UNT PSCI 2306 EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
Define politics. - Answer -Process of influencing the actions of officials and the policies
of a nation, state, locality, or community.
Explain what is the law. - Answer -Rules and regulations made and enforced by
government that regulate the conduct of people within a society
Explain what are institutions. - Answer -Specific arrangements through which political
power is organized and exercised
Explain the purpose of politics. - Answer -Process of determining "Who gets what,
when, and how" (Laswell)
Describe direct democracy. - Answer -A political system in which citizens vote directly
on public policies.
Describe indirect democracy. - Answer -People choose representatives who make
decisions on their behalf.
What are the differences between a delegate and a trustee? - Answer -Delegates are
representatives that act/vote based on the preferences of the citizens who elected them.
Trustees are representatives that act/vote on behalf of what they believe will best serve
the public's interest.
Explain the social contract. - Answer -An agreement in which people give their
government the ability to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society.
Citizens must participate and hold officials accountable.
Explain how citizens benefit from participating in a democracy. - Answer -Ability to
influence politics and policy.
Participation helps ensure stability.
Wide variety of participants prevents any one group from dominating.
Ensures that citizens are more tolerant of wide-ranging political views.
Define and explain other forms of government including oligarchies and monarchies. -
Answer -Monarchies
Tyrannies
Aristocracies
, Oligarchies
Anarchies
Explain how citizens differ from subjects. - Answer -Subjects look up to a master, but
citizens are so far equal, that none have hereditary rights superior to others. Each
citizen of a free state contains, within himself, by nature and the constitution, as much of
the common sovereignty as another.
Define and explain the function of a political culture. - Answer -General political
orientation or disposition of a nation.
Helps us bridge divides and provides people with a common language for talking about
politics.
Gives us a shared set of normative beliefs values, and attitudes about how government
should function.
Define political ideology and partisan identification and explain their functions. - Answer
-Political ideology is the set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of
government action.
Partisan identification is an individual's attachment to a particular political party.
Explain how political culture, political ideology, and partisan identifications are
connected. - Answer -
Explain the concept and purpose of pluralism. - Answer -Theory of government
influence that views the distribution of political power among many competing groups to
keep any one of them in check
-
US government has multiple opportunities to participate and it provides open access to
a wide variety of government officials
-
Many citizens and organizations participate, making it difficult for any one group or
interest to dominate the process.
Explain how and why Americans value individualism. - Answer -Individuals are seen as
responsible for their own well-being.
Assume that what is good for society automatically follows from individuals pursuing
their own interests.
Explain how and why Americans value liberty or freedom. - Answer -Negative Liberty -
freedom is the absence of constraints
Define politics. - Answer -Process of influencing the actions of officials and the policies
of a nation, state, locality, or community.
Explain what is the law. - Answer -Rules and regulations made and enforced by
government that regulate the conduct of people within a society
Explain what are institutions. - Answer -Specific arrangements through which political
power is organized and exercised
Explain the purpose of politics. - Answer -Process of determining "Who gets what,
when, and how" (Laswell)
Describe direct democracy. - Answer -A political system in which citizens vote directly
on public policies.
Describe indirect democracy. - Answer -People choose representatives who make
decisions on their behalf.
What are the differences between a delegate and a trustee? - Answer -Delegates are
representatives that act/vote based on the preferences of the citizens who elected them.
Trustees are representatives that act/vote on behalf of what they believe will best serve
the public's interest.
Explain the social contract. - Answer -An agreement in which people give their
government the ability to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society.
Citizens must participate and hold officials accountable.
Explain how citizens benefit from participating in a democracy. - Answer -Ability to
influence politics and policy.
Participation helps ensure stability.
Wide variety of participants prevents any one group from dominating.
Ensures that citizens are more tolerant of wide-ranging political views.
Define and explain other forms of government including oligarchies and monarchies. -
Answer -Monarchies
Tyrannies
Aristocracies
, Oligarchies
Anarchies
Explain how citizens differ from subjects. - Answer -Subjects look up to a master, but
citizens are so far equal, that none have hereditary rights superior to others. Each
citizen of a free state contains, within himself, by nature and the constitution, as much of
the common sovereignty as another.
Define and explain the function of a political culture. - Answer -General political
orientation or disposition of a nation.
Helps us bridge divides and provides people with a common language for talking about
politics.
Gives us a shared set of normative beliefs values, and attitudes about how government
should function.
Define political ideology and partisan identification and explain their functions. - Answer
-Political ideology is the set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of
government action.
Partisan identification is an individual's attachment to a particular political party.
Explain how political culture, political ideology, and partisan identifications are
connected. - Answer -
Explain the concept and purpose of pluralism. - Answer -Theory of government
influence that views the distribution of political power among many competing groups to
keep any one of them in check
-
US government has multiple opportunities to participate and it provides open access to
a wide variety of government officials
-
Many citizens and organizations participate, making it difficult for any one group or
interest to dominate the process.
Explain how and why Americans value individualism. - Answer -Individuals are seen as
responsible for their own well-being.
Assume that what is good for society automatically follows from individuals pursuing
their own interests.
Explain how and why Americans value liberty or freedom. - Answer -Negative Liberty -
freedom is the absence of constraints
