Quiz 6 Flashcards
In Federalist #10, what does James Madison cite as the most likely and enduring cause for the creation of factions?
A.
Different opinions about religion
B.
Unequal distribution of property
C.
The region in which people live
D.
Ambitious leaders seeking for power
E.
Political parties
B.
Unequal distribution of property
Which of the following best represents the argument of Brutus I about the appropriate size of a republic?
A.
Small republics are best because they tend to have less diversity of opinion and interests, thus reducing conflict and encouraging effective government action.
B.
Brutus believed in what has come to be called the “Goldilocks” principle; republics should not be too large or too small. The medium-sized republic, he argues, is just right. Though they disagreed about other aspects of republics, Brutus and Madison agree about this.
C.
As Montesquieu first wrote, history shows that large republics are typically more successful. The vast and powerful Roman republic is a perfect example of this fact.
D.
Small republics are better than large republics because in a small republic, the laws will not be executed with “promptitude.” This delay in execution will ultimately result in more thoughtful, humane law enforcement.
A.
Small republics are best because they tend to have less diversity of opinion and interests, thus reducing conflict and encouraging effective government action.
Which of the following is the best example of a principle-agent problem?
A.
Broc wants to install a fence around his yard. Because he lives in a small town, only one fencing company is available. Broc’s choices of fencing are therefore limited to those offered by one company.
B.
Corina is taking out a loan. Neither Corina nor the banker know how the economy will change over the next few years. They therefore use limited information to choose an interest rate that will be in force for years to come.
C.
Morgan hires Nathan to write out his new employment contract. Morgan does not know much about contracts, and trusts that Nathan will write one that is in Morgan’s best interest. If Nathan wanted to, he could write a subpar contract without Morgan knowing.
D.
Wendy hires Arturo as a tutor for an upcoming test. After a few weeks, Arturo decides he no longer wants to tutor Wendy. He breaks their agreement and leaves Wendy with no tutor to help prepare her for her test.
C.
Morgan hires Nathan to write out his new employment contract. Morgan does not know much about contracts, and trusts that Nathan will write one that is in Morgan’s best interest. If Nathan wanted to, he could write a subpar contract without Morgan knowing.
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of filters of consent?
A.
So the passions of the people could be filtered to good purpose, each city or county elected a single representative to be their voice in the legislature.
B.
To avoid the dominance of a single branch of government, each branch was given certain checks over other branches ensuring the protection of individual rights.
C.
In an effort to secure the wisest and most virtuous leaders, elected representatives, chosen by the voice of the people, would then elect representatives of their own to ensure they were wiser and more virtuous still.
D.
To create a law, both the legislative branch and the executive branch would have to grant approval, ensuring different groups of elected officials would have to consent to laws before they came into effect.
C.
In an effort to secure the wisest and most virtuous leaders, elected representatives, chosen by the voice of the people, would then elect representatives of their own to ensure they were wiser and more virtuous still.
Using the logic of the ways in which institutions structure political behavior, why does the United States have basically two major political parties?
A.
Since most American elections use single member districts, the losers of the election gain nothing. Voters don’t want to waste their vote by voting for a candidate that might not win, so only two strong parties emerge.
B.
Since most American elections use single member districts, the districts are drawn around urban and rural areas. These areas normally have opposing interests and therefore choose one party for each area.
C.
Since most American elections use proportional representation, the parties that can gain a sizable proportion of the population’s support can win a lot of seats at once. Voters want to either join that party or stop it from gaining so many seats at once, so they flock to the opposition or to the party itself.
D.
Since most American elections use proportional representation, low and middle class Americans are strongly represented in the results of the elections. These two classes usually vote for opposite parties.
A.
Since most American elections use single member districts, the losers of the election gain nothing. Voters don’t want to waste their vote by voting for a candidate that might not win, so only two strong parties emerge.
