GOV 310L Midterm Exam 3 Questions
with All Solved Solutions.
What are the formal institutions in Government? - Answer Congress
Presidency
Bureaucracy
Courts
What did David Hume say about institutions? - Answer Must have institutions to prevent
sudden whims of change.
- Institutions continue integrity of system; constrain activities.
What are agency and structure? How do they relate to institutions - Answer Agency: capacity
of individuals to act independently and make own free choices.
Structures: recurrent patterned arrangements, which limit and influence choices and
opportunities.
*Institutions are in between both*
- have some structure but not a complete lack of agency.
Other definitions of institutions - Answer *Anthony Giddens Definition*
- more enduring features of social life; everyday, recurring.
*Rom Harre definition*
- interlocking double structure of office holders and social practices.
- way you behave in one institution is different from another.
*Douglass North definition*
- institutions are rules of the game in society; humanly devised constraints.
- created by other individuals
- structure incentives and guide behavior
- control the manner in which people interact.
What do institutions accomplish? - Answer *Division of labor and regular procedure*
,- provide roles; some level of normalcy and stability.
- clearly defined roles and procedures allows individuals certain levels of comfort.
*Specialization of labor*
- allows individuals to become specialists at task.
*Jurisdictions*
- separate tasks and duties.
*Delegation and monitoring*
- giving task to someone and knowing what to expect.
What is the difference between a formal and an informal institution? - Answer *Formal is a
written institution; clearly defined and established.*
- informal is an unwritten, unestablished entity which is difficult to enforce.
*Formal political institutions are those that should exist by law*
- laws do not establish need for media, interest groups, parties, etc. . .
- formal institution must exist by law; established by Constitution.
- informal institutions play a large role in the how formal institutions operate.
- interaction between formal and informal institutions.
How are institutions important for politics? - Answer 1. Channel Preferences
- offer certain incentives and punishments
- changes behavior to maximize rewards and limit punishments
2. Influences Preferences
- helps define what is rational
- differences in rationality between perspectives in a group
How institutions constrained? - Answer *offer constraints; exclusionary*
- who is member, who is not. Roles, authority.
*Rigid*
- sometimes difficult to alter institutions to cultural change.
,- creates consistency to continue success.
*Institutions enduring, slow to update*
- repeat in bad behaviors
What is the nature of overcoming these restraints? - Answer *In order to gain power to
change institutions, have to commit for long time to institutions*
- recreating its flaws
- by the time power is grasped, individual becomes changed by the institution.
*Build cooperation, coordinate, network*
- must build vast network of outsiders
- needed to pressure institution
What are the central questions in discussions of institutions? - Answer 1. Congress
- why is it so inefficient?
2. Presidency
- how many actions reflection of person over position?
3. Courts
- what authority to enforce decisions?
Describe the theories of representation - Answer 1. Formal representation
- to be duly elected to act on another's behalf.
2. Descriptive/demographic representation
- to reflect the underlying social or political composition of your district
3. Symbolic representation
- extent to which legislative behavior is acceptable to your constituents
4. Substantive representation
- legislative responsiveness to constituents on matters of public policy.
- most common form
, What are the types of representation? - Answer 1. Delegate
- vote as your constituents dictate
2. Trustee
- vote according to your own judgement and what you believe is best.
3. Politico
- do what is necessary to win elections and increase influence.
What do members of Congress do? - Answer *Division between work and chamber and work
in district*
What work do Congressional members do in the chamber? - Answer -Voting on legislation
- Serving on committees and committees
- Crafting legislation/bills
- participating in party caucuses
Define the three types of congressional committees - Answer Standing, select, joint
What are standing committees? - Answer *permanent committees with legislative
jurisdiction*
- consider bills, issues and recommend action in chambers.
- oversight to monitor agencies, programs, activities in purview; some cross-cutting issues.
- most recommend funding levels for government programs
What are select or special committees? - Answer *established by separate resolution of
chamber*
- conduct investigations, studies, and sometimes consider measures.
What are joint committees? - Answer *permanent panels composed of members in both
chambers*
- conduct studies, perform housekeeping tasks
How do members of Congress perform constituency work? - Answer - Immigration issues
- Military personel/ service academies
with All Solved Solutions.
