POLS 102 SDSU MERCURIO MIDTERM 1|| QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT | NEW UPDATE 2025
1. The Power Problem: the need to grant government enough power to effectively
address the problems that people expect government to address, while also limiting
power enough so that government can be held accountable
2. National Government: The political organization that maintains control of our
nation, all 50 states, and divides its power among 3 branches.
Also known as the CENTRAL gov't, or the FEDERAL gov't
3. civil society: voluntary action that makes cooperation easier
4. business: private sector, but it is the private for-profit sector rather than the
not-for-profit sector
5. equality: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
6. justice: fairness; rightfulness
7. Retributive Justice: Fair punishment that fits the seriousness of the misbehavior.
8. Social Contract Theory: The belief that the people agree to set up rulers for
certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rulers who act against
those purposes. Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
9. restorative justice: An approach to punishment designed to repair the harm
done to the victim and the community by the offender's criminal act.
10. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): believed that life in a state of nature (that is,
life without government), would be"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" because
human beings are self-interested actors who will take advantage of others
11. John Locke (1632-1704): 1. English philosopher who wrote "The Second Trea-
tise of Government"
2. Viewed humans as basically rational beings who learn from experience
3. Formulated the theory of natural rights, arguing that people are born with basic
rights to "life, liberty, and property"
4. Insisted that governments are formed to protect natural rights
5. Stated that the governed have a right to rebel against rulers who violate natural
rights
12. Harm Principle (Mill): the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent
harm to other individuals
13. Anarchism: A political theory favoring the abolition of governments
14. Subsidiary Principle: directs that government action should be limited to those
1/
10
, situations where the private marketplace is unable to efficiently or equitably provide
a good or service.
15. free rider problem: For a group, the problem of people not joining because they
can benefit from the group's activities without joining.
16. market failure: - free rider problem
- externalities
2/
10
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT | NEW UPDATE 2025
1. The Power Problem: the need to grant government enough power to effectively
address the problems that people expect government to address, while also limiting
power enough so that government can be held accountable
2. National Government: The political organization that maintains control of our
nation, all 50 states, and divides its power among 3 branches.
Also known as the CENTRAL gov't, or the FEDERAL gov't
3. civil society: voluntary action that makes cooperation easier
4. business: private sector, but it is the private for-profit sector rather than the
not-for-profit sector
5. equality: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
6. justice: fairness; rightfulness
7. Retributive Justice: Fair punishment that fits the seriousness of the misbehavior.
8. Social Contract Theory: The belief that the people agree to set up rulers for
certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rulers who act against
those purposes. Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
9. restorative justice: An approach to punishment designed to repair the harm
done to the victim and the community by the offender's criminal act.
10. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): believed that life in a state of nature (that is,
life without government), would be"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" because
human beings are self-interested actors who will take advantage of others
11. John Locke (1632-1704): 1. English philosopher who wrote "The Second Trea-
tise of Government"
2. Viewed humans as basically rational beings who learn from experience
3. Formulated the theory of natural rights, arguing that people are born with basic
rights to "life, liberty, and property"
4. Insisted that governments are formed to protect natural rights
5. Stated that the governed have a right to rebel against rulers who violate natural
rights
12. Harm Principle (Mill): the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent
harm to other individuals
13. Anarchism: A political theory favoring the abolition of governments
14. Subsidiary Principle: directs that government action should be limited to those
1/
10
, situations where the private marketplace is unable to efficiently or equitably provide
a good or service.
15. free rider problem: For a group, the problem of people not joining because they
can benefit from the group's activities without joining.
16. market failure: - free rider problem
- externalities
2/
10
