Political Science 2

Question 1

Interest groups

Answer 1

like minded people working ton influence government and policy

Question 2

Economic interest groups

Answer 2

business groups, labour groups, agricultural groups, professional groups

Question 3

Non economic interest groups

Answer 3

public interest groups, single-issue groups, civil rights groups, ideological groups

Question 4

Pros of interest groups

Answer 4

diversity of views to government
Development of social capital that allows citizens to solve collective problems

Question 5

Cons of interest groups

Answer 5

moneyed groups cater to those who pay them
Lobbying can distort government direction

Question 6

Political parties

Answer 6

groups of people who share a common political ideology and work to become elected

Question 7

Party systems

Answer 7

several parties run in the system

Question 8

Two party system

Answer 8

two dominant parties become government

Question 9

Multiparty system

Answer 9

government is made of a several parties who share power

Question 10

Single party systems

Answer 10

non Democratic, one party has total control

Question 11

Recent trends

Answer 11

decreasing turnout
Rise in populism

Question 12

Election

Answer 12

using majoritarian (winner takes all) or proportional representation to elect the legislative and or executive

Question 13

Referendum

Answer 13

form of direct democracy

Question 14

Legislatures

Answer 14

gathering of representatives elected to make laws and represent constituents and oversee government

Question 15

Parliamentary legislature

Answer 15

voters vote for legislatures which in turn vest confidence in the government

Question 16

Presidential legislature

Answer 16

parliament (Congress) and executive are separate

Question 17

Semi presidential legislature

Answer 17

elect separately parliament and president

Question 18

Executives

Answer 18

Individual or collective bodies intended to operative implement legislation

Question 19

What executive is a head of states for

Answer 19

Republic

Question 20

What executive is inherited

Answer 20

Monarchy

Question 21

Head of government

Answer 21

Elected by parliament or nominated by president

Question 22

Presidents differ from prime ministers

Answer 22

Not accountable to Congress (parliament) but can’t dissolve parliament
Parliament gives exec discretionary power because issues need to be resolved quickly
Break gridlock

Question 23

Presidents in semi-preidential systems

Answer 23

President popularly elected
President nominates PM who is responsible to president and parliament
President can dissolve parliament

Question 24

Trends in power of execs

Answer 24

Increased discretionary power
Personification of power
Increased capacity with development of technology
Delegation of power to specialized agencies (experts)
Increased welfare state
National security concerns
Rise of populism and polarization

Question 25

Courts

Answer 25

In judicial system maintain rule of lawn Should be politically neutral

Question 26

Rule by law

Answer 26

Those in power decide which laws to use and which not to

Question 27

Civil law system (france)

Answer 27

Relies on the legal code that contains the laws of the country. Judges interpret cases in light of general rules

Question 28

Commons law system (USA)

Answer 28

Relies on laws and previous precedents on similar cases.

Question 29

Religious law (Saudi Arabia)

Answer 29

Relies on religious text as foundation for court decisions

Question 30

Judicial review

Answer 30

Judges can check that the other branches are following the law Done after a law is adopted (USA) Rarely before a law is adopted (France) Not allowed in some countries due to parliamentary sovereignty (UK) which says parliament is the only body that can make or break laws

Question 31

Media

Answer 31

Not in government but as a “citizen check” on the power of the government

Question 32

Media that is right

Answer 32

Requires public finance (CBC)

Question 33

Media that is a business product

Answer 33

Sold as any other product (Toronto Star, CTV)

Question 34

Evolution of media

Answer 34

Newspapers since 17th century Electric telegraphs since mid 19th century Telephone since late 19th century Radio since 1920s TV since 1950s Internet since 1990s

Question 35

Recent trends in media

Answer 35

Decreased trust (misinformation, fake news) Increased consumer personalization (streaming, algorithms) Influencers

Question 36

Realism theory

Answer 36

States at the centre of anarchy international systems States will enact laws to maintain their security States with most power (economic, militarily) have the most influence Balance of power among great powers and spheres of influence

Question 37

Liberalism theory of international relations

Answer 37

States are part of larger systems who work with other institutions to create a world that benefits all people and states Collective security and perpetual peace

Question 38

Constructivism theory in international relations

Answer 38

Relations between states are ever changing since they themselves are ever changing Global systems influenced by the most powerful

Question 39

Critical theories of international relations

Answer 39

Marxism: classes and economic exploitation World system: states are subordinate to international chains of production Feminism: power as concept of the patriarchy Reject realist, liberal, and a bit of constructivist ideas, bringing perspective of underrepresented groups and questions power and security

Question 40

International organization

Answer 40

Realist (pessimistic) vs liberal (moderately optimistic). These groups are purely intergovernmental or have the potential to have their own power through power distribution

Question 41

International organization history and reality

Answer 41

Began mostly after WW2 No power over their member states States decide to joint and sign treaties

Question 42

United Nations

Answer 42

Prevent military conflicts Promote cooperation Soft power Security council has supranational authority

Question 43

European Union

Answer 43

European Commission has supranational authority in some areas (agreed by member states) 3 pillars (economic, home affairs and justice, international security) Economic pillar is supranational qualified majority Other 2 pillars require consensus

Question 44

International political economy

Answer 44

How political factors (laws, regulations, international treaties, wars, leadership preferences) shape public economic policies (taxes, tariffs, interest rates, trade liberalization or restrictions through sanctions and quotas, benefits and fines) and defines who the winners and losers of these policies are (states, classes of people, companies, individuals)

Question 45

Recent trends in international political economy

Answer 45

Globalization (global level and state level approaches. First and third world views) Trade liberalization International migration Reducing poverty Growing inequalities Climate change Tech developments