CHAPTER 1: Five Principles of Politics
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The two fundamental questions that allow us to find patterns and order in the chaos of politics
are:
a. Who governs? and How do they govern?
b. Who runs for office? and Who wins?
c. What do we observe? and Why?
d. What is government? and Who runs it?
e. Why do we need government? and Who runs it?
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4
TOP: Can We Find Order in the Chaos of Politics? (I.A) MSC: Factual
2. The general term used to describe the formal political arrangement by which a land and its people
are ruled is known as:
a. formalism
b. government
c. authoritarianism
d. constitutionalism
e. monarchism
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: What Is Government?
(I.B)
MSC: Factual
3. The institutions and processes through which a land and its people are ruled are known as:
, a. culture
b. society
c. nationalism
d. government
e. monarchism
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: What Is Government?
(I.B)
MSC: Factual
4. A form of government in which a single individual—king, queen, or dictator—rules is known as:
a. a unigarchy
b. an oligarchy
c. an autocracy
d. totalitarianism
e. authoritarianism
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
MSC: Factual
5. When England colonized America under the rule of King George, it exemplified the
governmental system known as:
a. a unigarchy
b. an oligarchy
c. an autocracy
d. totalitarianism
e. a democracy
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
, MSC: Applied
6. Autocracy can best be defined as rule by:
a. all
b. one
c. few
d. many
e. self-executing laws
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
MSC: Factual
7. When a small group of landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants controls most of the
governing decisions, the government is said to be a(n):
a. theocracy
b. oligarchy
c. autocracy
d. meritocracy
e. democracy
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Factual
8. On the small island nation of Tamazia, the small but elite group of purple-spotted Tamazians,
who own most of the land on the more fruitful north side, have invaded the less productive
southern sections of the island. Now, they have taken control of all political institutions.
Consequently, the pink-spotted and green-spotted Tamazians who make up the majority of the
island inhabitants have to submit to the will of the purple-spotted Tamazians. This new
government on the island nation of Tamazia would most correctly be classified as:
a. oligarchic
b. autocratic
, c. democratic
d. constitutional
e. totalitarian
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Applied
9. If the populace has some influence over decision making, the government is most likely:
a. pluralistic
b. autocratic
c. constitutional
d. representative
e. democratic
ANS: E DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Democracy (I.C.ii)
MSC: Factual
10. A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process,
usually through the selection of key public officials, is called:
a. democratic
b. pluralistic
c. constitutional
d. oligarchic
e. totalitarian
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Factual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The two fundamental questions that allow us to find patterns and order in the chaos of politics
are:
a. Who governs? and How do they govern?
b. Who runs for office? and Who wins?
c. What do we observe? and Why?
d. What is government? and Who runs it?
e. Why do we need government? and Who runs it?
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4
TOP: Can We Find Order in the Chaos of Politics? (I.A) MSC: Factual
2. The general term used to describe the formal political arrangement by which a land and its people
are ruled is known as:
a. formalism
b. government
c. authoritarianism
d. constitutionalism
e. monarchism
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: What Is Government?
(I.B)
MSC: Factual
3. The institutions and processes through which a land and its people are ruled are known as:
, a. culture
b. society
c. nationalism
d. government
e. monarchism
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: What Is Government?
(I.B)
MSC: Factual
4. A form of government in which a single individual—king, queen, or dictator—rules is known as:
a. a unigarchy
b. an oligarchy
c. an autocracy
d. totalitarianism
e. authoritarianism
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
MSC: Factual
5. When England colonized America under the rule of King George, it exemplified the
governmental system known as:
a. a unigarchy
b. an oligarchy
c. an autocracy
d. totalitarianism
e. a democracy
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
, MSC: Applied
6. Autocracy can best be defined as rule by:
a. all
b. one
c. few
d. many
e. self-executing laws
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Autocracy (I.C.i)
MSC: Factual
7. When a small group of landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants controls most of the
governing decisions, the government is said to be a(n):
a. theocracy
b. oligarchy
c. autocracy
d. meritocracy
e. democracy
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Factual
8. On the small island nation of Tamazia, the small but elite group of purple-spotted Tamazians,
who own most of the land on the more fruitful north side, have invaded the less productive
southern sections of the island. Now, they have taken control of all political institutions.
Consequently, the pink-spotted and green-spotted Tamazians who make up the majority of the
island inhabitants have to submit to the will of the purple-spotted Tamazians. This new
government on the island nation of Tamazia would most correctly be classified as:
a. oligarchic
b. autocratic
, c. democratic
d. constitutional
e. totalitarian
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Applied
9. If the populace has some influence over decision making, the government is most likely:
a. pluralistic
b. autocratic
c. constitutional
d. representative
e. democratic
ANS: E DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Democracy (I.C.ii)
MSC: Factual
10. A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process,
usually through the selection of key public officials, is called:
a. democratic
b. pluralistic
c. constitutional
d. oligarchic
e. totalitarian
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 6 TOP: Oligarchy (I.C.iii)
MSC: Factual
