Chapter 1

Question 1

What is government?

Answer 1

Government describes formal institutions and procedures through which a land and its people are ruled.

Question 2

What is politics?

Answer 2

Politics refers to conflicts and struggles over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.

Question 3

What is autocracy?

Answer 3

Autocracy is a form of government in which a single individual–a king, queen, or dictator–rules.

Question 4

What is oligarchy?

Answer 4

Oligarchy is a form of government in which a small group–landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants–controls most of the governing decisions.

Question 5

What is democracy?

Answer 5

Democracy is a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the government process, usually through the election of key public officials.

Question 6

What is constitutional government?

Answer 6

Constitutional government is a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government.

Question 7

What is an authoritarian government?

Answer 7

An authoritarian government is a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions.

Question 8

What is totalitarian government?

Answer 8

Totalitarian government is a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it.

Question 9

What is power?

Answer 9

Power is influence over a government’s leadership, organization, or policies.

Question 10

What is a representative democracy?

Answer 10

A representative democracy (republic) is a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision-making.

Question 11

What is a direct democracy?

Answer 11

A direct democracy is a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.

Question 12

What is pluralism?

Answer 12

Pluralism is the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation.

Question 13

Services that citizens need but are unlikely to provide for themselves, such as national defense, maintenance of public order, and a stable currency are called:

a. laissez-faire goods
b. pluralist goods
c. provisional goods
d. public goods
e. private goods

Answer 13

d. public goods

Question 14

What is the basic difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?

Answer 14

the number of people who control governing decisions

Question 15

A government that is formally limited in what it can control and how it controls it is known as:

Answer 15

a constitutional government

Question 16

A system of government that allows citizens to vote directly on the law through popular initiatives and ballot referendums is called:

Answer 16

a direct democracy

Question 17

What is political knowledge?

Answer 17

Political knowledge is possessing information about the formal institutions of government, political actors, and political issues.

Question 18

What is citizenship?

Answer 18

Citizenship is informed and active membership in a political community.

Question 19

What is digital citizenship?

Answer 19

Digital citizenship is using the internet, social media, and other information technology to engage in society and government.

Question 20

What is political efficacy?

Answer 20

Political efficacy is the ability to influence government and politics.

Question 21

What is digital citizenship?

a. a new government initiative to expand online voter registration
b. the ability to vote online
c. an online certification program that allows immigrants to become American citizens
d. the ability to participate in society online
e. a new government initiative to provide daily legislative updates online

Answer 21

d. the ability to participate in society online

Question 22

Political efficacy is the belief that:

a. government is wasteful and corrupt
b. government operates efficiently
c. government has grown too large
d. government cannot be trusted
e. ordinary citizens can influence what government does

Answer 22

e. ordinary citizens can influence what government does

Question 23

In 1910 residents who traced their origin to Latin America or Asia each accounted for:

a. less than 1 percent of the U.S. population
b. approximately 5 percent of the U.S. population
c. approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population
d. approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population
e. more than 20 percent of the U.S. population

Answer 23

a. less than 1 percent of the U.S. population

Question 24

Which of the following statements best describes the history of income inequality in the United States?

a. The top 1 percent has never earned more than 10 percent of the nation’s annual income.
b. The top 1 percent has never earned less than 10 percent of the nation’s annual income.
c. Income inequality has remained fairly constant since the late 1970s.
d. Income inequality has increased considerably since the late 1970s.
e. Income inequality has decreased considerably since the late 1970s.

Answer 24

d. Income inequality has increased considerably since the late 1970s.