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With Answers
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POLITICAL & CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEMS:
DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT
Authoritarianism is a system of government in which -- A. political authority is effectively limited and restrained by a constitution;
B. those who govern society exercise absolute power; C. political authority is typically concentrated in one person or a small group;
D. A and C above are true; E. B and C above are true.
[Correct Response: E]
In an authoritarian political system -- A. the regime defines and determines the scope of its powers; B. accountability under law is
a distinguishing feature of government; C. democratic elections effectively restrain the power of government; D. the
basic rights of the individual are protected against governmental infringement; E. the rule of law is enforced.
[Correct Response: A]
A governmental system in which unlimited power is in the hands of one person is referred to as -- A. an oligarchy; B. an
autocracy; C. an absolute democracy; D. the rule of law; E. popular sovereignty.
[Correct Response: B]
A system of government in which untrameled power is exercised by a small, cohesive group of persons is called -- A. an oligarchy;
B. an autocracy; C. anarchy; D. the rule of law; E. an absolute democracy.
[Correct Response: A]
A political regime in which unchecked power is exercised by a small group of religious leaders is known as -- A. a secular dictatorship;
B. a constitutional democracy; C. a theocracy; D. an aristocracy; E. a proletarian dictatorship.
[Correct Response: C]
A dictorship is characterized by -- A. constitutionalism; B. authoritarianism; C. the rule of law; D. guarantees of
basic rights and liberties for the individual member of society; E. effective limits on the power of government.
[Correct Response: B]
In an authoritarian system of government -- A. political power is concentrated in a single power center; B. the constitution
effectively imposes limits on governmental power; C. there is a total or near-total absence of checks and restraints on the exercise
of political power; D. A and C above are true; E. none of the above are true.
[Correct Response: D]
In a dictatorship, unchecked and unrestrained political power may be in the hands of -- A. one person; B. a small, closely-knit
group of persons; C. a majority of the voters or their elected representatives in the government; D. any of the above;
E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: D]
Constitutional democracy is a system of government in which -- A. the voters have effective means of ultimately controlling their elected
representatives; B. the powers of government are defined, limited and distributed by a body of fundamental law; C. the
voters are in a position to hold elected representatives accountable for their decisions and actions while in office; D. all of the
above are true; E. none of the above are true.
[Correct Response: D]
Modern constitutional democracies keep their political leaders accountable to the general populace through -- A. the operation of rigidly
doctrinaire and uncompromising political parties; B. elections as the medium for transfer of governing power; C. oligarchy
and the coup de e'tat; D. revolutionary social movements; E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: B]
"Constitutionalism" means -- A. limited government; B. government based on the whim of public officials; C. unlimited
government; D. absolute government; E. authoritarianism.
[Correct Response: A]
In a governmental system characterized by constitutionalism, the constitution -- A. allows the government to exercise unbridled power;
B. may prescribe certain procedures the government must follow in making and enforcing decisions; C. may prohibit the
government from making and carrying out certain decisions; D. is characterized by A and B above; E. is characterized by
B and C above.
[Correct Response: E]
The functions of a constitution include -- A. setting the limits of political influence; B. defining the powers of government;
C. specification of the major offices and institutions of government and how each is to be filled; D. A and C above; E.
B and C above.
[Correct Response: E]
The constitution of a political community such as the United States of America -- A. takes precedence over all other laws of the community;
B. is subordinate to statutes enacted by the legislature; C. to be valid and enforceable, must be in harmony with orders
issued by the chief executive; D. limits the powers of all organs of government, except the upper chamber of the legislature;
E. is characterized by none of the above.
[Correct Response: A]
When governmental power is constitutionally allocated in such manner as to ensure that the principal organs of government will check and
restrain each other, prevent any one organ from becoming dominant and thereby maintain an equilibrium of political power, the system of
government is called -- A. authoritarianism; B. absolute democracy; C. balanced government; D. simple,
unchecked democracy; E. majoritarian tyranny.
[Correct Response: C]
In the American constitutional system -- A. formal power relationships do not exist among the principal organs of government; B.
the formal power relationships among the principal institutions of government result from the constitutional division of political influence
among them; C. constitutional power relationships exist among the President, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives,
and the Federal Courts; D. the U.S. Constitution limits the powers of all organs of government, except the Office of President;
E. none of the above are true.
[Correct Response: C]
In the American constitutional system, constitutional power relationships exist -- A. between the national government and the fifty states;
B. among the two major political parties; C. among the more powerful political interest groups; D. between the
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the House standing committees; E. between or among none of the above.
[Correct Response: A]
The central purpose of constitutionalism is -- A. to determine who within the society is to control and run the government; B. to
check and restrain the persons who hold public office and exercise governmental authority; C. to certify political parties qualified
to compete in elections; D. to allocate among citizens the material costs and benefits of living in the community; E. none
of the above.
[Correct Response: B]
In a representative democracy, the legitimate power to make the official decisions of government -- A. is exercised by the whole body of
adult citizens; B. is acquired and retained either directly or indirectly as the result of winning free elections; C. is vested
in a mass legislative assembly in which all qualified adult citizens have the right to participate; D. is exercised by the voters in
national plebiscites held regularly and frequently; E. resides in a single ruler wielding unchecked and unrestrained political
power.
[Correct Response: B]
The constitutional ingredient of modern constitutional democracy relates to -- A. who holds and exercises governmental power;
B. how political authority is divided, distributed, and limited by law; C. how political authority is acquired and retained;
D. the organizational structure of political parties; E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: B]
The democratic ingredient of modern constitutional democracy relates to -- A. who holds and exercises governmental power;
B. how governmental power is divided, distributed, and limited by law; C. how political authority is acquired and retained;
D. A and C above; E. B and C above.
[Correct Response: D]
A constitutional democracy in which the government is formally carried on in the name of a person who inherits his or her title and office is
known as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D. presidential
system; E. proletarian democracy.
