Study Guide, POLI 110 Questions And
All Correct Answers.
federalists - Answer supported ratification of constitution
wanted stronger national government to keep peace (especially after Shay's Rebellion)
Includes Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, James Madison (most
influential federalist papers 10 & 51)
What makes BYU different from other universities? - Answer To think scholarly and also be
religious leaders are the same time. We can incorporate religion and be scholars.
anti-federalists - Answer opposed ratification of constitution (it didn't mention civil liberties
was one big argument of theirs, so the Federalists narrowly won Virginia by giving in and
promising the Bill of Rights)
almost got Thomas Jefferson, but he bowed out
no big names, just local figures
What is politics? Why is it hard? - Answer The process through which people who disagree
enact a policy that will be backed behind the law. It's difficult because people want different
things.
who wrote federalist papers and under what name? - Answer under name of "Publius"
Alexander Hamilton (wrote most), James Madison (most influential letters: 10 & 51), and John
Jay
How much do people agree about politics? - Answer Not much. They agree on the major
problem, but on the specifics, they tend to differ. Example being the two different political
platforms.
natural aristocracy - Answer aristocracy that arises from works and competition rather than
birth-right or special privileges.
Common American ideal that smartness and values get you to the top.
Why are we commanded to learn about governments, nations, and laws? - Answer "...to
obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man..."
D&C 93:53
"...shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom."
,Judicial Review - Answer strike down laws that oppose the constitution made by executive
and legislative branch
policy - Answer a course of action adopted by a government, party, business, or individual
Majority/Plurality - Answer majority is 51% wins, plurality is more than one and the little
groups that aren't majority can still have power. US is pluralist system.
false consensus bias - Answer When we assume everyone else agrees with what we do, even
if they do not.
Electoral College - Answer votes for president, delegates from states equal to reps in senate
and house from state
What is social science? - Answer Develop predictive theories of human behavior in diverse
contexts
Virginia Plan - Answer Made by Madison with GW
Proposed two chambers in legislative with representation based on population.
New Jersey plan was equal representation.
Why might rational behavior in an ungoverned environment produce undesirable outcomes? -
Answer People make stupid decisions that are rational, and there are a lot of challenges that
come with that behavior.
Articles of Confederation - Answer signed in 1781, "firm league of friendship"
no executive and judicial functions left to states
What are the tradeoffs involved in using governmental authority to address these situations? -
Answer A loss of some of your freedoms
Separation of Powers - Answer idea that came out of enlightenment of Constitution
coordination problem - Answer "You and I might prefer different outcomes but we're most
concerned that we all do it the same way."
, Supremacy Clause - Answer Supreme Court claims powers of judicial review, national law is
superior to state law
prisoner's dilemma - Answer "You and I can each profit by abusing the other, but we are best
off if we can trust each other."
Amendment Process - Answer Ratifying conventions, propose bill and pass both chambers in
2/3 and then pass state legislatures for ratification (3/4 vote to pass)
Constitutional conventions destroy constitutions, so that's probably why we don't have any
more (pg. 464)
chicken's game - Answer "You and I each benefit most by holding out until the other yields.
But if neither of us yields, disaster follows."
Natural Rights - Answer John Locke
pg. 27- life, liberty, and property
free rider problem - Answer "A mutliplayer PD. If we all contribute, we can produce a desire
outcome, but we all have reason to free ride."
Checks and Balances - Answer Three Branches that check each other and have balanced
powers (Judicial branch needed Supremacy court)
executive branch: appoints judges, but legislative branch must sustain (senate),
tragedy of the commons - Answer "An inverted free rider problem. If we all take no more
than our share, we can use a valuable resource indefinitely. But we all have reason to take too
much."
Marbury vs. Madison - Answer Marbury petitioned Supreme Court to have Madison (new
secretary of state) forced to give him his wages as the new Justice of the Peace.
Supreme Court denies petition and says it was unconstitutional for Marbury to come to
Supreme Court?
This gave Suprem Court Judicial Review power.
transaction costs - Answer the costs in time and other resources that parties incur in the
process of agreeing to and carrying out an exchange of goods or services
"Great Compromise" - Answer also dubbed "Connecticut Compomise"
small states have equal rep as big states in Senate while big states have more rep in House