What are the formal institutions in Government? - Answer Congress
Presidency
Bureaucracy
Courts
What did David Hume say about institutions? - Answer Must have institutions to prevent
sudden whims of change.
- Institutions continue integrity of system; constrain activities.
What are agency and structure? How do they relate to institutions - Answer Agency: capacity
of individuals to act independently and make own free choices.
Structures: recurrent patterned arrangements, which limit and influence choices and
opportunities.
*Institutions are in between both*
- have some structure but not a complete lack of agency.
Other definitions of institutions - Answer *Anthony Giddens Definition*
- more enduring features of social life; everyday, recurring.
*Rom Harre definition*
- interlocking double structure of office holders and social practices.
- way you behave in one institution is different from another.
*Douglass North definition*
- institutions are rules of the game in society; humanly devised constraints.
- created by other individuals
- structure incentives and guide behavior
- control the manner in which people interact.
What do institutions accomplish? - Answer *Division of labor and regular procedure*
,- provide roles; some level of normalcy and stability.
- clearly defined roles and procedures allows individuals certain levels of comfort.
*Specialization of labor*
- allows individuals to become specialists at task.
*Jurisdictions*
- separate tasks and duties.
*Delegation and monitoring*
- giving task to someone and knowing what to expect.
What is the difference between a formal and an informal institution? - Answer *Formal is a
written institution; clearly defined and established.*
- informal is an unwritten, unestablished entity which is difficult to enforce.
*Formal political institutions are those that should exist by law*
- laws do not establish need for media, interest groups, parties, etc. . .
- formal institution must exist by law; established by Constitution.
- informal institutions play a large role in the how formal institutions operate.
- interaction between formal and informal institutions.
How are institutions important for politics? - Answer 1. Channel Preferences
- offer certain incentives and punishments
- changes behavior to maximize rewards and limit punishments
2. Influences Preferences
- helps define what is rational
- differences in rationality between perspectives in a group
How institutions constrained? - Answer *offer constraints; exclusionary*
- who is member, who is not. Roles, authority.
*Rigid*
- sometimes difficult to alter institutions to cultural change.
,- creates consistency to continue success.
*Institutions enduring, slow to update*
- repeat in bad behaviors
What is the nature of overcoming these restraints? - Answer *In order to gain power to
change institutions, have to commit for long time to institutions*
- recreating its flaws
- by the time power is grasped, individual becomes changed by the institution.
*Build cooperation, coordinate, network*
- must build vast network of outsiders
- needed to pressure institution
What are the central questions in discussions of institutions? - Answer 1. Congress
- why is it so inefficient?
2. Presidency
- how many actions reflection of person over position?
3. Courts
- what authority to enforce decisions?
Describe the theories of representation - Answer 1. Formal representation
- to be duly elected to act on another's behalf.
2. Descriptive/demographic representation
- to reflect the underlying social or political composition of your district
3. Symbolic representation
- extent to which legislative behavior is acceptable to your constituents
4. Substantive representation
- legislative responsiveness to constituents on matters of public policy.
- most common form
, What are the types of representation? - Answer 1. Delegate
- vote as your constituents dictate
2. Trustee
- vote according to your own judgement and what you believe is best.
3. Politico
- do what is necessary to win elections and increase influence.
What do members of Congress do? - Answer *Division between work and chamber and work
in district*
What work do Congressional members do in the chamber? - Answer -Voting on legislation
- Serving on committees and committees
- Crafting legislation/bills
- participating in party caucuses
Define the three types of congressional committees - Answer Standing, select, joint
What are standing committees? - Answer *permanent committees with legislative
jurisdiction*
- consider bills, issues and recommend action in chambers.
- oversight to monitor agencies, programs, activities in purview; some cross-cutting issues.
- most recommend funding levels for government programs
What are select or special committees? - Answer *established by separate resolution of
chamber*
- conduct investigations, studies, and sometimes consider measures.
What are joint committees? - Answer *permanent panels composed of members in both
chambers*
- conduct studies, perform housekeeping tasks
How do members of Congress perform constituency work? - Answer - Immigration issues
- Military personel/ service academies
