ANSWERS GRADE A+ ASSURED(REAL DEAL)
Question 1
In the Ferraz & Finan article on corruption in Brazil, what is the key independent variable (IV)
used to test the effect of transparency on electoral outcomes?
A) The level of media coverage in the municipality.
B) The incumbent mayor's political party.
C) The size of the municipal budget.
D) The public release of a corruption audit's findings.
E) The unemployment rate in the municipality.
Correct Answer: D) The public release of a corruption audit's findings
Rationale: The study's design hinges on whether the results of a federal anti-corruption audit
were publicized before the election. This public disclosure is the treatment or independent
variable that is expected to influence voter behavior.
Question 2
What is the dependent variable (DV) in Ferraz & Finan's study on the electoral consequences of
corruption audits?
A) The amount of corruption found in the audit.
B) The number of new candidates who ran for office.
C) Whether the incumbent mayor was reelected.
D) The level of public spending on infrastructure.
E) The voter turnout rate in the election.
Correct Answer: C) Whether the incumbent mayor was reelected
Rationale: The study's main outcome of interest (the dependent variable) is the electoral fate
of the incumbent mayor. The authors measure whether the audit's release affected the
incumbent's chances of winning reelection.
Question 3
Which statement best summarizes the main finding of the Ferraz & Finan article regarding the
impact of corruption audits?
,A) Publicizing audits always decreases support for the incumbent, regardless of the findings.
B) Audits only reduce support if corruption is found but can increase support if no corruption is
found.
C) Audits have no significant impact on reelection rates because voters do not trust the media.
D) Audits increase support for incumbents because they are seen as a sign of government
competence.
E) Only audits that reveal extremely high levels of corruption affect election outcomes.
Correct Answer: B) Audits only reduce support if corruption is found but can increase support
if no corruption is found
Rationale: This is the core conclusion of Ferraz & Finan. The effect of transparency is
conditional: it punishes corrupt officials but can reward those who are found to be clean,
demonstrating that information and accountability are linked.
Question 4
In Stasavage's article on education spending in Africa, what is the main independent variable
(IV) explaining shifts in education spending priorities?
A) The level of foreign aid received for education.
B) The presence of multiparty elections.
C) The country's gross domestic product (GDP).
D) The literacy rate of the adult population.
E) The influence of teachers' unions.
Correct Answer: B) The presence of multiparty elections
Rationale: The article investigates how the introduction of competitive multiparty elections
changes the political incentives for governments, which in turn affects how they allocate
spending on different levels of education.
Question 5
According to the education article by Stasavage, what is the dependent variable (DV) that is
influenced by the presence of elections?
A) The quality of university infrastructure.
B) The number of students who graduate from primary school.
,C) The curriculum taught in public schools.
D) The government's relative spending on primary versus university education.
E) The salaries of public school teachers.
Correct Answer: D) The government's relative spending on primary versus university
education
Rationale: The study's outcome variable is the allocation of the education budget. The author
examines whether the introduction of democracy leads to a shift in spending towards primary
education and away from tertiary (university) education.
Question 6
Why do some governments spend more on primary education after democratization, according
to Stasavage's article?
A) Universities are seen as centers of political opposition and are punished with budget cuts.
B) International aid organizations mandate that all funding must go to primary education.
C) In democracies, rural districts gain more political power and demand more spending on
primary education.
D) University students are better at organizing protests, forcing governments to defund them.
E) Democratic leaders believe primary education is a fundamental human right.
Correct Answer: C) In democracies, rural districts gain more political power and demand more
spending on primary education
Rationale: The theory is that democracies empower a broader electorate, including the more
numerous rural populations who benefit from primary schools. In contrast, autocratic regimes
may cater to urban elites who benefit more from university spending.
Question 7
According to the health article discussed in the course, what is the main finding regarding the
impact of elections in autocracies on health outcomes?
A) Elections in autocracies lead to the privatization of healthcare, harming the poor.
B) Elections in autocracies have no significant effect on public health spending or outcomes.
C) Elections in autocracies are often followed by civil conflict, which destroys health
infrastructure.
, D) Elections in autocracies induce public spending and are correlated with a decrease in infant
mortality.
E) Elections in autocracies lead to cuts in health spending to fund security forces.
Correct Answer: D) Elections in autocracies induce public spending and are correlated with a
decrease in infant mortality
Rationale: The article suggests that even in non-democratic settings, the need to compete for
some level of public support during an election creates incentives for leaders to increase
spending on public goods like healthcare, leading to positive outcomes like lower infant
mortality.
Question 8
In the health article examining the spread of disease during conflict, which theory does the
author find to be the best explanation for the increased prevalence of diseases like HIV/AIDS?
A) The deliberate use of disease as a weapon of war by armies.
B) The destruction of health infrastructure like hospitals and clinics.
C) An increase in sex work catering to soldiers.
D) The mass displacement of people (refugees), which increases contact and transmission rates.
E) The poor access to modern healthcare and medicine.
Correct Answer: D) The mass displacement of people (refugees), which increases contact and
transmission rates
Rationale: The article concludes that the primary mechanism linking conflict to disease spread
is the large-scale movement of populations. Displacement and refugee flows break down
community structures and increase the odds of infected and uninfected people coming into
contact.
Question 9
In the article "In Whose Interest?", what institutional condition leads to more congruence
(agreement) between the policy priorities of female legislators and female citizens?
A) The presence of a strong autocratic leader.
B) A political system with weak, unenforced democratic institutions.
C) Better, more robust democratic institutions.