POLS 136 Final Exam questions and
answers
Checks and balances - ANSWER>>The principle that each branch of government
has the authority to block the other branches, making it more difficult for anyone
to exercise too much power. It makes passing legislation far more difficult in the
United States than in most o ther democracies.
Electoral College - ANSWER>>The system established by the Constitution to elect
the president; each state has a number of electors (equal to the size of its
congressional delegation in House and Senate); the public in each state votes for
electors who then vote for the president.
Institutions - ANSWER>>The rules and organizations built into the government.
Military Industrial Complex - ANSWER>>A network of influence and money
flowing between defense contractors, military figures in the Pentagon, and
defense policy officials in Congress and the White House.
Political machines - ANSWER>>Corrupt parties that ran many city and state
governments in the nineteenth century.
Public-Private Partnership - ANSWER>>A government program or service
provided through joint efforts of private-sector actors (usually businesses) and
public officials.
Republic - ANSWER>>The people rule indirectly through their elected officials.
Individualism - ANSWER>>The idea that individuals, not the society or the
community or the government, are responsible for their own well-being.
,Initiative - ANSWER>>Process which allows citizens to propose new
laws/amendments to the state constitution.
Negative Liberty - ANSWER>>Freedom is the absence of constraints and to act as
you want.
Positive Liberty - ANSWER>>The freedom to pursue one's goals, but it justifies
government involvement to help people achieve their goals.
Political culture - ANSWER>>The orientation of citizens of a state toward politics.
Political equality - ANSWER>>Every citizen has the same political rights and
opportunities.
Referendum - ANSWER>>Citizens vote directly on an issue.
Self-rule - ANSWER>>The idea that legitimate government flows from the people.
Social democracy - ANSWER>>A government whose citizens are responsible for
one another's well-being and use government policy to assure that all are
comfortably cared for.
Equal opportunity - ANSWER>>The idea that every American has an equal chance.
Democracy - ANSWER>>A government in which citizens rule directly and make
government decisions for themselves.
Social equality - ANSWER>>All individuals enjoy the same status in society.
Filtration - ANSWER>>When citizens elect representatives to make choices on
their behalf.
, Bicameral - ANSWER>>Having two legislative bouses or chambers--like the House
and the Senate.
Bill of Rights - ANSWER>>The first ten amendments to the Constitution, listing the
rights guaranteed to every citizen.
Classical republicanism - ANSWER>>A democratic ideal, rooted in ancient Greece
and Rome, that requires citizens to participate directly in public affairs, seek the
public interest, shun private gains, and defer to natural leaders.
Confederation - ANSWER>>A group of independent states or nations that yield
some of their powers to a national government, although each state retains a
degree of sovereign authority.
Delegate representation - ANSWER>>When representatives follow expressed
wishes of the voters.
Trustee representation - ANSWER>>Representatives do what they regard as the
best interest of the voters--independent of what the voters want.
Federalism - ANSWER>>Power divided between national and state government.
Each has its own independent authority and its own duties.
The New Jersey Plan - ANSWER>>Put forward at the convention by the small
states, it left most government authority with the state governments.
The Virginia Plan - ANSWER>>Madison's plan, embraced by Constitutional
Convention delegates from larger states; strengthened the national government
relative to state governments.
Originalism - ANSWER>>A principle of interpretation that relies on the original
meaning of those who wrote the Constitution.
answers
Checks and balances - ANSWER>>The principle that each branch of government
has the authority to block the other branches, making it more difficult for anyone
to exercise too much power. It makes passing legislation far more difficult in the
United States than in most o ther democracies.
Electoral College - ANSWER>>The system established by the Constitution to elect
the president; each state has a number of electors (equal to the size of its
congressional delegation in House and Senate); the public in each state votes for
electors who then vote for the president.
Institutions - ANSWER>>The rules and organizations built into the government.
Military Industrial Complex - ANSWER>>A network of influence and money
flowing between defense contractors, military figures in the Pentagon, and
defense policy officials in Congress and the White House.
Political machines - ANSWER>>Corrupt parties that ran many city and state
governments in the nineteenth century.
Public-Private Partnership - ANSWER>>A government program or service
provided through joint efforts of private-sector actors (usually businesses) and
public officials.
Republic - ANSWER>>The people rule indirectly through their elected officials.
Individualism - ANSWER>>The idea that individuals, not the society or the
community or the government, are responsible for their own well-being.
,Initiative - ANSWER>>Process which allows citizens to propose new
laws/amendments to the state constitution.
Negative Liberty - ANSWER>>Freedom is the absence of constraints and to act as
you want.
Positive Liberty - ANSWER>>The freedom to pursue one's goals, but it justifies
government involvement to help people achieve their goals.
Political culture - ANSWER>>The orientation of citizens of a state toward politics.
Political equality - ANSWER>>Every citizen has the same political rights and
opportunities.
Referendum - ANSWER>>Citizens vote directly on an issue.
Self-rule - ANSWER>>The idea that legitimate government flows from the people.
Social democracy - ANSWER>>A government whose citizens are responsible for
one another's well-being and use government policy to assure that all are
comfortably cared for.
Equal opportunity - ANSWER>>The idea that every American has an equal chance.
Democracy - ANSWER>>A government in which citizens rule directly and make
government decisions for themselves.
Social equality - ANSWER>>All individuals enjoy the same status in society.
Filtration - ANSWER>>When citizens elect representatives to make choices on
their behalf.
, Bicameral - ANSWER>>Having two legislative bouses or chambers--like the House
and the Senate.
Bill of Rights - ANSWER>>The first ten amendments to the Constitution, listing the
rights guaranteed to every citizen.
Classical republicanism - ANSWER>>A democratic ideal, rooted in ancient Greece
and Rome, that requires citizens to participate directly in public affairs, seek the
public interest, shun private gains, and defer to natural leaders.
Confederation - ANSWER>>A group of independent states or nations that yield
some of their powers to a national government, although each state retains a
degree of sovereign authority.
Delegate representation - ANSWER>>When representatives follow expressed
wishes of the voters.
Trustee representation - ANSWER>>Representatives do what they regard as the
best interest of the voters--independent of what the voters want.
Federalism - ANSWER>>Power divided between national and state government.
Each has its own independent authority and its own duties.
The New Jersey Plan - ANSWER>>Put forward at the convention by the small
states, it left most government authority with the state governments.
The Virginia Plan - ANSWER>>Madison's plan, embraced by Constitutional
Convention delegates from larger states; strengthened the national government
relative to state governments.
Originalism - ANSWER>>A principle of interpretation that relies on the original
meaning of those who wrote the Constitution.