[Correct Response: C]
A constitutional democracy in which each office in the government is filled by direct or indirect election or by appointment according to
law is called a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D. presidential
system; E. collectivist system.
[Correct Response: A]
A constitutional democracy in which the leader of the majority party or coalition in the elective chamber of the legislature becomes head of
the executive branch of the government is referred to as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C.
constitutional monarchy; D. presidential system; E. laissez-faire system.
[Correct Response: B]
A constitutional democracy in which the head of the executive branch of the government is elected separately from and independently of
the legislature is known as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D.
presidential system; E. social welfare state.
[Correct Response: D]
A constitutional democracy in which there is a fusion, or concentration, of legislative and executive powers in the elective house of the
legislature is called a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C, constitutional monarchy; D.
presidential system; E. direct democracy.
[Correct Response: B]
A constitutional democracy in which the constitution provides for an institutional separation between the legislature and the top
executive authority in the government is reffered to as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C.
constitutional monarchy; D. presidential system; E. utopian system.
[Correct Response: D]
A constitutional democracy in which the legislature and the chief executive are separate and largely independent organs of government is
known as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D. presidential
system; E. totalitarian regime.
[Correct Response: D]
A constitutional democracy in which the tenure and prerogatives of the top executive authority in the government are depedendent upon
the continuing support of a majority in the elective chamber of the legislature is referred to as a -- A. constitutional republic; B.
parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D. presidential system; E. theocracy.
[Correct Response: B]
A constitutional democracy in which the top executive authority in the government is directly responsible to the elective house of the
legislature is called a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C. constitutional monarchy; D.
presidential system; E. plebiscitary democracy.
[Correct Response: B]
A constitutional democracy in which the chief executive serves during a fixed term of office and possesses a set of constitutional powers
separate from those of the legislature is referred to as a -- A. constitutional republic; B. parliamentary system; C.
constitutional monarchy; D. presidential sustem; E. federation.
[Correct Response: D]
A majoritarian democracy -- A. is constitutionally biased toward quick and easy decisionmaking by a democratically elected majority in
the government; B. is constitutionally geared for operation of numerous checks and balances; C. makes necessary delay
and prolonged debate, deliberation, negotiation, bargaining, and compromise before the government can resolve highly controversial
issues of public policy; D. provides for a division and balance of power among separate and largely independent policymaking organs
of government; E. is characterized by none of the above.
[Correct Response: A]
A consensus democracy -- A. is constitutionally biased toward operation of numerous checks and balances; B. requires delay and
prolonged debate, deliberation, negotiation, bargaining, and compromise before the government can resolve highly controversial issues
of public policy; C. provides for a division and balance of power among separate and largely independent policymaking organs of
government; D. is characterized by all of the above; E. is characterized by none of the above.
[Correct Response: D]
The modern British political and constitutional system is -- A. a parliamentary system; B. a consensus democracy; C. a majoritarian
democracy; D. A and B above; E. A and C above.
[Correct Response: E]
The American political and constitutional system is -- A. a consensus democracy; B. presidential system; C. a majoritarian
democracy; D. A and B above; E. A and C above.
[Correct Response: D]
Britain's contempory system of government is -- A. a constitutional republic; B. a system of rule by concurrent majorities;
C. constitutional monarchy; D. an oligarchy; E. characterized by federalism.
[Correct Response: C]
The American governmental system is -- A. a constitutional republic; B. a unitary state; C. constitutional monarchy;
D. an autocracy; E. a confederation.
A highly centralized type of constitutional democracy in which the governments of regional and/or local sundivisions of the country
exercise only those powers given to them by the central government is called -- A. a confederation; B. a federal system; C.
a unitary state; D. all of the above; E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: C]
A governmental system characterized by a constitutional division of powers between the central government and the regional or local
subdivisions of the country, with substantial authority vested in each of the two levels of government, is referred to as -- A. a
confederation; B. a federal system; C. a unitary state; D. all of the above; E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: B]
A league or association of independent states in which the central government handles those matters of common concern delegated to it
by the member-states of the union is known as -- A. a confederation; B. a federal system; C. a unitary system; D.
all of the above; E. none of the above.
[Correct Response: A]
In a federation -- A. the central government may not make laws directly applicable to individuals without further action by the
member-states of the union; B. independent states are enabled to work together in solving common problems without giving up
their sovereignty; C. the central government is invested with supreme power within its own constitutional sphere of authority and
may act directly upon individuals; D. the member-states derive their authority from statutory legislation enacted by the central
government; E. none of the above are true.
[Correct Response: C]
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is -- A. a confederation; B. a federation; C. a unitary state;
D. a city-state; E. a garrison state.
[Correct Response: C]
The United States of America is -- A. a confederation; B. a federation; C. a unitary state; D. a city-state; E.
a garrison state.
[Correct Response: B]
Constitution of the United States of America
U.S. Constitutional Law & Political Philosophy
The American Political System -- Politics &
Government in the U.S.A.: Political Science Course
The American Constitutional System -- Origins:
English Antecedents
The American Constitutional System -- Origins:
Colonial & Early American Antecedents
The American Constitutional System -- Origins:
The Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787
The American Constitutional System -- Origins:
The U.S. Constitution -- Ratification & Adoption
The U.S. Constitution -- Underlying Political Theory:
The Federalist -- Selected Essays
Political Science, Philosophy, & History -- Lectures
Political Philosophy & Political Ideologies:
Competing Systems of Political Thought