Chapter 1 – Introduction to Comparative Politics Test – (Use Wood Online Reading Source)
Multiple Choice – 2.5 pts each
Wood text source
1. Explain the difference between the field of comparative politics and international relations.
2. Review over the differences between a normative statement and empirical statements
3. Identify and give an example of each the following terms: independent variable, dependent variable,
hypothesis, correlation, and causation
4. Define and understand the difference between: state, nation, and regime
5. Describe a centrifugal force that had a negative affect on a nation-state.
6. Integration is a process that allows states to gain political, economic, and social clout by pooling what?
7. Describe the conditions of a “mixed economy”?
8. What type of state spreads power among many sub-units and has a weak central government?
9. What can be considered a fundamental feature of authoritarian government?
10. What is an accurate description of democratic corporatism?
11. Explain how a country’s GDP per capita can be different than that of a country’s PPP per capita.
12. What does it mean when a country has a low Gini coefficient?
13. What is a national ballot, called by the government on a policy issue called?
14. In contrast to a plurality electoral system, an electoral system based on proportional representation is
more likely to result in what?
15. Give an example of a linkage institution.
16. Explain the power of judicial review.
17. In most countries with bicameral legislature, how are seats in the upper house filled?
18. In contrast to bureaucrats in an authoritarian regime, bureaucrats in a democratic regime usually
what?
19. A cabinet coalition is more likely to form in countries that have what political system?
20. List the common types of political institutions.
21. Common law is the basis of rational legal legitimacy in countries strongly influenced by what country?
22. According to social capital theory, how are societies with high amounts of social capitals more likely
to be characterized?
23. Describe socialism as a political ideology.
24. Which attitude toward change is most supportive of reform and gradual change?
25. What are characteristics of liberal democracies?
26. Define the process of democratic consolidation.
27. What does economic liberalization lead a country towards?
28. Which concept most directly discourages the modern trend toward globalization?
29. How are cross-cutting cleavages different from that of coinciding cleavages?
30. Voluntary organizations outside of the state that help people define and advance their own interests
compose the civil society.
Conceptual Analysis Questions:
25pts – 4 pts for each correct definition, 4 pts for each example correctly described.\
Must be written in complete sentences.
Political and economic change may occur through reform, revolution, or coup d’etat.
a. Define reform. Describe an example of a reform as a type of economic change.
b. Define revolution. Describe an example of a revolution as a type of political change.
c. Define coup d’etat. Describe an example of a coup d’etat as a type of political change.