount of material goods
regardless of their contribution to society.
(A) Equality of opportunity
(B) Equality under the law
(C) Social equality
(D) Economic equality
Answer: (D) Economic equality
3 In a direct democracy, who is/are the principle political decision makers?
(A) Citizens
(B) The president
(C) Representatives
(D) None of the above
Answer: (A) Citizens
4 Fifty percent plus one of all members or all eligible voters is know as
(A) a simple majority.
(B) an absolute majority.
(C) a blowout.
(D) a plurality.
Answer: (B) an absolute majority.
5 The largest percentage of a vote, when no one has a majority, is known as
(A) a simple majority.
(B) a minority win.
(C) a plurality.
(D) an absolute majority.
Answer: (C) a plurality.
,6 In which form of government do all the citizens have the opportunity to participate in the
process of making authoritative decisions and allocating resources?
(A) Democracy
(B) Autocracy
(C) Oligarchy
(D) Constitutional monarchy
Answer: (A) Democracy
7 A form of government in which the power to make decisions and allocate resources is
vested in one person is called
(A) oligarchy.
(B) autocracy.
(C) democracy.
(D) constitutional monarchy.
Answer: (B) autocracy.
8 Which of the following is NOT considered a basic form of government?
(A) Autocracy
(B) Oligarchy
(C) Initiative
(D) Democracy
Answer: (C) Initiative
9 The idea that people should be free from discrimination and class or social barriers is called
(A) social equality.
(B) democracy.
(C) political freedom.
(D) popular sovereignty.
Answer: (A) social equality.
10 The idea that people believe their views are “normal” and “common sense” and therefore
shared by most people is known as
(A) limited government.
(B) democracy.
(C) false consensus.
(D) ideology.
Answer: (C) false consensus.
11 Harold D. Lasswell's definition of is “who gets what, when, and how.”
(A) power struggle
(B) democracy
, (C) government
(D) politics
Answer: (D) politics
12 In Polisciland all important decisions are made by a single individual who serves as
supreme ruler for life. Polisciland has what form of government?
(A) Democracy
(B) Autocracy
(C) Federalism
(D) Oligarchy
Answer: (B) Autocracy
13 Political scientists who adopt science as the best means to gain useful knowledge about
politics and government are most interested in
(A) identifying which form of government is best.
(B) constructing empirical theories and testing explanations of why politics works the way it does.
(C) normative theory.
(D) using the scientific method to indoctrinate students to agree with their partisan and ideological
values.
Answer: (B) constructing empirical theories and testing explanations of why politics works the way it
does.
14 As a core democratic principal, majority rule is more important than
(A) political freedom.
(B) political equality.
(C) both of the above.
(D) none of the above.
Answer: (D) none of the above.
15 In which type of election do voters have an opportunity to make specific policy decisions?
(A) Recall elections
(B) Initiative and referendum
(C) Issue election
(D) Amending election
Answer: (B) Initiative and referendum
16 is a term used to describe a society in which organized, influential minority
interests dominate the political process.
(A) Pluralistic
(B) Elitist
(C) Diverse
, (D) None of the above
Answer: (B) Elitist
17 Questions and debates that can be answered by careful observation can be described as
(A) empirical.
(B) normative.
(C) impossible.
(D) rare.
Answer: (A) empirical.
18 All of the following are basic goals of science EXCEPT:
(A) description.
(B) explanation.
(C) valuation.
(D) prediction.
Answer: (C) valuation.
19 A monarchy (in its pure form) is an example of an autocracy. Why?
Answer:
20 What term describes Aristotle’s view of the formation of the state, which contends that the
state naturally developed like a living being?
Answer:
21 An election in which a state legislature refers a proposed law to the voters for their
approval is defined as
(A) an initiative.
(B) a referendum.
(C) an open primary.
(D) an exit poll.
Answer: (B) a referendum.
22 What academic discipline is dedicated to the study of government, political institutions,
processes, and behavior?
(A) Political Science
(B) Biology
(C) History
(D) Economics
Answer: (A) Political Science
23 The idea that individual preferences should be given equal weight describes .
(A) political equality
