POS 2041 Midterm Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Government - CORRECT ANSWER the institutions and processes through which public
policies are made for a society
Public goods - CORRECT ANSWER goods, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone
must share
Politics - CORRECT ANSWER the process by which we select our governmental leaders and
what policies these leaders pursue. Produces authoritative decisions about public issues
Policy making system - CORRECT ANSWER the process by which policy comes into being
and evolves. People's interest, problems, and concerns create political issues for government
policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests,
problems, and concerns
Policy making institutions - CORRECT ANSWER the branches of government charged with
taking action on political issues. The US constitution established three policy making institutions the
congress, the presidency, and the courts. Today, the power of the bureaucracy is so great that most
political scientists consider it a fourth policy making institution
Public policy - CORRECT ANSWER a choice that government makes in response to a
political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem
Types of public policies: A. Congressional Statue B. Presidential action C. Court decision D. Acengy
regulation - CORRECT ANSWER A. Law passed by congress
B. Decision by president
C. Opinion by supreme court or other court
D. Agency adoption of regulation
Direct (Athenian) Democracy - CORRECT ANSWER a system of selecting policymakers and
of organizing government so that policy responds and represents to the public's preferences
, Representative Democracy
A. Majority Rule
B. Minority Rights - CORRECT ANSWER A. A fundamental principle of traditional
democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority's desire be
respected. (The policies made should reflect the will of over half the voters)
B. A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to
majorities. (freedom of assembly, speech, and so on)
Equality in voting - CORRECT ANSWER the principle of "one person one vote" is basic to
democracy
Effective participation - CORRECT ANSWER citizens must have adequate and equal
opportunities to express their preferences throughout the decision making process
Enlightened understanding - CORRECT ANSWER a democratic society must be a marketplace
of ideas. A free press and free speech are essential to civic understanding. If one group monopolizes
and distorts information, citizens cannot truly understand issues
Citizen control of the agenda - CORRECT ANSWER citizens should have the collective right
to control the government's policy agenda. If particular groups, such as the wealthy, have influence far
exceeding what would be expected based on their numbers, then the agenda will be distorted, the
government will not be addressing the issues that the public as a whole feels are most important.
Pluralism - CORRECT ANSWER A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the
policy making process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no
single group usually dominating. Pluralists tend to believe that public interest generally prevails
Elitism - CORRECT ANSWER A theory of American democracy contending that societies are
divided along class lines and that an upper class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of
the formal governmental organization
Origins of the Revolution - CORRECT ANSWER North America, Philadelphia
Natural Rights - CORRECT ANSWER rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on
governments, which include life, liberty, and property.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Government - CORRECT ANSWER the institutions and processes through which public
policies are made for a society
Public goods - CORRECT ANSWER goods, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone
must share
Politics - CORRECT ANSWER the process by which we select our governmental leaders and
what policies these leaders pursue. Produces authoritative decisions about public issues
Policy making system - CORRECT ANSWER the process by which policy comes into being
and evolves. People's interest, problems, and concerns create political issues for government
policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests,
problems, and concerns
Policy making institutions - CORRECT ANSWER the branches of government charged with
taking action on political issues. The US constitution established three policy making institutions the
congress, the presidency, and the courts. Today, the power of the bureaucracy is so great that most
political scientists consider it a fourth policy making institution
Public policy - CORRECT ANSWER a choice that government makes in response to a
political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem
Types of public policies: A. Congressional Statue B. Presidential action C. Court decision D. Acengy
regulation - CORRECT ANSWER A. Law passed by congress
B. Decision by president
C. Opinion by supreme court or other court
D. Agency adoption of regulation
Direct (Athenian) Democracy - CORRECT ANSWER a system of selecting policymakers and
of organizing government so that policy responds and represents to the public's preferences
, Representative Democracy
A. Majority Rule
B. Minority Rights - CORRECT ANSWER A. A fundamental principle of traditional
democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority's desire be
respected. (The policies made should reflect the will of over half the voters)
B. A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to
majorities. (freedom of assembly, speech, and so on)
Equality in voting - CORRECT ANSWER the principle of "one person one vote" is basic to
democracy
Effective participation - CORRECT ANSWER citizens must have adequate and equal
opportunities to express their preferences throughout the decision making process
Enlightened understanding - CORRECT ANSWER a democratic society must be a marketplace
of ideas. A free press and free speech are essential to civic understanding. If one group monopolizes
and distorts information, citizens cannot truly understand issues
Citizen control of the agenda - CORRECT ANSWER citizens should have the collective right
to control the government's policy agenda. If particular groups, such as the wealthy, have influence far
exceeding what would be expected based on their numbers, then the agenda will be distorted, the
government will not be addressing the issues that the public as a whole feels are most important.
Pluralism - CORRECT ANSWER A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the
policy making process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no
single group usually dominating. Pluralists tend to believe that public interest generally prevails
Elitism - CORRECT ANSWER A theory of American democracy contending that societies are
divided along class lines and that an upper class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of
the formal governmental organization
Origins of the Revolution - CORRECT ANSWER North America, Philadelphia
Natural Rights - CORRECT ANSWER rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on
governments, which include life, liberty, and property.
