Government in America 11th edition Chapter 1 – Flashcards

Which of the following statements about youth participation in the U.S. is TRUE? a. More than one-half of Americans under the age of 30 say that they rarely follow politics. b. Young people score higher on political knowledge surveys than do older Americans. c. Younger Americans are more likely to vote than are older Americans. d. Young people today score better on political knowledge tests than did young people in the early 1970s. e. All of these are true.

At the center of all theories of elite domination of politics is a. the Congress. b. the president. c. the nouveau riche. d. the Trilateral Commission. e. big business.

According to hyperpluralists, the increasing caseloads of federal and state courts demonstrate a. the inability to control the bureaucracy in implementing policy. b. the high status of attorneys in the United States. c. the expanding scope of government in the United States. d. the increasing complexity of our social networks. e. that groups are more likely to appeal to different institutions in order to gain policy benefits.

Pluralist theory suggests that, in the United States, a. too many influential groups cripple government's ability to govern. b. society is governed by an upper-class elite. c. Congress is stronger and more influential than the presidency. d. because most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues, government has become an elite institution. e. many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics.

The principle that, in a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires the majority's desire to be respected is called a. majority rule. b. enlightened understanding. c. representation. d. minority rights. e. pluralism.

The relationship between groups and the government in hyperpluralist theory is a. strong government and strong groups. b. too few groups result in the creation of many governments. c. weak groups and strong government. d. strong groups and weak government. e. weak groups, strong elites, and weak government.

Which president said, "As government expands, liberty contracts"? a. Ronald Reagan b. Richard Nixon c. Bill Clinton d. Jimmy Carter e. Barack Obama

The diversity of the American people is reflected in a great diversity of interests, which may pose a challenge to democracy to the extent that a. it leads to lower levels of political participation. b. it contributes to policy gridlock. c. interests conflict and, thus, each interest uses its influence to thwart others. d. it makes it more difficult for government to deliver policies that are responsive to all citizens' needs and interests. e. All of these are true.

According to James Q. Wilson, an "intense commitment to a candidate, a culture, or an ideology that sets people in one group definitively apart from people in another, rival group" is a definition of a. reification. b. laissez-faire economics. c. polarization. d. liberalism. e. socialization.

The political channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda are known as linkage institutions. True or False

Free speech and a free press are essential to which principle of traditional democratic theory? a. Inclusion b. Effective participation c. Equality in voting d. Citizen control of the agenda e. Enlightened understanding

Escalating campaign costs pose a challenge to contemporary American democracy because a. candidates have become dependent on PACs, which represent specific economic interests rather than the American people as a whole. b. candidates may be more likely to pay attention to PACs because they depend on PAC contributions for reelection. c. candidates' reliance on PACs and PAC contributions makes them more likely to get involved in single-issue politics. d. the influence of PAC money on the electoral process widens the gap between democratic theory and the reality of democracy in America. e. All of the above are true.

An example of a public good is a. food stamps. b. a college education. c. national defense. d. a toll road. e. medical care.

Government is typically made up of the institutions that make decisions for a society. True or Flase

Politics determines whom we selct as our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. True or False

All of the following are considered linkage institutions. EXCEPT a. the media b. interest groups c. political parties d. courts e. elections

The theory of hyperplualism is based on the assumption that input from interest groups is good for the political decision making process. True or False

According to Robert Dahl's traditional democratic theory, an ideal democratic process should satisfy all of the following criteria EXCEPT a. equality in voting b. effective participation c. enlightened understanding d. citizen control of the agenda e. majority rule