Chapter 01
Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible
Citizen
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following characterizes journalist Walter Lippmann's views on democracy?
A. He felt that well-funded private interest groups and lobbyists had taken the true
majoritarian power of democracy away from the voting public.
B. He felt that modern democratic government had become an unhealthy, pluralistic
enterprise.
C. He believed that among forms of government, only democracy could provide a citizen
with the ability to be a "progressive being."
D. He worried that most citizens are too uninformed to play the role democracy assigns
them.
E. None of these answers is correct.
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2. John Stuart Mill believed that any form of government should be judged on its ability to
A. offer the individual a "plethora of policy options" in the democratic process.
B. transfer power peacefully from one set of governing officials to the next.
C. provide social services for its citizenry.
D. maintain peace and order in the territory over which it has control.
E. promote the individual as "a progressive being."
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
,3. Based on his conception of responsible citizenship, John Stuart Mill felt that the best form
of government was
A. authoritarianism.
B. anarchism.
C. communism.
D. democracy.
E. socialism.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
4. What type of government suppresses individuality, forcing people to think and act in
prescribed ways or risk punishment?
A. communistic
B. socialistic
C. authoritarian
D. egalitarian
E. republican
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5. In a democratic society, who or what is responsible for personal development?
A. the education system
B. political parties
C. the progressive being
D. the individual
E. parents, ministers, and political leaders
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
,6. What is the major barrier to political thinking?
A. unwillingness of citizens to make the effort
B. lack of access to governmental institutions
C. elite control of political power resources
D. failure of politicians and government institutions to communicate policy details to the
public
E. lack of access to news media sources outside of sensationalist television or Internet
content
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
7. Compared to two decades ago, contemporary Americans are, on average,
A. far better informed about political affairs.
B. at about the same level of being informed about political affairs.
C. getting most of their news from traditional media sources such as newspapers.
D. much more knowledgeable about the functioning of America's political institutions.
E. paying more attention to news sources that have an obvious ideological bias.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
8. Research suggests which of the following is primarily to blame for misinformation
spreading easily?
A. lack of exposure to other sources of information
B. a failure of by the news to cover both sides of a story equally
C. a growing disinterest in seeking out news items
D. the growing public gap in access to more advanced forms of media transmission, such as
the Internet
E. the increasing political polarization of elected politicians
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
, 9. (p. 5) In a survey of college students, the Intercollegiate Studies Association found that the
best predictor of a student's later participation in the nation's civic and political life is
A. a college degree.
B. a solid understanding of public affairs.
C. participation in student government.
D. participation in Greek life.
E. attending a school with a residential campus versus a "commuter" campus.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
10. This person was the chief architect of the United States Constitution and also one of
America's top political scientists
A. James Madison.
B. Andrew Jackson.
C. Woodrow Wilson.
D. Benjamin Franklin.
E. John Adams.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
11. Which important aspect of European thought had a big impact on the formation of the
political culture of America?
A. Romanticism
B. Reformation
C. Renaissance
D. Rationalism
E. Enlightenment
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible
Citizen
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following characterizes journalist Walter Lippmann's views on democracy?
A. He felt that well-funded private interest groups and lobbyists had taken the true
majoritarian power of democracy away from the voting public.
B. He felt that modern democratic government had become an unhealthy, pluralistic
enterprise.
C. He believed that among forms of government, only democracy could provide a citizen
with the ability to be a "progressive being."
D. He worried that most citizens are too uninformed to play the role democracy assigns
them.
E. None of these answers is correct.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
2. John Stuart Mill believed that any form of government should be judged on its ability to
A. offer the individual a "plethora of policy options" in the democratic process.
B. transfer power peacefully from one set of governing officials to the next.
C. provide social services for its citizenry.
D. maintain peace and order in the territory over which it has control.
E. promote the individual as "a progressive being."
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
,3. Based on his conception of responsible citizenship, John Stuart Mill felt that the best form
of government was
A. authoritarianism.
B. anarchism.
C. communism.
D. democracy.
E. socialism.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
4. What type of government suppresses individuality, forcing people to think and act in
prescribed ways or risk punishment?
A. communistic
B. socialistic
C. authoritarian
D. egalitarian
E. republican
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5. In a democratic society, who or what is responsible for personal development?
A. the education system
B. political parties
C. the progressive being
D. the individual
E. parents, ministers, and political leaders
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
,6. What is the major barrier to political thinking?
A. unwillingness of citizens to make the effort
B. lack of access to governmental institutions
C. elite control of political power resources
D. failure of politicians and government institutions to communicate policy details to the
public
E. lack of access to news media sources outside of sensationalist television or Internet
content
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
7. Compared to two decades ago, contemporary Americans are, on average,
A. far better informed about political affairs.
B. at about the same level of being informed about political affairs.
C. getting most of their news from traditional media sources such as newspapers.
D. much more knowledgeable about the functioning of America's political institutions.
E. paying more attention to news sources that have an obvious ideological bias.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
8. Research suggests which of the following is primarily to blame for misinformation
spreading easily?
A. lack of exposure to other sources of information
B. a failure of by the news to cover both sides of a story equally
C. a growing disinterest in seeking out news items
D. the growing public gap in access to more advanced forms of media transmission, such as
the Internet
E. the increasing political polarization of elected politicians
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
, 9. (p. 5) In a survey of college students, the Intercollegiate Studies Association found that the
best predictor of a student's later participation in the nation's civic and political life is
A. a college degree.
B. a solid understanding of public affairs.
C. participation in student government.
D. participation in Greek life.
E. attending a school with a residential campus versus a "commuter" campus.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
10. This person was the chief architect of the United States Constitution and also one of
America's top political scientists
A. James Madison.
B. Andrew Jackson.
C. Woodrow Wilson.
D. Benjamin Franklin.
E. John Adams.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
11. Which important aspect of European thought had a big impact on the formation of the
political culture of America?
A. Romanticism
B. Reformation
C. Renaissance
D. Rationalism
E. Enlightenment
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
